X-bit labs watercooling reviews

[DTM13]

I know this article is alittle out dated,but what does everyone think of their review. :?: I am just trying to find out some info on different water cooling kits. I haven't decided on a build yet, just trying to get all my ducks in a row if you know what i mean. I hope i did the link right:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/16watercooling.html

 

[chuckshissle]

What kind of water cooling do you have in mind?

 

[phreejak]

If this is your first foray into watercooling then it would help you to make some early decisions on a few things so that you will have a clearer direction.

What do you intend on watercooling? CPU? GPU? both?

What kind of budget do you see yourself setting for this?
Deicding on this aspect will help determine whether you should get a premade kit like thermaltake Bigwater or go the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) route and purchase more specialized components.

Some premade kits will certainly do fine depending on what you intend on doing with your computer but, in some cases, it would just be better to get good quality aircooling components instead of investing in somehting like Evercool.

Going the DIY route will definitely produce much better results as you would be purchasing much better quality parts than are available in premade kits. However, this is done at higher cost.

 

[DTM13]

I would like to cool the cpu,video card and the chipset.I would also like to overclock. I have been experimenting on my old Athlon XP.(Over clocking). Budget would be around $200 to $300. I will use the computer for gaming and for my wifes small business. She runs a small daycare.

I would like a pre-built one but if buying individual parts is the best way then i will do that.

 

[phreejak]

premade kits will never attain as efficient cooling results as a DIY kit or a kit offerred by a specialty manufacturer (such as Danger Den or Swiftech).

The reason why DIY kits are, ideally, the most effective, is because you are not limited to a specific brand of equipment.

Those kits offerred by companies like Danger Den or Swiftech or even Alphacool are excellent kits and do produce excellent results. But, where you might want to use a Danger Den GPU water block, you might use a Swiftech CPU water block in the same loop.

You can cool your chipset effectively with a decent heatsink/fan combo and avoid the inherent restriction to water flow that the NB water block would add to a cooling loop. However, if you do insist on water cooling it, there are effective means to do so.

Here are examples of good equiptment:

Pump:
Swiftech MCP655 12v DC Pump ($77)
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/swmc12vdcpu.html
Sooo quiet and yet, so powerful. 317gph, 12v standard 4-pin molex connector to your PSU

CPU waterblock:
Swiftech STORM Rev 2 ($80)
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/swstunhipebl.html
The top of the line CPU waterblock

GPU waterblock:
Acetal MAZE4 GPU ($45)
http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=150&cat=48&page=1
Low restrictive properties to waterflow.

Swiftech MC14 VGA Forged Copper BGA Ramsinks ($17)
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=196&products_id=3811
For videoram

Northbridge waterblock:
MAZE4 Style Chipset Block ($39)
http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=157&cat=46&page=1

Reservoirs:
Danger Den Single 5 1/4" Bay Reservoir ($30)
http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=52&cat=27&page=1

PrimoChill - Single Floppy Bay Reservoir ($10)
http://www.voyeurmods.com/index.php?action=item&id=1697&prevaction=category&previd=2&prevstart=0

Cyclone 120 External mounted ($33)
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=318&products_id=20585


Radiators:
Single 120mm
Black Ice Xtreme Radiator ($34)
http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=1&cat=85&page=1

Dual 120mm
Black Ice Xtreme II Radiator ($43)
http://www.dangerdenstore.com/product.php?productid=2&cat=85&page=1


Tubing:
Tygon 1/2in. ID 11/16in. OD Laboratory Tubing #R3603 ($2.25/ft)
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/ty1idx11odx3.html
Get, at least, ten feet. Best tubing around and you won't find it cheaper anywhere else


Clamps:
Breeze Miniature Hose Clamp 7/16 in. to 25/32 in. (10/#3.60)
to secure the tubing to the fittings
get 20


Kinks:
Swiftech Coolsleeves 625 ($2.60)
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/swco625.html
helps protect tubing from kinking in tight bends
get 2


Coolant:
Regular
HydrX Extreme-Duty UV Coolant ($3.29)
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/hyexduco.html
UV Reactive, biological preventative - must mix with distilled water
get 2

OR

Non-conductive
PrimoChill ICE 32oz ($20)
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=303&products_id=3982
lubricant, non-conductive, corrosive inhibitant, non-toxic, biodegradeable, biological preventative
get 2

 

[DTM13]

Thanks for the suggestions. So you think if i went for air cooling on the cpu,video card,and the northbridge i can be just as happy. I am thinking of getting a C2D E6600, Gigabyte GA-965G-DS and a 7900gt video card. Any suggestion's on cooling on these items that might get me a good and stable overclock. Thanks

 

[phreejak]

The nice thing about conroes are that you can achieve excellent overclocking results just using the stock cooling that comes with the retail package. If you are going to use heatsinks and fans to cool your cpu/gpu and NB then it is imperative that you have good airflow in your system - proper intake and out take fans. Ideally, if you can have intake fans drawing air in the lower portions of your case - from the front - and out take fans higher up in the back and the top, you'd achieve optimal circulation.

 

[DTM13]

Thanks for all the info.

 

[phreejak]

You're welcome

 

[chuckshissle]

Phreejak is right. It's best for you to buy individual components to make up the whole cooling loop. Mine for example, before I installed my second water cooling kit I got some help from the guys. At the end my cooling loop was really great and have oustanding performance, thanks for the all Tom's members help to make it possible.

Link:

http://forumz.tomshardware.com/cpu-water-blockftopic-198341-days0-orderasc-25.html

Now I have the MCP655 water pump, Storm Revision 2 cpu water block and CoolingWorks Coolrad 32T triple 120mm radiator. 1/2 ID tubing of course. I got the whole thing for $300 and it was well worth it. With it I am able to overclock my Pentium D 840 to 4Ghz! @ 1.45vcore. The temps is 38c-40c idle and 45c full load on BF2.

For your N/B and graphics card you should cool it with air. As for mine I have 80mm fan on my N/B and VF900 on both 7800GTX. It's good that way, for if you include the N/B and graphics card in the cpu loop then it will raised the water temps and as well as the cpu. You don't need to water cool that N/B just place a good fan on it. For the graphics card just used after market cooler like Zalman VF900 or if you have the space for it use the Artic Cooling Silencer for it's the best graphics card air cooler. I have the VF900 cooler on both 7800GTX since I run SLI and I don't have much space between the slots. But I am still able to overclock the cards from 460 stock to 500 with no artifacts and full load of 70c which is fine. But if you really need to seriously include the nb and graphic card on the cpu loop then make sure you have triple 120mm radiator for cooling.