Gaming PC Liquid Cooler Round-Up: Corsair v. NZXT | GamersNexus

GamersNexus: "This CPU liquid cooler round-up aims to benchmark and review the Corsair H90 & H110 and NZXT's Kraken X40 & X60 CLCs (140mm and 280mm radiators, respectively).

We'll outline the specs for each unit before delving into the basics of how liquid coolers function (being that this is our first review of CLCs), the objective performance data, and other notes."

[ATi_Elite]

COrsair FTW!

Right now you just can't go wrong with ANY Corsair product

Coolers, SSD, PSU, Ram, etc. it's all very good performance and quality!

[adorie]

Hey, ATi. Do you use their liquid cooling solutions? Because I have been wanting to overclock beyond 4.4ghz (stable on air) to 4.8 or maybe even 5, but I want to be safe doing so and I'm frightened of leakage!

If I can get a handle on liquid cooling, I'll take it a step further and do the GPU. GPU is OC'ed using MSI after burner, my clocks running 980, stable.

[decrypt]

@adoire

I am using a 3930k CPU. Overclocked to 4.5ghz.

My setup uses H80 Liquid cooler. You cant really go wrong with one of those. Unless you decide to build a liquid cooling setup which is a whole new level of performance.

@rush

Sure they are pretty sub standard compared to a custom kit. It would be like comparing a Dell to a Cusom built PC there is no comparison.

However Closed loop coolers are still pretty darn good and way ahead of any heat sink you can get. Also they avoid the mess with custom designs.

Custom Designs are for situations where you want to go past 5ghz imo. If you target around 4.5ghz a closed loop should be fine.

[dirthurts]

I really like the all in ones they have out these days. They work surprisingly well, and generally are much quieter than running massive fans.

[5yN4MWQU]

Leakage isn't generally an issue with CLCs... they're factory-sealed and tested, so you're safe on that front.

As for OC'ing -- if you don't want a proper custom/open loop cooling solution, CLCs make a good mid-point for high OCs. Air coolers actually perform almost as well as liquid for the sub-4.8GHz range, so there's not much point in buying liquid if you're below 4.8GHz (and the right air setup will be fairly quiet, too). If you're going 4.8+, like you suggest you are, then liquid will run a bit more reliably and at reasonable dBA levels.

[ATi_Elite]

yep I'm using the Corsair H100 and so far no problems.

It was recommended to me by a trusted source and like I said I have no problems with anything Corsair.

My Core i7 2600K is at 4.5GHZ gonna wait a full 30 days before bumping it up to 5ghz

[PeaSFor]

im happy with my H100, my 2500k is @4.9ghz on the lowest fan speed setting with a pretty decent temp on full load.

[adorie]

An actual discussion. This is great. :)

What are your temps like, PeaSFor? (idle/load)

[PeaSFor]

idle=34-37c
load=up to 75c but usually between 65 and 70c

@Rush, in the past i had builds with watercooling and its just too costly and futile for me right now, this time i went it the h100 and happy with my choice, "mickeymouse" or not, its doing the job for a small fraction of what the whole watercooling materials would cost me.

[Rush]

The all in one pump/rad/cooler kits from Corsair are mickey mouse compared to a self made water loop.

They are decent yeah but hardly compared to a real self designed water cooling set up.

Even the very best ones are like a 5/10 in cooling performance.

[sovietsoldier]

closed loop is nice for beginners, you know they have to start somewhere.

[cyguration]

The common response from non-core PC users:

"Dat nerd talk"

[spartan_dx]

good information very tempted to get the h100 specially with summer around the corner

[gamernova]

I love corsair man! I got my psu, ssd, and their H100i as well as their m65 mouse :)

[FlyingFoxy]

I don't understand why they don't make closed units as good as buying custom parts and putting together a loop yourself, sure if would cost a bit more but why not have that option?. if they just made a bigger rad with 2 large fans it would be near silent and cool better than air cooling heatsinks.

As AIO units stand they still don't beat high end air with temps or noise.

They should have like 240mm fans, imagine 1 or 2 of those on a big rad.. silence and very nice cooling.

[ZoyosJD]

You have to realize that case fans of that size must be mounted on the side panel and often in a custom manner.

You would need a cube or elongated case for two of them.

There are a couple companies that make 250mm fans. They push out ~100 CFM but the still run around 20dBA even running only 800 RPM, require a 4 pin connector, and cost $25.

You can get a 120mm, 2000 RPM, 70 CFM, 20dBA, 3 pin fan for $10.

Water loop cooling is only as efficient as your heat dispersion from the water. All your really doing is moving the concentration of heat to be dispersed further away.