Looking for AIO Cooler

[tomdean]

I spent several hours last night and today looking into google 'cpu coolers aio'.

Most, if not all the reviews contain words like "came in a black box with blue highlights", "three customizable color themes", "clear tubing with customizable colors to enhance your visual experience", "customizable led lighting theme", etc.

I did not find one review that measured the ability to remove heat.

I have an area under my work table for the tower case. A small sized room fan moves air there. If I put $$ into a case with "clear inlays for visual ..." and $$ into one of these "enhanced visual experience" cooling kits, I have to sit under the work table.

I look into my tower case every 2 to 3 weeks with cleaning tools. Other than that, the tower provides mflops for my above-table, real-life experience.

A few years back, I exeprimented with a dual loop cooling system with TEC's on the outter loop and higher clock rates. If I stayed above condensation, my idle CPU temps were in the 30 C range, althoough the clock was higher. At full load, I saw temps in the 80 C range. OK, that is doable. For my daily use, 4.2GHz is enough. I run this system 24/7.

Where can I find real reviews of AIO systems? I believe they are on this forum, I just can not seem to find them. Blind in one eye...

 

[BugFreak]

From what I've read over the years they all cool about like a good air cooler. There are many threads on here where you will get better info than 90% of the reviews imo. Personally I like the Swiftech aio. I've used one in my mini build for a while now and really like it.

 

[Evilsizer]

swiftech is a good one, i picked up a CM based one a while back for my X5560 setup. was able to handle a hex core at 4ghz, was around 68c max. the thing i liked about it most vs the air cooler i tried to use, was that for those temps it was alot quieter.
http://www.performance-pcs.com/masterliquid-pro-240-all-in-one-liquid-cooler.html

 

[tomdean]

built-in LED lights create a cool light effect, bringing your personal playstyle to life.

 

[Joe88]

built-in LED lights create a cool light effect, bringing your personal playstyle to life.

unfortunately it can only display blue though and isnt rgb, most others are rgb
one of the best looking ones imo is the nzxt x52 (but also the most expensive)

 

[Evilsizer]

my question would be, does the cooling for that aio with the lights match for what it costs? as you could always cover the blue led on the CM unit and find a RGB strip you can change the color on pretty cheap.

 

[tomdean]

I think I have to build my own... That way, I can avoid having one that "enhances my computing experience" with the colors of another person...

Since the H80 has worked well for 5 years, I may just buy another one. Not too expensive.

 

[Joe88]

my question would be, does the cooling for that aio with the lights match for what it costs? as you could always cover the blue led on the CM unit and find a RGB strip you can change the color on pretty cheap.

Unless you just want it for looks, no. Performance is pretty similar to corsair 240mm units that typically cost $50-70 less.
But then again I also spent $60 on rgb strips...

It would go pretty well together if you had an inwin 805 infinity case.

 

[tomdean]

I asked Corsair about replacement. Here is the reply:

> Hello,
>
> Please create a ticket at corsair.force.com for further assistance as we are best equipped to assist you there. Thank you.
>
> Regards,
>
> Technical Support
> ref:_00D40Mr8t._5004015mATX:ref
>
>

I think no more Corsair for me.

 

[trents]

tom, that case is going to present some challenges for an AIO. Looks like you would be limited to one 120mm fan radiator AIOs. And if you are cooling an overclocked i7-3930k then that is not going to give you much cooling power. The best option would have been the Corsair H80i v.2 because it has an unusually thick radiator. But you have already written Corsair off. Perhaps this is the next best option since it also has an extra thick radiator: https://www.amazon.com/Antec-950-Co...93767942&sr=8-1&keywords=Antec+KUHLER+H2O+950

 

[tomdean]

I am looking at EK Kits. I am thinking of putting the radiator outside the case completely. Maybe one of the 360 radiators?

I poked fun at the advertising of the kits offered. Seems like they spend a lot of design time on aesthetics. With the cost of engineering and the existence of bean counters, I worry about short cutting cooling design.

I am not locked into anything. I think I have a few months on the existing H80??? I will keep posting and looking at existing systems.

 

[tomdean]

I like the build by MattNo5ss. http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php/653729-The-Water-Cooled-System-picture-thread-v2-0

 

[trents]

Going outside the case with a custom loop or a good kit has some definite appeal. I did that very thing myself. I cut the top out of my case to eliminate the air flow restrictions of the perforated grill and left just enough on the edges to have screw mounts for the fans. Looks like a tunnel ram intake setup on a dragster. I yike it!

 

[Alaric]

Nothing is impossible, but unlikely is always a go. LOL Corsair h100i in a very small case.

 

[Tech Tweaker]

I asked Corsair about replacement. Here is the reply:

> Hello,
>
> Please create a ticket at corsair.force.com for further assistance as we are best equipped to assist you there. Thank you.
>
> Regards,
>
> Technical Support
> ref:_00D40Mr8t._5004015mATX:ref
>
>

I think no more Corsair for me.

I fail to see why them replying to you asking you to create a support ticket is a reasoning to write them off as a brand you won't buy. Really terribly confused by this.

Any good company would need a support ticket to actually help you so that they can track the issue in their support system.

I've dealt with their support multiple times, and found it to be the best customer support of any company I've had to deal with resolving any issues or RMA's with.

 

[hemal]

tom, that case is going to present some challenges for an AIO. Looks like you would be limited to one 120mm fan radiator AIOs. And if you are cooling an overclocked i7-3930k then that is not going to give you much cooling power. The best option would have been the Corsair H80i v.2 because it has an unusually thick radiator. But you have already written Corsair off. Perhaps this is the next best option since it also has an extra thick radiator: https://www.amazon.com/Antec-950-Co...93767942&sr=8-1&keywords=Antec+KUHLER+H2O+950

my relatives used it in his Mini ITX Bitfenix Prodigy, worked with windows 8.1 until a recent net framework update, i hope Antec fixes the grid software soon, the fit and installation was a breeze.

 

[tomdean]

A company with 'good tech support' would have done a cut-paste and created a support ticket! And, possibly, have made a sale.

 

[Evilsizer]

I fail to see why them replying to you asking you to create a support ticket is a reasoning to write them off as a brand you won't buy. Really terribly confused by this.

Any good company would need a support ticket to actually help you so that they can track the issue in their support system.

I've dealt with their support multiple times, and found it to be the best customer support of any company I've had to deal with resolving any issues or RMA's with.

yea, i had to do something like this along time ago to get a EVGA card replaced under warrenty.

A company with 'good tech support' would have done a cut-paste and created a support ticket! And, possibly, have made a sale.

thats not how it works, alot of the people that answer emails be it copy and paste reply. have no way to create tech support tickets unless you get a manger to contact you. either that or the rep if he is still here on our forum does that for you, since that rep on our site has that ability. i think you fail to realize that not every single person that works for them has that ability to create tickets for tech support.

 

[Alaric]

A company with 'good tech support' would have done a cut-paste and created a support ticket! And, possibly, have made a sale.

What???

 

[Joe88]

A company with 'good tech support' would have done a cut-paste and created a support ticket! And, possibly, have made a sale.

Ive delt with about 5 or so big tech companies and they all say the same thing, create a support ticket/start an rma.
I think you just want to be lazy and have everything done for you?