what does a radiator do?

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Ejmaster101

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Aug 2, 2015
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So basically, I'm building a pc build for myself and I watched a video on it and they said u need a radiator. I was just wondering what is a radiator and does it come with the cpu cooler? (Sorry if this is a very noob question)
 
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Sakkura
A radiator is used for water cooling; you run water through a cooling block over the CPU and/or GPU, then through a radiator where it releases the heat to air that is blown through the radiator by fans.

If you use air cooling, then you don't need a radiator. If you use an all-in-one liquid cooling kit, the radiator will be part of that kit. It's only if you build a custom water cooling loop that you'd have to buy a radiator.
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Sakkura

Sakkura

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Aug 22, 2011
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A radiator is used for water cooling; you run water through a cooling block over the CPU and/or GPU, then through a radiator where it releases the heat to air that is blown through the radiator by fans.

If you use air cooling, then you don't need a radiator. If you use an all-in-one liquid cooling kit, the radiator will be part of that kit. It's only if you build a custom water cooling loop that you'd have to buy a radiator.
 
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BSOD BSTD

BSOD BSTD

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Nov 21, 2013
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A radiator is part of a water cooled system. this is the one I have:

pimspecificpicture.ashx


instead of a fan over the cpu heatsink there is a pump that pumps water around a closed loop to the radiator, where the heat from the water is exhausted to be sent back to the CPU heatsink.

A standard cooler is like this:

corsair_a70_032.jpg


just a fan above the heatsink.

So which is better? well there are lots of arguments for and against so I wont get too far into it now. I personally prefer liquid cooled, its nice and quiet and takes the heat out of the CPU area better, downside is it doesn't cool the CPU socket as well.

Another point is that you only need an aftermarket cooler if you are going to overclock your CPU. if you are not going to overclock, it will come with a standard cooler (a bit like the 2nd image) that has no radiator and this will do fine.
 
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