Serious Question...

[Moto7451]

Watercooling can be better in terms of bang for the buck so long as you don't upgrade the components often. Usually you won't see a huge improvement between generations of parts in any type of cooling, especially with technology being pushed to the max as it is right now. You need a few years to see a big improvement. An SP97 and an XP90 perform very closely, but the newest TR behemoth is better by a good few degrees. The biggest difference between these coolers are the sockets they can work on. The SP97 isn't going to work on AM2 unless you do a lot of hacking and cutting and even then it may not work properly. Waterblocks on the other hand can be used on newer systems with the help of an inexpensive hold down you can buy or make from bar stock.

Really what it comes down to is your buying habits. Buying the newest heatsink every time one comes out is expensive but some members do that and don't see any problem with it.

 

[JDawggS316]

Ok, from reading the description on the link I provided, it sounds like these chillers will fit any CPU. My CPU will be an Intel Core 2 Duo E6600.

So I assume that, if I were to go with a water chilling unit like those found in the link, it would be the exact same setup as water cooling, it's just that the tubing from the CPU, GPU, pump and reservoir connect to this unit like they would a radiator.

So, it's like a radiator/water chiller...but bigger...outside your PC...? It sounds pretty cool to me and would allow me to stay with water cooling while at the same time really cooling my CPU for some overclocking.

Please correct me if I'm wrong here on anything.

THX

 

[ares350]

Im not sure what the capacity for heat transfer is, but did you look at the prices?

they will net you sub ambient temps; which means your back to greasing up your mobo and such. whenever you get anything under room temp(ambient) you get condensation, think of your glass of ice water in a normal room. the beads of water are pouring down the outside of the glass.

this will be your entire water loop, so you have to insulate the entire loop so it doesnt happen(think of keeping your ice water in a styrofoam cup).

simply put, I can not suggest this for your first time. it is advanced, it carries HUGE risks if done incorrectly, and I dont think the performance is what your imagining it will be. ussually to really utilize extreme cooling, you need to start doing hard mods to your electronics to increase the voltage beyond what the bios would otherwise allow. this is another place where skill, balls, and ALOT of risk comes in.

stick with water and a cpu radiator loop. do your GPU if you want to. it is not nescessary at all; but it wont hurt to do so; it might help a little. I personally dont even overclock my video card. despite it being watercooled. I couldnt tell you why, probably because I find it more difficult to dial in. I might bump it an arbitrary amount of 5 or 10% and leave it, Ive never gone in and found its absolute OC limit though.

 

[JDawggS316]

Hey I appreciate the good advice and....

Water cooling it is, plain and simple

So, this brings me to my next "inquiry" lol

Do you think the stock fans on most 8800 GPU's are enough to keep it cool for mild overclocking?

Or would you recommend a GPU block to incorporate into my loop?

 

[ares350]

I think they would be enough for mild overclocking.

I think youd like to take it up a notch for the sheer enjoyment of it, and I personally see nothing wrong with that.

if you can afford a good waterblock for it, go for it. itll look cool, itll perform well, you wont wonder what you might be missing out on.

be sure you get atleast a 120.2 radiator and a decent pump since you'll have additional heat and resistance in the loop with 2 blocks.

 

[JDawggS316]

ares350 thank you again...You and Pak are my personal Yoda's

Okay, I was planning on the Swiftech MCW60 for a GPU block.

I'm also looking at OCZ DDR2 memory and am wondering which would be best for my current setup (evga 680i mobo, evga 8800 gpu, C2D E6600, etc.).

I want, of course, at least 2GB for the time being.

And I don't know much about water cooling RAM, but I doubt I will.

THX again you guys.

 

[ares350]

I understand you can get these DH9 chips(I think thats the name?) for near 100$/2gb. their sposed to perform great, and at that price, I want them.

check the memory forum, couple threads related to the subject.

 

[JDawggS316]

Well alright, thanks to all of you for contributing to this thread as I have learned a great deal about water cooling.

If there is any closing advice, or something I may have missed, please, please, please do tell.

THX all!

 

[ares350]

good luck.

and use worm drive clamps. and leak test

I dripped water from my gpu block right onto my 150$ sound card 2 months ago.

no damage cause Im a lucky SOB. Ill never use those crappy little plastic interlocking teeth jobs again.

 

[voigts]

the primary reason that i went to water was noise. I simply could not get my system quiet enough for me with air.

Even more than the CPU, often the greatest improvement that water makes is in the GPUs. And GPUs often have very loud fans on them. I have thought about going back to high end air since the invent of the Thermalright hr-03 and the Tuniq sonic tower, but I doubt I would be as pleased as I am with my cool running, very, very quiet setup. This is not to mention that having small waterblocks and a rad that is integrated into the case sure looks a whole lot better than having those huge air-bricks hanging off of the CPU and GPU.

Phase change is not something that works for everyday use very well, whereas a good water setup is very stable and works well even on a machine that you need to have running daily.

And like others have mentioned, I also like tinkering and putting things together myself. My wife even likes that way my system looks, and if she is happy, I'm happy.

Unless you are into extreme overclocking to include voltage hacks, etc., you are really wasting your time looking at phase change and even a chiller for that matter.

 

[JDawggS316]

Okay, now I know the following question won't have a whole lot to do with water cooling...But it seems as though this is the only thread that I can get solid, reliable answers.

I'm looking for RAM, high end, and here are the spec's once more for my soon-to-be-rig:

1. EVGA 680i SLi
2. EVGA 8800GTX (640/768MB - not sure just yet).
3. Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
4. Raidmax Modular 630w PSU

Which RAM modules, between OCZ and Corsair, of the following list would be most suitable with my rig?

Above 1066 MHz (Above PC2 8500)
Corsair TWIN2X2048-9136C5DF
Corsair TWIN2X2048-8888C4DF

1066 MHz (PC2 8500)
OCZ OCZ2N10661G
Corsair TWIN2X2048-8500C5D
Corsair TWIN2X2048-8500C5
OCZ OCZ2N1066SR2GK
OCZ OCZ2N1066SR1G

THX a much