[Q] Swiftech H240-X vs H220 vs this custom set

[naroslife]

Hello there!

I'm wondering which of the following deals do you find the best.

• Swiftech H240-X for ~214 USD
• Swiftech H220 (not the newer X version) for ~146 USD
• The following custom set for ~209 USD
  
  • CPU Block: Phobya UC-2 LT Black Edition
  • Pump: Phobya DC12-220
  • Reservoir: Alphacool Cape corp 10LT
  • Radiator: Alphacool NexXxus ST30 Full Copper 240mm
  • Fans: 2 pcs Yate Loon D12SL-12
  • Tubing: Masterkleer 10/8mm-es csomag
  • Liquid: Aqutuning AT-Protect 0,5L

Is the last one a good water cooling set? Does it worth the extra money for the 240-X over the 220? I'm planning on expanding the loop with a GPU block in the future. I'm not sure if the H220's pump is strong enough for that though :/

Regards,
naroslife

Edit:
My PC build:

Spoiler

• Case: Corsair Graphite 230T
• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H (IDK the revision, but can check if needed)
• Ram: Kingston HyperX Fury 2x4 GB Kit (DDR3)
• CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K
• GPU: Gigabyte R9 280 OC
• PSU: Corsair CS650M
• HDD: 1 TB Western Digital Blue
• SSD: 128 GB Samsung 850 Pro
• Extra fans: 1 piece of 120 mm Noctua NF-S12A FLX on the bottom

 

[nicspits]

go with the custom set, that way you're not limited for what you want to add in the future so should you choose.

Since you don't know the differences from kit to kit are minimal: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7738/closed-loop-aio-liquid-coolers/9
then you should definitely hit up the sticky's and keywords like adding gpu block to loop: that'll get you the answers you need.

From purely a cost basis though, 'less you have money to burn, gpu blocks aren't much worth it anymore (as you see GTX 480s pulling 250 watts back in the day GTX 980 is 165 watts today and only AMD is getting hotter).

So once you decide on whether $80 for cooler quieter isn't better spent on the next level up in card, etc, THEN we'll need to know what cpu you're cooling and what your goals are for the watercooling. If it's just the general WC cooler, quieter, and overclock without sacrificing those two things: any dual fan kit would do just make sure it fits in the case (the h240 has 140mm fans, the rest you specd out to 120mm fans).

 

[naroslife]

go with the custom set, that way you're not limited for what you want to add in the future so should you choose.

Since you don't know the differences from kit to kit are minimal: http://www.anandtech.com/show/7738/closed-loop-aio-liquid-coolers/9
then you should definitely hit up the sticky's and keywords like adding gpu block to loop: that'll get you the answers you need.

From purely a cost basis though, 'less you have money to burn, gpu blocks aren't much worth it anymore (as you see GTX 480s pulling 250 watts back in the day GTX 980 is 165 watts today and only AMD is getting hotter).

So once you decide on whether $80 for cooler quieter isn't better spent on the next level up in card, etc, THEN we'll need to know what cpu you're cooling and what your goals are for the watercooling. If it's just the general WC cooler, quieter, and overclock without sacrificing those two things: any dual fan kit would do just make sure it fits in the case (the h240 has 140mm fans, the rest you specd out to 120mm fans).

The Swiftech is said to be expendable too. Are the expansion options with that so much more limited?
I got a Gigabyte R9 280 OC, which might get hot when overclocked (which I'm planning to do). But I just realized how expensive the GPU blocks really are, yeah. Do you think it's going to be necessary to expand the loop, if I overclock the video card?

I got an Intel Core i7 4790K and I'm planning to overclock it too. I suspect the factory cooler is faulty (or I just didn't mount it properly), because I'm getting really high temps with base clock too.
Because of the aforementioned reason I want to change the CPU cooler anyway, so if I'm investing already I want something that makes my pc up to date in a few years too. So with watercooling I hope to get the chance for some serious OCing.

 

[GTXJackBauer]

to OCFs.

First and foremost, let us know where your knowledge stands with water cooling. Have you read our stickies and done your homework? From the looks of your list it does look like you got the basics down but make sure you know the maintenance involved to keep it in pristine shape for years to come.

Give us a list of the PC system including case, what you're planning on cooling and overclocking, etc and than copy over the list of water cooling components and we'll work from there or just edit your first post so were not looking around on whats going on.

What is your budget and are you planning on upgrading the case if it needs to accommodate all the liquid cooling components internally?

To also better assist you, are you in the states or from overseas? This will let us know what your options are.

 

[naroslife]

[...]

Thanks for your questions

I know the basics of watercooling and I'm aware of the lot of work involved in building a custom loop. To be honest I'm a bit worried, so if the easier to use Swiftech product would suffice, I'd be happy, nevertheless I'm willing to invest the required time and energy in homemade watercooling if needed.
I was thinking I'll throw myself into the whole bunch of reading after I decided if I want to build a custom loop at all. Of course in order to come to a good decision one must know the big picture, which I think I do. Although there's always something new to learn

My PC build:

Spoiler

• Case: Corsair Graphite 230T
• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H (IDK the revision, but can check if needed)
• Ram: Kingston HyperX Fury 2x4 GB Kit (DDR3)
• CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K
• GPU: Gigabyte R9 280 OC
• PSU: Corsair CS650M
• HDD: 1 TB Western Digital Blue
• SSD: 128 GB Samsung 850 Pro
• Extra fans: 1 piece of 120 mm Noctua NF-S12A FLX on the bottom

The watercooling kit I found:

Spoiler

• CPU Block: Phobya UC-2 LT Black Edition
• Pump: Phobya DC12-220
• Reservoir: Alphacool Cape corp 10LT
• Radiator: Alphacool NexXxus ST30 Full Copper 240mm
• Fans: 2 pcs Yate Loon D12SL-12
• Tubing: Masterkleer 10/8mm
• Liquid: Aquatuning AT-Protect 0,5L
• Fittings: Some kind of compatible compression fittings are included.

I don't have the money, nor the will (it looks so cool ) to change the case, but am willing to do some minor modifications (ex. make extra holes for tubing). Placing the water cooling components outside the case (ex. on the top of it) is not a big problem.
I want to overclock the CPU, but don't want to set a new Guinness Record with it though. I'm planning to overclock the GPU in the future too. So I'd surely need to cool the CPU, but I'm not sure in the GPU yet. Would it get very hot from a bit of extra clock rate?
My budget is around 200 USD, but I'm willing to spend a bit more if it really worth the extra money.
Also, I'm from Hungary, Europe.

PS.: I edited my pc specs into the first post.

 

[nicspits]

With the interchangeability on the swiftech kits, you pretty much make up the price difference with getting adapters IF they don't make a block for your card.

Either way $80 for a swiftech gpu block or $120 for an EK one, makes it hard to sell the card later on, doesn't allow a significant percentage OC (can't find ur card specific example, but it seems greater OC is the smallest reason to go water on the card: http://www.ocaholic.ch/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=1249&page=12)

$80 in a 6 month CD for 2 years, well, that could be the difference between a 280 and 290 equivalent on your next purchase (or anything else in life pretty much), cuz 50mhz for $80-$130 pffft!

same goes with the better performance of a custom watercooled setup vs an all in one; unless you enjoy, have value in learning about this stuff, and all the intrinsic qualities of putting a loop together, then it's worth it. +5% on your cpu @ $56 may not be either: Corsair does good kits too, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181032

 

[GTXJackBauer]

Thanks for your questions

I know the basics of watercooling and I'm aware of the lot of work involved in building a custom loop. To be honest I'm a bit worried, so if the easier to use Swiftech product would suffice, I'd be happy, nevertheless I'm willing to invest the required time and energy in homemade watercooling if needed.
I was thinking I'll throw myself into the whole bunch of reading after I decided if I want to build a custom loop at all. Of course in order to come to a good decision one must know the big picture, which I think I do. Although there's always something new to learn

My PC build:

Spoiler

• Case: Corsair Graphite 230T
• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z97X-UD3H (IDK the revision, but can check if needed)
• Ram: Kingston HyperX Fury 2x4 GB Kit (DDR3)
• CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K
• GPU: Gigabyte R9 280 OC
• PSU: Corsair CS650M
• HDD: 1 TB Western Digital Blue
• SSD: 128 GB Samsung 850 Pro
• Extra fans: 1 piece of 120 mm Noctua NF-S12A FLX on the bottom

The watercooling kit I found:

Spoiler

• CPU Block: Phobya UC-2 LT Black Edition
• Pump: Phobya DC12-220
• Reservoir: Alphacool Cape corp 10LT
• Radiator: Alphacool NexXxus ST30 Full Copper 240mm
• Fans: 2 pcs Yate Loon D12SL-12
• Tubing: Masterkleer 10/8mm
• Liquid: Aquatuning AT-Protect 0,5L
• Fittings: Some kind of compatible compression fittings are included.

I don't have the money, nor the will (it looks so cool ) to change the case, but am willing to do some minor modifications (ex. make extra holes for tubing). Placing the water cooling components outside the case (ex. on the top of it) is not a big problem.
I want to overclock the CPU, but don't want to set a new Guinness Record with it though. I'm planning to overclock the GPU in the future too. So I'd surely need to cool the CPU, but I'm not sure in the GPU yet. Would it get very hot from a bit of extra clock rate?
My budget is around 200 USD, but I'm willing to spend a bit more if it really worth the extra money.
Also, I'm from Hungary, Europe.

PS.: I edited my pc specs into the first post.

Much better.

It's really up to you if you want to spend a good amount on a GPU block. There are cheaper ways of getting one like a universal block but that won't cool your VRMs, etc on the PCB since you'll be OCing unless you have good airflow and HSs on them.

For the amount of money spent on a GPU block, I'd spend that on a newer designed water cooling friendly case.

For a CPU only loop, its much simpler. First you need to figure out what you can fit in that case as this case isn't too water cooling friendly. Very hard to find an example for you to see what others have done. Even the Corsair site doesn't even advise or recommend a AIO cooler for it.

Unfortunately, I can't give you much advise atm since I can't see an example of what one should do as well as since I don't own the case. Measurements will need to be done up top just for the radiator to make sure there's clearance and that doesn't include the fans which I believe won't fit internally by the looks of it.

 

[naroslife]

This states, that you can fit a 240mm radiator inside. The fans have to go outside the case though.

I have only 2 questions I guess: are the components in the custom watercooling set good quality parts? Are the Phobya DC12-220 and the Swiftech H220's pumps capable of pushing the water through both a CPU and GPU block?

 

[nicspits]

This states, that you can fit a 240mm radiator inside. The fans have to go outside the case though.

I have only 2 questions I guess: are the components in the custom watercooling set good quality parts? Are the Phobya DC12-220 and the Swiftech H220's pumps capable of pushing the water through both a CPU and GPU block?

Just remember to seal\shroud around the fans and radiator or you'll be pulling mostly surround air, not air through the radiator. You could get an AWESOME! case that supports proper fan mounting for the cost of a GPU block.

To your question, yes. Is a 4mm gap causing air to be pulled from around the radiator rather than through it going to make the whole venture end in overheating, probably. (notice their temperature testing, they used a heatsink, they didn't actually do a watercooling test on that case, they just mounted a radiator. You'd need to gasket around the radiator fins and the fans... or like I suggested, don't waste your money on a gpu block and get a case that's not going to make life difficult for ya).