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Radiator size - Do I need to beef it up?

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If I was you, I would have the coldest air running across those rads. It won't matter too much, but a couple of degrees C here and there.......
 
If I had to use that case I would modify the front to allow for better intake by drilling out fan holes or a cutout for a large mesh intake area and do the same to the top then mount 2x120/140 radiators in both spots. A couple hours cutting and some paint and you have a totally unique build. That's just me and I like to mod my cases.

No case mods I would mount the 2x120/140 in the front with push/pull (assuming the gpu would still fit) and only water cool the cpu. It will still be heat limited but will function. Down the road I would buy a bigger case for a full cpu and gpu loop. Both the cooling parts and the tech you have will last you for years to come so there is no rush with the build. Do it right and you will be much happier.
 
Thanks guys 👍
You gave me something to think about.

Another question - A theoretical one:

Push/pull fans or stacked counter rotating fans.
 
Good fans won't need push / pull. As long as you have quality air moving through your rads you're good. I don't know that case push / pull takes up so much space witch from reading here I don't think you don't have. If you're not worried about getting new rads I would look at a good quality 360 or 420 in either the top or front.
 
I'm re-thinking this build and hoping to re-use the case.
I can't sell the case since I have drilled a few holes in it and cut off some "struts".

Right now I'm thinking 1x420mm rad (45mm) in the front blowing warm air OUT of the case, 1x140mm rad (45mm) at the back also blowing hot air OUT of the case and two 140mm high flow/low noise fans in the top blowing cold air into the case.

Only problem is the pump - If I can't find a good place for it, I may have to get a THIN 420mm radiator OR a whole new case (+rads).

How the heck do I edit a post (on my phone) without deleting it????
 
Since I don't know how to edit a post 🙄

Think I'm gonna stick with high static pressure fans all over...

Only guessing, but I THINK two of my Arctic fans (when NOT mounted on a radiator) can move more air than 4 radiator mounted fans combined.
 
EarthDog said:
If I was you, I would have the coldest air running across those rads. It won't matter too much, but a couple of degrees C here and there.......
Click to expand...

Are you saying that I could draw cold air through the radiators and INTO the case (and out the top)???
 
Hmm 🤔
I dunno man...

Yes, the air going through the rad WOULD be colder that way - But everything inside the case will heat up.. And I would have to put a filter in front of the rad too, reducing air flow.

I'm NOT saying "no" ☝️ I just need to think this through.
I'm not a fast thinker 🤷‍♂️

Anyways - As of 5 minutes ago I have yet another Rad coming my way (EK-CoolStream CE 420)
 
I mean, that's basic 101 type stuff... cooler air gets cooler temps. Yes, internals go up a few C, but, right now, you're looking to improve what you have.. the internals won't be bothered..........and you're watercooling the board in the first place so... nothing really to worry about getting warmer in the first place, right?

Have you read through the water cooling guides we have? They can build a more solid knowledge base about water cooling. :)
 
RAM and the VRMs (if that's what they are called) aren't watercooled.

I THINK I've read some of it a while back - But it seems like I need a memory refresh 😊
 
RAM doesn't need cooled and the VRMs on that board and heatsinks are plenty capable out of the box.

So.................wait, literally only the CHIPSET (on the mobo) is watercooled? Why? That makes very little sense to cool only the chipset. It's the VRMs that would be better off (a monoblock for CPU and VRMs) and leave the chipset alone. Yikes.

I'd ditch that chipset block and simply cool the CPU and GPU.

EDIT: To be clear, the chipset is on the bottom right of the board under the fan. The VRM's power the CPU and surround the socket.
 
ONLY reason the chipset is watercooled is to get rid of a small fan, nothing else.. .

The bigger version of the board has a passive heatsink mounted on the chipset - I don't know why Gigabyte didn't do the same on this board... Would have been cheaper and probably better 🤷‍♂️

I did consider a block that would cover the VRMs as well - But I decided that re-using my old CPU block would probably be just fine.

VRMs does have heatsinks on them.
 
Or you could totally over do it and run the tubing out side the case.. that was how it use to be done.. the rad/pump all out side with a pass-through connector in the pcie plate :) You have a BIG opening there for 3 vertical cards on the back of they case that can be used..
 
MuHcOw said:
ONLY reason the chipset is watercooled is to get rid of a small fan, nothing else.. .

The bigger version of the board has a passive heatsink mounted on the chipset - I don't know why Gigabyte didn't do the same on this board... Would have been cheaper and probably better 🤷‍♂️

I did consider a block that would cover the VRMs as well - But I decided that re-using my old CPU block would probably be just fine.

VRMs does have heatsinks on them.
Click to expand...
If it was me, I'd ditch the chipset water cooler and leave the stock one on. It's nearly inaudble...especially if you aren't running a slew of PCIe 4.0 devices (set the fan to low in the BIOS). It's just adding more restriction and a few watts to the loop for little(no) reason.

A monoblock for the VRM and CPU would be a better choice, by far, than to solely cool the chipset.........I'd bet good money says there's no way you'll hear the chipset fan over the system fans on your rad. Your choice, of course, but there isn't really a point to water cool the chipset.

(note edit above on the part names/locations...just to be sure we're talking about the same things)
 
I'm with ED on this no need to watercool the chipset. Never mind the fans I would bet your waterpump is noisier than that little fan. Even pushing my 5800 for 8 hours on a big video encode I've never heard my chipset fan. When the AM 4 platform first came out allot of people where complaining about that fan, I think mostly that was perception at the time but still persists today.
 
MuHcOw said:
ONLY reason the chipset is watercooled is to get rid of a small fan, nothing else.. .

The bigger version of the board has a passive heatsink mounted on the chipset - I don't know why Gigabyte didn't do the same on this board... Would have been cheaper and probably better 🤷‍♂️

I did consider a block that would cover the VRMs as well - But I decided that re-using my old CPU block would probably be just fine.

VRMs does have heatsinks on them.
Click to expand...

I didn't think you meant ONLY the chipset. I was assuming you were planning a mono block which does the CPU and board. In that situation I agree with the above posts that it isn't worth it. Pretty much never has been. The last time I remember doing it was on my NF7-S and that was still pretty much pointless.

As far as the air from the warmer radiator heating your other components I wouldn't worry about that. A loop with the proper amount of airflow through the rad will more than cool anything on the board. Especially if you have intake on the front and the top as suggested above. If you have no air movement in your case then that needs to be tackled prior to cramming a water loop in there.
 
When the AM 4 platform first came out allot of people where complaining about that fan, I think mostly that was perception at the time but still persists today.
Click to expand...
So much this.

There was a couple of boards around launch, IIRC from ASRock, where the fan was without a doubt audible to loud. IIRC, an updated BIOS took care of that (and gave the option to control it).

But yeah, these chipset fans and noise were in people's heads since the start. :clap:
 
I don't know how much airflow these P14 fans will generate when mounted on a radiator.

Prior to this build I had EKs Vardar fans mounted on the 280(45mm) radiator - They where a part of the kit I bought a long time ago.

The Vardar fans where rather noisy and it didn't feel like they where pushing THAT much air out through the rad even without the side panel mounted on the case.
CPU/GPU temps where still good though! Had an OCed x5680 (4.4GHz) and a 1070ti.

I'm worried that the P14s won't make that much of a difference (I haven't tried them yet, so I don't know).

But that's why I'd rather have all the rads working as exhausts - Higher airflow inside the case with two P14s blowing air in from the top (but less radiator footprint).

I THINK I can fit the 280 and the 420 in the top and front, but I'm not sure I can fit the 140 rad at the back of the case as well.

SO:
- Both rads (280/420) working as intakes with no dust covers.
- Ditch the chipset waterblock and install the old fan again.
- At some point when funds permits it, install a monoblock for CPU and VRMs.

Is that the way to go if I want to keep my current case??
 
If you have a good cpu cooler now theres no reason to get a mono block. There is very little to gain by cooling the vrm outside of looks unless you are really pushing your OC and system for hours on end like I do with my video work. I haven't felt a need since RYZEN came out and I ditched bulldozer.
 
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