What's the best CPU cooler?

Minty649 · Sep 29, 2014

Hey guys, so this is my dilemma. i am investing in a new cpu cooler for my FX 8350 and I need help choosing. I am looking to overclock but nothing too extreme, maybe to 4.6-4.8ghz at most. So I cant decide between a really good air cooler or a water cooler.

I have chosen a few
Water:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Corsair-CW-9060014-WW-Extreme-Performance-All-In-One/dp/B00B4OCW7K

http://www.v-c-s-shop.co.uk/Swiftech-H220-Liquid-Cooling-System?language=en&currency=GBP#all

(This was the only place in the UK that i could find the Swifftech)

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=WC-265-XS

Air:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-026-NC

If i go with the air cooler i have about 5 case fans, 2 exhaust and 3 intake, but if i go for a watercooler i cant fit them. So should i go for the water cooler or the Air cooler with good case air flow?

Specs:

mobo: Asus sabertooth 990fx r2.0
GPU: R9 280x
CPU: FX 8350
PSU: XFX pro series 750w
HDD: WD 1TB
CPU cooler: Cooler Master hyper evo 212
Case: Phantek enthroo pro
RAM: crucial tactical tracer 2x4gb, 1600

rockie_ · Sep 29, 2014

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099&cm_re=evo_212-_-35-103-099-_-Product

mapesdhs · Sep 29, 2014

I really like the Corsair H80/H100/H110/etc. series of water coolers (and of course the 'i' versions),
but note that like most all-in-one water coolers, the stock fans are a bit loud under full load, so I
replace the Corsair fans every time with Nanoxia Deep Silence 120mm PWM. For the H100/H110
types, I use 4 fans with an Akasa PWM splitter so all 4 fans are controlled by the same mbd PWM
header (power is provided via a SATA power connector, so it's not relying on the mbd header for
power at all).

Case air flow can certainly be an issue if a water cooler is fitted. Sometimes I've had to change the
direction of other fans to make a more effective air flow. If you're not sure, you can always do tests
and move things around later, though that doesn't help you judge whether to buy a water cooler
in the first place. All I can say is, I found it waaaay easier to deal with cable management, accessing
RAM, changing GPUs, etc., with a water cooler fitted.

Btw, the H110 might be overkill for the 8350. H100 should be fine (or the H100i, though I don't use
the Corsair Link sw as it's incompatible with mbd vendor fan control suites). However, if the H110
will fit, then why not. My 3930K quad-GTX-580 setup has an H110 (with as I say, four NDS 140mm
fans and a PWM splitter).

Hmm, one thing I suppose you could do if you bought something as powerful as an H110, namely
use a fan profile which didn't let the fans run anywhere near full speed, thus avoiding the overly
high noise at full load.

Ian.

Minty649 · Sep 29, 2014

rockie_ :

i am currently using that and i honestly dont think it will handle a overclock

Karadjgne · Sep 29, 2014

Nzxt Kraken x41. Better than a h100i,fits like a h80i and has pretty killer software.

mapesdhs · Sep 29, 2014

The EVO would of course be better than a stock cooler, but yes, I wouldn't use an EVO for an 8350.

I've used a lot of TRUE and related coolers (TRUE Black, VenomousX, etc.) and the huge
Phanteks air cooler. I found the H100 to be somewhat better than the H100, while an H80
was quite a bit better than a normal TRUE. A larger benefit was being able to mess about
with quad-GPU setups a lot more easily. Large air coolers all too often get in the way,
especially with the top PCIe slot and larger RAM modules.

Note to the OP: if you do use a water cooler, make sure the mbd chipset area is still
suitably cooled, eg. by a separate small fan.

Ian.

PS. The Nzxt sw will have the same problem as Corsair's sw, it won't work at the
same time with any mbd vendor's sw for controlling mbd fan functions. However,
one can use the mbd sw to control the CPU cooler just fine, works nicely with the
H100i. Conflicts arise because the OS does not support multiple apps accessing
sensors at the same time very well.

Minty649 · Sep 29, 2014

mapesdhs :

I really like the Corsair H80/H100/H110/etc. series of water coolers (and of course the 'i' versions),
but note that like most all-in-one water coolers, the stock fans are a bit loud under full load, so I
replace the Corsair fans every time with Nanoxia Deep Silence 120mm PWM. For the H100/H110
types, I use 4 fans with an Akasa PWM splitter so all 4 fans are controlled by the same mbd PWM
header (power is provided via a SATA power connector, so it's not relying on the mbd header for
power at all).

Case air flow can certainly be an issue if a water cooler is fitted. Sometimes I've had to change the
direction of other fans to make a more effective air flow. If you're not sure, you can always do tests
and move things around later, though that doesn't help you judge whether to buy a water cooler
in the first place. All I can say is, I found it waaaay easier to deal with cable management, accessing
RAM, changing GPUs, etc., with a water cooler fitted.

Btw, the H110 might be overkill for the 8350. H100 should be fine (or the H100i, though I don't use
the Corsair Link sw as it's incompatible with mbd vendor fan control suites). However, if the H110
will fit, then why not. My 3930K quad-GTX-580 setup has an H110 (with as I say, four NDS 140mm
fans and a PWM splitter).

Hmm, one thing I suppose you could do if you bought something as powerful as an H110, namely
use a fan profile which didn't let the fans run anywhere near full speed, thus avoiding the overly
high noise at full load.

Ian.

its such a hard decision, has anyone had any experience with the noctua? because if i do go air i will be able to get good airflow with all the fans lol.

mapesdhs · Sep 29, 2014

The Noctua is a powerful cooler (similar to the Phanteks), but it's large, and honestly dude the
fans are ugly as heck. The cooling performance is good, but after a while the fan colour made
me want to barf.

Personally if space permitted and I was buying an air cooler, I'd get the
Phanteks Black instead, looks so much nicer and performs just aswell (note that the Phanteks
in original reviews was often better than the venerable NH-D14, a fact ignored by many in
forum posts since that time). The full model name is Phanteks PH-TC14PE Black, and at least
in the UK it's somewhat cheaper than the Noctua.

If you do get the Noctua or anything similar, make extra sure the size of the HS will not clash
with the GPU position or DIMM height (some mbds have not much of a gap between the CPU
socket and the top-most PCIe slot).

Ian.

PS. My wishlist: Noctua ships its heatsinks with black fans, Corsair stops using loud fans with
all its water AIO coolers. Ho hum. I bought 40 NDS PWMs to keep me going with future builds.

Minty649 · Sep 29, 2014

mapesdhs :

i am not too bothered about look as my case will be facing the other way and i wont see it, so thats not an issue. hmmm i am using my gpu in the top pci-e lane so have to check that out to see if it will fit

sora · Sep 29, 2014

The Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO is a cheap CPU fan that performs beautifully.

Karadjgne · Sep 29, 2014

According to the reviews I've read, the nh-d14 beat the Phanteks in every category except 1,that being extreme cooling, in which the Phanteks averaged 1-2° cooler. The Noctuas have the best mounting in the business, excellent thermal paste, extremely quiet fans and are a great match for new Asus mobo's, all being that ugly brown, tan color, reminiscent of the old p2b series. Don't get me wrong, the TC14PE is a great cooler in its own right, but it's only real advantage is its color schemes when compared to a nh-d14.

mapesdhs · Sep 30, 2014

Not true, I distinctly recall reading a number of reviews where the Phanteks was better or basically the same.
Sure there were other reviews where the Noctua was slightly better, but not 'every' category, that's not the
case, and certainly not just for extreme cooling. This obsession people have with Noctua being the best just
isn't true. They've become the Argos of coolers.

And you're wrong on one other major count btw, the biggest advantage of the Phanteks when it launched
was that it was much cheaper (20 UKP less here in the UK). The Noctua was really expensive back then.
Today the Phanteks is still cheaper, though the margin isn't as large.

All besides the point though, I wouldn't normally use either of them, prefer the H80 instead, which is ironic
as I have a couple of new/unused Phanteks units sitting about doing nothing.

Oh, the ASUS mbds I use are rather different. I mainly work with the P9X79 WS and the Maximus IV Extreme/Z.

Ian.

PS. I've always used AS5 paste so far. All the various other tubes I've obtained over the years just get
employed for benchmarking builds & parts testing.

Calculatron · Sep 30, 2014

Anything beyond 4.4 ghz requires some good, quality cooling. If you can make it past 4.6 ghz, you'll need at least a dual-tower air cooler - anything from Noctua, Be Quiet! Thermalright, and Phanteks will probably do the trick.

Otherwise, you'll have to rely on watercooling, preferably something with a double-wide radiator, like the H100i.

With going past 4.4 ghz, you'll want to pay attention to the temperatures of your VRMs. Although I can overclock my FX-8320 all the way to 4.7 ghz mark, my VRMs start to get above the 70C mark, which can be scary. I keep my overclock to 4.4 ghz to keep my VRMs below that mark, even under the heaviest extreme loads.

Minty649 · Sep 30, 2014

mapesdhs :

Not true, I distinctly recall reading a number of reviews where the Phanteks was better or basically the same.
Sure there were other reviews where the Noctua was slightly better, but not 'every' category, that's not the
case, and certainly not just for extreme cooling. This obsession people have with Noctua being the best just
isn't true. They've become the Argos of coolers.

And you're wrong on one other major count btw, the biggest advantage of the Phanteks when it launched
was that it was much cheaper (20 UKP less here in the UK). The Noctua was really expensive back then.
Today the Phanteks is still cheaper, though the margin isn't as large.

All besides the point though, I wouldn't normally use either of them, prefer the H80 instead, which is ironic
as I have a couple of new/unused Phanteks units sitting about doing nothing.

Oh, the ASUS mbds I use are rather different. I mainly work with the P9X79 WS and the Maximus IV Extreme/Z.

Ian.

PS. I've always used AS5 paste so far. All the various other tubes I've obtained over the years just get
employed for benchmarking builds & parts testing.

send me one then! haha jk

mapesdhs · Sep 30, 2014

Heh, I'd happily sell 'em off, but no point if one is outside the UK, the shipping cost would be horrible.

I'll use them some day, probably on an M4E as that has lots of space around the CPU socket.

Ian.

Minty649 · Sep 30, 2014

mapesdhs :

yeah np, i still cant make my mind up as i keep getting different benchmarks etc on the noctua and the corsair h110, some say that the corsair is better and then others say the noctua is better so idk

mapesdhs · Sep 30, 2014

There's bound to be a degree of variability between reviews, mbd/CPU used, etc. In reality with these two it's
often within margins of error, but in either case you'll have a good cooler.

The one thing I would definitely say is that the Noctua will come with quieter fans. All of Corsair's AIO water
coolers are supplied with fans that IMO are way too loud under max load - best to either use a fan profile
which stops them ever going anywhere near their rated max speed, or replace the fans entirely (I did the
latter, used 4x NDS 140mm PWM with an Akasa PWM splitter).

IMO the H110 will cool slightly better, but if you care more about noise then get the Noctua, unless you're
happy to buy better fans for the H110.

Note that the variability between different CPU samples (re the particular CPU you have) is probably larger
than the differences between different reviews for those two coolers, doubly so when factoring in the
effects of RAM, mbd, GPU, etc.

So, if it's a choice between those two, I would say:

a) If noise is more important to you than what would likely be a small difference in cooling potential,
get the Noctua,

b) If you don't care about noise, get the H110. I assume you're sure it will fit ok, yes? It's kinda big.

Btw, the difference between these two coolers, whichever way it might go, isn't as large as the
better performance one would get by using a faster platform instead. Thus, to whatever extent
an oc'd 8350 can alleviate a CPU bottleneck, either choice will perform that task well.

Ian.

Minty649 · Sep 30, 2014

mapesdhs :

There's bound to be a degree of variability between reviews, mbd/CPU used, etc. In reality with these two it's
often within margins of error, but in either case you'll have a good cooler.

The one thing I would definitely say is that the Noctua will come with quieter fans. All of Corsair's AIO water
coolers are supplied with fans that IMO are way too loud under max load - best to either use a fan profile
which stops them ever going anywhere near their rated max speed, or replace the fans entirely (I did the
latter, used 4x NDS 140mm PWM with an Akasa PWM splitter).

IMO the H110 will cool slightly better, but if you care more about noise then get the Noctua, unless you're
happy to buy better fans for the H110.

Note that the variability between different CPU samples (re the particular CPU you have) is probably larger
than the differences between different reviews for those two coolers, doubly so when factoring in the
effects of RAM, mbd, GPU, etc.

So, if it's a choice between those two, I would say:

a) If noise is more important to you than what would likely be a small difference in cooling potential,
get the Noctua,

b) If you don't care about noise, get the H110. I assume you're sure it will fit ok, yes? It's kinda big.

Btw, the difference between these two coolers, whichever way it might go, isn't as large as the
better performance one would get by using a faster platform instead. Thus, to whatever extent
an oc'd 8350 can alleviate a CPU bottleneck, either choice will perform that task well.

Ian.

Thanks Ian, you have been a great help, im not to bothered about noise so i think i might go with the H110. Thanks!

mapesdhs · Sep 30, 2014

Good luck! Double-check beforehand how it will fit in your case though. I made that
mistake when I bought an H110 for my Aerocool XPredator.

Had to fit the H110
partly outside the case (using 4 fans). Works ok, but looks a bit klunky. Other cases
will be able to hold the entire cooler inside the case. If you're not sure, check forum
threads, find those with the same case, see if someone's already done it, etc.

Ian.

Minty649 · Sep 30, 2014

mapesdhs :

ill double check, its a full tower case so im hoping it will fit. Thanks again!

mapesdhs · Sep 30, 2014

The key thing to check is the size of the gap between where the top edge of the mbd will be and
how far down the underside of the H110 with fans fitted would be. In the XPredator case, with
4 fans, it's not enough. In the HAF 932 there's plenty of space. Other cases I don't know about.

Oh! I found this thread:

http://www.overclock.net/t/1418637/official-case-phanteks-club-enthoo-primo-enthoo-luxe-enthoo-pro-lovers-owners/5200_100

and a handy reference:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7738/closed-loop-aio-liquid-coolers

Note their final paragraph on this page (though re the last sentence, pricing is obviously different today):

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7738/closed-loop-aio-liquid-coolers/11

Hard to tell from the pics on that Phanteks thread, but looks like it would fit ok. Read through the
thread, see if you can find someone who's built what you're considering already, or just post & ask.

Ian.

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