Looking for AIO Recommendation

[ajlaan]

Let me know if this should go in the Watercooling sub-forum.

I'm looking for an AIO recommendation for a Ryzen 5 3600 build (with B550 mobo) I'm sizing up. I'd be interested in doing some moderate overclocking, but highly unlikely to the point of pushing the limits of the CPU capabilities. I haven't settled on a case yet, but considering something like the be quiet! Pure Base 500DX that would have good air flow and accommodate a radiator. I'm not sure what I should expect to spend, but would want a reputable model that isn't overqualified for what I need.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Woomack]

I would rather pick something like Noctua NH-D15/D15S. It's better than most 240/280 AIO and only top 280/360 AIO will beat it. It will be also cheaper than most good AIO.
From cheaper series with good reviews are Arctic coolers. Corsair is good but not cheap. Enermax is performing well and adds good fans but with high RPM range so to run it quiet you have to set speed manually (or just enable silent mode in motherboard's BIOS). However, in performance/fan speed it beats most other brands. Deepcool has some nice AIO too.
Most AIO on the market are actually from 2-3 OEMs. The most popular is everything based on Asetek. As far as it's well-known brand then usually its coolers are good.

You can't really OC Ryzen CPUs, more like match boost clock in the best case. So I would focus more on a quiet and stable PC than additional 100MHz that won't really help in anything. Better cooling helps to keep higher boost clock for longer. This is the main difference.

I guess that some others will post more good AIO examples.

 

[Janus67]

I'm super happy with my arctic liquid freezer 280mm that I got for my 5900x. Quiet and cools well and gives me better access around the CPU than my old Phanteks cooler did (looked the same as a DH-15 from noctua).

Check out gamers Nexus for their AIO reviews as they have done quite a few and do noise normalized testing which I think is useful.

 

[Robert17]

I own a Corsair, have had two, and a Thermaltake and have had reliable cooling on their products for several years.

 

[ajlaan]

Would a be quiet! Dark Rock air cooler be worth considering as a less expensive alternative to Noctua?

 

[tRidiot]

I went with the EK 360 AIO and I like it. The block is a little odd, but it's not that big of a deal. I wanted the RGB, so that's why I chose it over the Arctic Liquid Freezer 360. I have plenty of case room, so the size wasn't an issue for me.