Need Rad advice

So, after a year and a half of debate (and money troubles), I've finnaly decided to bite the bullet and build my system this spring for college (origionaly going to wait for Bloomsfield to come out, but I'll wait for the kinks to get worked out of that). The hot stuff will be an Intel E6700 (will O/C) and a 8800GTX (most likely an eVGA, non Superclock/KO and I'll O/C it myself) on an eVGA 680i board (Memory is undecided at this point). I have room in my Antec Nine Hundred to mount a Dual 120mm Radiator in the front (which is what I want to do), but I have some questions about which Dual Rad to go with. I'm going to start with one 8800 and might, MIGHT, add another later on. I've been looking at the BI GTX 240 ($99) for a rad, but do I really need it? Can I settle with just a BI Stealth 240, or should I actually go with a GTX (or even a Thermochill PA120.2)? Just as a side note: I plan on using a push-pull setup b/c I already have the fans to do it (Antec 120mm Tri Cool Blue LED) and I want the fans on the inside both for the LEDs and for the airflow across the motherboard. Pump is going to be a Swiftech MCP655, tubing is going to be 7/16" Tygon, and while I'm at it: Apogee GT CPU Water Block, and I'm stumped weither I should drop $50 on a MCW60 for the 8800GTX and find some decent RAMSinks (the Swiftech ones look good, but they need different adhesive) or drop twice as much on a full card block like the Danger Den unit? Feel free to post opinions and observations.

-Mobious-

You will love the jump to water, I have and dont ever plan on going back to air . ( might move on to Phase but never air )

If you have the cash I would get the Thermochill they are the best , and with a Quad core and a 8800gtx ( and possibly another ) you should have the most cooling power @ your disposel.

For the wb for your 8800 i would compair what temps ppl are getting with the MCW60 vs full cover blocks. If you do deside to go fill cover Check out Eddys blocks there is a thread kicking around in the Water section about how much better they are vs teh DD block .

If you are putting out for top of the line parts, I would get a Thermochill 120.2. It is the best dual rad on the market.

As for the VGA block, I personally prefer the single block with ramsinks route over a full cover block as the single block can usually be used on the next VC with possible just a change in mount, whereas with a full cover block, it is a one card deal.

Yeah, EK's full size block for the 8800 is sickkk

WonderingSoul said:

Yeah, EK's full size block for the 8800 is sickkk

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Full coverage blocks are a huge money sink and cool a lot of stuff that doesn't need cooled by water. They only fit one card and you can buy 3 or 4 GPU only blocks for the price of one full coverage block. RAM is cooled fine with passive ram sinks. Full coverage blocks are hard to resell as they only fit one card. A normal GPU block will fit many gens of cards, cools better, and is cheaper. Yes full coverage are easier to install and look better but that isn't worth the cash. If I were going to buy a full coverage block it would be an EK though as they are awsome. For a GPU block I would get a Maze 4 or Maze 5 by DD. Swiftech's MCW60 is a great block but is hard to mount and performs on par with the Mazes.

I was under the impression...and let me know if I am wrong, but going with a GPU block like the MCW60 with some ramsinks is more effective, in cost and performance than the full cover blocks.

It seems not only can you mount the MCW60 on different cards, but the ramsinks do a fine job of cooling the memory, and cost 1/2 the price of the full covers. Again its one opinion.

I also second the Thermochill rads. I love them. I took some advice and got the PA 120.2 with some Yate Loons, and am very happy.

LOL, seems IH said what I was saying with a much better explanation.

Immortal_Hero said:

Full coverage blocks are a huge money sink and cool a lot of stuff that doesn't need cooled by water. They only fit one card and you can buy 3 or 4 GPU only blocks for the price of one full coverage block. RAM is cooled fine with passive ram sinks. Full coverage blocks are hard to resell as they only fit one card. A normal GPU block will fit many gens of cards, cools better, and is cheaper. Yes full coverage are easier to install and look better but that isn't worth the cash. If I were going to buy a full coverage block it would be an EK though as they are awsome. For a GPU block I would get a Maze 4 or Maze 5 by DD. Swiftech's MCW60 is a great block but is hard to mount and performs on par with the Mazes.

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Whoa now. I was never persuading or trying to tell him to get a full block. My post was more to the agreeance of ||Console||'s post.



Personally I would give it a Dtek MP-1.

WonderingSoul said:

Whoa now. I was never persuading or trying to tell him to get a full block. My post was more to the agreeance of ||Console||'s post.



Personally I would give it a Dtek MP-1.

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Never said you were .

Immortal_Hero said:

Never said you were .

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ppffft curse your ambiguity!

WonderingSoul said:

ppffft curse your ambiguity!

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I do it well huh? And it always gets ya! LoL.

Immortal_Hero said:

Full coverage blocks are a huge money sink and cool a lot of stuff that doesn't need cooled by water. They only fit one card and you can buy 3 or 4 GPU only blocks for the price of one full coverage block. RAM is cooled fine with passive ram sinks. Full coverage blocks are hard to resell as they only fit one card. A normal GPU block will fit many gens of cards, cools better, and is cheaper. Yes full coverage are easier to install and look better but that isn't worth the cash. If I were going to buy a full coverage block it would be an EK though as they are awsome. For a GPU block I would get a Maze 4 or Maze 5 by DD. Swiftech's MCW60 is a great block but is hard to mount and performs on par with the Mazes.

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I'm not trying to persuade any one either way but if you buy an EK full coverage block direct from Eddy it is only about $87 shipped. so it's only about 50% more. and the block is gorgeous the DD is $150 and not that impressive build quality wise performance wise I'm not sure.

SCORPIONlt1 said:

I'm not trying to persuade any one either way but if you buy an EK full coverage block direct from Eddy it is only about $87 shipped. so it's only about 50% more. and the block is gorgeous the DD is $150 and not that impressive build quality wise performance wise I'm not sure.

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Not going to argue that EK makes the best full coverage block. At his price though they are more ecnomical $87 for a full coverage, I would seriously consider that. The ease of installation and all in one package is a + for me.

Yea the DD is all plastic and no copper and they charge almost twice as much as EK and his blocks have about 3 times the copper in them.