Do I need water cooling?

rohver

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Nov 21, 2011
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Hey guys, I'm in the process of building my new rig and I want to know if I would need an H100i (or something similar) or an air cooler like Hyper 212X would suffice. I've never tried liquid cooling before, never had the need for it but recent games have been a bit taxing on my CPU. Although the max temp I recorded so far was 78 degrees, I was using the stock intel cooler.

My usage includes gaming mostly and browsing and designing. I don't edit videos or use CPU heavy applications. My rig specs that I'm building are below. Plz note, I'm using some of old parts like my mobo and CPU :

CPU : Intel Core i5-3550
Motherboard : ASUS P8Z77-M PRO
RAM : Corsair Vengeance 8 GB
GPU : ASUS R9 280X DC2T
Case : NZXT H440
Storage : Segate 1TB HDD
PSU : Corsair CS650M
Display : Samsung S22B370, 1080p

My first choice was a Hyper 212X due to its low cost and fairly decent reviews.

p.s. I don't overclock :)
 
Firstly, you don't need an af cooler with a locked CPU (like yours) and you can't really OC with it so getting any cooler isn't worth it. The Intel stock coolers are pretty decent until you decide to OC. I'd say go on with your stock cooler. OR if the temps are warm on stock cooler, get the CM Hyper EVO 212, nothing more :)
 

doubletake

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Is your GPU a reference blower cooler or is it a DCUII card? If it's the latter, then what's probably happening is that you're seeing higher than usual CPU temps during gaming because of the hot air that card exhausts back into your case.
 

StupidNoob

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No it's not unlocked so you should be fine.

 

StupidNoob

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Just research on Google about gap b/w heatsink (copper shim) and main unit in Asus GPUs, scores of issues.
Asus is good performance wise, not the best to go temp wise (Sometimes there's a noticible gap b/w copper blocks for heatsink and computing unit), especially in the R9 200 series. MSI/ Sapphire are good temp wise but Tri X/ Vapor X cruise ahead in performance, hence Sapphire.
 


Oops sorry was typing so didn't see your msg, you're right.
OP: You don't need an af cooler as your CPU is locked, but if you really are experiencing warm temps, then get CM EVO 212, anything more would be a waste of money.
 

rohver

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How does that compare to the Hyper 212X? TX3 is much cheaper. What about noise levels?


 

StupidNoob

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The Hyper 212 and the tx3 are better and at slightly better price points. For water cooled CPUs, I recommend larger radiators with tighter packed fins for better heat dissipation.
 

Vic 40

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Does this mean,in the way that you tell it, that the hyper tx3 is water cooling according to you?
 

jaimelmiel

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jaimelmiel

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What I have learned is unless you are doing extreme overclocking you do not need liquid cooling and then it should be custom. But that said if that be the reasoning of some that because you are not overclocking the stock cooler is fine, ding dong you may be wrong. If Granny has a 2.0 Ghz processor and turns it on twice a day to check email and face book obviously
the stock is fine unless she has no air conditioning and and ambient temps are high 90's or in the hundreds and she want to watch a dvd movie on her computer. It all depends on the situation. If you are doing anything that stresses your computer for sustained periods temperatures will rise and that is where stock coolers fail. It's the wise person that does not rely on them. Lets take your case. your gaming and getting temps that you do not like. They may be at or above the recommended thermal margin of your cpu. Is not the wise choice to keeps temps as low as reasonably possible for long cpu life ?.
YES!. Then the wise course is an aftermarket cooler. No wonder when tested along with average aftermarket coolers they are DEAD last. The Hyper 212 would be a wise choice.