Best Custom Water Cooling Kit.

[ITAngel]

Hey guys, I was wondering what is an excellent water-cooling kit for my system. I realized that even though my system can run well with the Noctua NH-D15 it is leaving performance on the tablet which I paid for. So I think I must run that chip on a custom water cooling. What is a good custom water-cooling kit that I can buy that is worth buying to keep for a very long time?

I did a test with Cinebench R23 and score 22K can't break that but when I take intel protection limits crank the fan up and have the room at 70F window open since is cold outside. I was able to hit 25K but temps went up to 100C. I feel it was still thermal throttling which could have scored much higher.

When I render in my system it is reaching too high and hate that it does that but for gaming and anything else, the air cooler in my Fractal Design Torrent works great. I cannot image running a 13900K on air now even though people do it they are not rending scenes and games as I do. Any idea or advice?

 

[BugFreak]

If you want true custom water cooling performance you will need to piece it together imo. Personally I like Alphacool radiators and GPU blocks with XSPC cpu blocks but everyone has a favorite. For fans I like Arctic Cooling fans like the P12, good price for good performance and noise. Fan prices are getting ridiculous but those are nice and come in 5 packs. Tubing can be anything, I prefer Primoflex but not everyone likes it because it clouds up. I'm using Mayhems tubing right now and hate it. Sure it stays clear but its too soft so my pump pulls it closed without support. It will be removed when I clean and rebuild. D5 based pumps are the best imo. Lots of top flexibility and plenty of power for any build.

Fluids are the biggest choice these days. Every brand says use theirs for some crazy reason and I think ek doesn't honor their block warranty if you don't use theirs. This may have changed but I don't use their products so I can't say for sure. I like the Mayhems x1 Eco clear but its not made by the same people any more from what I understand. I havea couple bottles of XSPC Pure waiting for my next rebuild. Whatever you use don't use color!

There are full kits by Bitspower and ek but I can't speak to their performance since I've never tried them.

Check out titanrig.com to price everything. They are having a big open box and refurb sale right now that might save you some cash.

 

[Blaylock]

You will most likely only get a 100-200 Mhz gain with even a custom loop. It's rare to see a 300 Mhz gain from an NH-D15. It's just a great cooler. With that said, if you still choose to invest in custom water...

I agree with Bug about Alphacool radiators. I love them. You don't list what case this is going into so I'll just say, buy the biggest, chonky rad you can fit in the case. A simple 35mm x 240/280 mm rad will do for a 12900k but a thicker 3-fan radiator will work best.

D5 pumps are the best but are louder, generate more heat, and are considerably larger than DDC. I have had success with both and both work well. It just depends on the application.

My only real experience with water blocks is with an EK Supremacy EVO. It's awesome. I do have an older XSPC Rasa too but don't use it often. Your water block should outlast every other custom piece so don't cheap out here. Just make sure its a company that supports their older products with new mounting options, like EKWB and Alphacool.

For tubing and coolant, I've just always used Black Primochill ADV LRT. With translucent tubing there's no need to worry about discoloration. Just keep an eye on your reservoir if you're worried about growth. I've read good things about the EK tubing but haven't used it yet. I was going to try it with my next custom loop, but no idea when/if that will happen.

 

[ITAngel]

If you want true custom water cooling performance you will need to piece it together imo. Personally I like Alphacool radiators and GPU blocks with XSPC cpu blocks but everyone has a favorite. For fans I like Arctic Cooling fans like the P12, good price for good performance and noise. Fan prices are getting ridiculous but those are nice and come in 5 packs. Tubing can be anything, I prefer Primoflex but not everyone likes it because it clouds up. I'm using Mayhems tubing right now and hate it. Sure it stays clear but its too soft so my pump pulls it closed without support. It will be removed when I clean and rebuild. D5 based pumps are the best imo. Lots of top flexibility and plenty of power for any build.

Fluids are the biggest choice these days. Every brand says use theirs for some crazy reason and I think ek doesn't honor their block warranty if you don't use theirs. This may have changed but I don't use their products so I can't say for sure. I like the Mayhems x1 Eco clear but its not made by the same people any more from what I understand. I havea couple bottles of XSPC Pure waiting for my next rebuild. Whatever you use don't use color!

There are full kits by Bitspower and ek but I can't speak to their performance since I've never tried them.

Check out titanrig.com to price everything. They are having a big open box and refurb sale right now that might save you some cash.

Nice, thanks for the write up I forgot to mention I am shooting for quietness and cooling volume. I use to have all EK stuff but lately these days I find their way too overpriced and I am trying to keep costs down as much as possible. Also, the issue I found in my Fractal Design Torrent case is one complicated case to fit radiators and utilize the fans within the case. I will have to replace them altogether and sell them. I like the idea of Arctic fans P12 you mention. Also for the GPU a block that can do well without breaking the bank and CPU of course. For cables always did like the black rubber tubing by EK but I also used before PrimoFlex which is nice as well but a bit hard to push into the fittings. However, you know they are not coming out that easy.

I will check TitanRig and see if I can get a full custom setup for a fair price.

Post magically merged: Oct 25, 2022

You will most likely only get a 100-200 Mhz gain with even a custom loop. It's rare to see a 300 Mhz gain from an NH-D15. It's just a great cooler. With that said, if you still choose to invest in custom water...

I agree with Bug about Alphacool radiators. I love them. You don't list what case this is going into so I'll just say, buy the biggest, chonky rad you can fit in the case. A simple 35mm x 240/280 mm rad will do for a 12900k but a thicker 3-fan radiator will work best.

D5 pumps are the best but are louder, generate more heat, and are considerably larger than DDC. I have had success with both and both work well. It just depends on the application.

My only real experience with water blocks is with an EK Supremacy EVO. It's awesome. I do have an older XSPC Rasa too but don't use it often. Your water block should outlast every other custom piece so don't cheap out here. Just make sure its a company that supports their older products with new mounting options, like EKWB and Alphacool.

For tubing and coolant, I've just always used Black Primochill ADV LRT. With translucent tubing there's no need to worry about discoloration. Just keep an eye on your reservoir if you're worried about growth. I've read good things about the EK tubing but haven't used it yet. I was going to try it with my next custom loop, but no idea when/if that will happen.

True true, I had my signature there for the case but I should have said I am doing this for the 12900K. I honestly trust custom build over aio any day but that is just me also NH-D15 is an amazing cooler just during my benchmark I can tell it is holding that CPU so hard is not even funny. 22K vs 25K score while throttling is crazy in my opinion. That can go into rendering so much easier but yea I normally do that is with the room at 70F window open 28F-to-31F outside. I like Alphacool, they make the radiator for my case the dual 180mm radiator but can never find it around in stock. The other option I was going to get a 420mm AIO by Arctic but I have to cut the base of my case to make it fit.

This radiator allows me to use the fans I currently have on the front. It is sadly never on sale on performance pcs not sure if titanrig will have that available.

Alphacool NexXxoS XT45 Full Copper 180mm Dual ​

 

[ITAngel]

Is it worth getting something like this? https://www.titanrig.com/bitspower-...ing-system-01-05-bp-0101-00-xx.html?color=158

 

[BugFreak]

Bitspower and LianLi together means big money but it looks pretty. Personally I'm not a fan of distro boards like that uses. I just can't see how they don't cause dead spots or flow differences considering water will always go the direction of least restriction. In a regular loop the water has one way to go where one of those things spreads the water through multiple tubes. I'm sure there are plenty of reviews and tests to prove me wrong but I just don't buy into it.

I don't know how Bitspower blocks compare to others so research that first but I love their fittings. Also that looks like a thinner radiator and I prefer at last a 60mm radiator like the Alphacool UT60. To keep to your silence goal I would plan on two radiators if doing the GPU and CPU. I run a 4x120 (push/partial pull) and a 3x120 (push) for the red pc in my sig. While it is a little overkill it makes zero noise even in full testing or gaming while everything stays nice and cool. I had to add a couple 90* but it all fit after some minor massaging.




EDIT: I do like the leak tester thing it comes with though. I used an analog version on this build and loved it. I was able to test as I went instead of waiting until the end which let me check for problems as I added pieces and after it was complete. As you can see in the pic there were a lot of potential problem spots.

 

[ITAngel]

So a local friend of mine has a Phanteks Enthoo 719 case that he is not using he plans to give me that with an EK SE 480mm Rad, 4 Corsair DC fans to get me started, fittings, and D5 Pump / Talk Res with tubes. I guess all I have to do is grab a block LGA 1700 for my CPU. However, he has an EK Supremacy Evo cooler just needs to order the black plate from EK workshop and it cost $0.01 except sadly the shipping cost is like $20+. lol

Of course, I would be buying all of that from him and just paying him for all the parts.

 

[EarthDog]

Sounds like a great start to me...

 

[ITAngel]

Sounds like a great start to me...

Yea, but I am still looking around for other options because he originally had a plan / project to do with that setup and I would hate to take that away just because he is trying to help me out. =)

 

[Blaylock]

I guess all I have to do is grab a block LGA 1700 for my CPU. However, he has an EK Supremacy Evo cooler just needs to order the black plate from EK workshop and it cost $0.01 except sadly the shipping cost is like $20+. lol

I think you're looking at the EK-Quantum Velocity Backplate, not the EK Supremacy EVO mounting plate. They are different products. I do not see an LGA1700 mounting plate for the Supremacy EVO unfortunately.

 

[EarthDog]

Yea, but I am still looking around for other options because he originally had a plan / project to do with that setup and I would hate to take that away just because he is trying to help me out. =)

That was your plan literally an hour before this post...

Is that still an option?

 

[ITAngel]

No I told him not to scrap his project since he already purchased a few things for it. I am back at looking online. I can still get his case just that he needs his pump and rad for the project. At that point I am going to invest on a good setup. It would had been easier to get the stuff from him but is all good.

 

[ITAngel]

I think you're looking at the EK-Quantum Velocity Backplate, not the EK Supremacy EVO mounting plate. They are different products. I do not see an LGA1700 mounting plate for the Supremacy EVO unfortunately.

Yea I saw it listed on ek website but was not sure. I figure I will just get a kit or piece a setup together with random parts as I find them on sale online.

Is this radiator any good or should I look for alphacool one instead?

Black Ice Nemesis 420GTX Dual-Core Xtreme Profile Radiator​

 

[EarthDog]

Black Ice was typically solid. How it performs against something else, no idea... you'll have to look up reviews. That said, many of these rads (similar in size) are within a coupe of C of each other so, keep that in mind when you're playing in the minutia.

Just remember, there's a point of diminishing returns with this cooling. The problem isn't not having enough radiator, the problem with modern processors is getting the heat out of the CPU itself. So even if you throw a car radiator on it, temps won't be significantly different than a 3x120mm rad config as the CPU can only dissipate so much heat through the silicon/paste/ihs/paste/block. I'd stick with 3x120mm... no more than 4x120mm total.

 

[ITAngel]

Okay change of plan he laid things out turn out he is going to use a Alphacool 13324 Eisball Digital RGB - Acryl (incl. Eispumpe VPP755 V.3) Water Cooling Reservoirs for his project instead along with a few things he has. I guess I am back using the Phanteks enthoo 719 case and the EK parts. Just need to order a decent cpu block for my MSI Z690-a ddr4 wifi motherboard.

 

[EarthDog]

...will this change in an hour? Day?

 

[ITAngel]

Black Ice was typically solid. How it performs against something else, no idea... you'll have to look up reviews. That said, many of these rads (similar in size) are within a coupe of C of each other so, keep that in mind when you're playing in the minutia.

Just remember, there's a point of diminishing returns with this cooling. The problem isn't not having enough radiator, the problem with modern processors is getting the heat out of the CPU itself. So even if you throw a car radiator on it, temps won't be significantly different than a 3x120mm rad config as the CPU can only dissipate so much heat through the silicon/paste/ihs/paste/block. I'd stick with 3x120mm... no more than 4x120mm total.

Thank makes sense.

 

[ITAngel]

...will this change in an hour? Day?

Well I plan on those parts before remembering he was in the process of working on his project but after he got his parts in yesterday turn out he changed the plans. He had like 3 cases 3 different projects. Lol his amazing one is the P8 that had it custom painted. I just plan on his spare parts that's all. Hahaha

 

[EarthDog]

Let us know what you need when you know.

 

[BugFreak]

The Phanteks Enthoo 719 is very similar if not the same case as the one my pic above. The front is more open in mine but the rest looks the same. You will have plenty of room for your build for sure.