Air vs H2O 'poll'

[scottiemedic]

Hi all...
I have currently a q8200 at 2.6Ghz. All I've done is raise the FSB. I am using an Arctic Cooler Freezer XTreme rev 2, and my proc is running 25C at idle and 28-29C under minor loads (the most it does is play FEAR or BioShock).
So my poll question is this: I also have a Corsair H50 sealed water cooler sitting in my office. Which should I use? the AC or H50? I plan on going to an i7 eventually, so take that into consideration!! I'm using this as a poll, whichever cooler get the most vosts WINS, haha. I'd like some good reasoning too as to why one is better than the other too if you can, or if you have experience with one or the other, you opinion is valuable to me!!
The ambient temp in my office is about 66-70 usually, I know that has to be taken into consideration!!

Thanks!

 

[rofl_my_waffle]

The H50 performs more like a really high end cooler better than the freezer xtreme.

Air coolers use heatpipes to transfer heat into the block for the fan to remove via air but the H50 uses water which is better.

 

[Shadow703793]

^ Umm... fail much? The H50 is easily beaten by a mid - high end air cooler:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/corsair-h50-fort120,2370-5.html

If you want *REAL* water cooling it will cost you ~$200-250.

 

[jedimasterben]

^ Umm... fail much? The H50 is easily beaten by a mid - high end air cooler:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/corsair-h50-fort120,2370-5.html

If you want *REAL* water cooling it will cost you ~$200-250.

What happens if you don't have a full tower case (or have a big side fan like me)? You can't use these tower coolers and close your side panel.

EDIT: Also, along with a push-pull configuration (and set up as EXHAUST, not as the intake, so that it is using the hot air in my case), my temps lowered over 10C coming from a Core Contact Freezer 120.

 

[welshmousepk]

What happens if you don't have a full tower case (or have a big side fan like me)? You can't use these tower coolers and close your side panel.

EDIT: Also, along with a push-pull configuration (and set up as EXHAUST, not as the intake, so that it is using the hot air in my case), my temps lowered over 10C coming from a Core Contact Freezer 120.

you could just as easily attach 2 fans in push/pull to an air cooler.

th h50 is only as good as a high end air cooler at best. but an air cooler is never going to 'break down' and sure as hell wont take the whole system with it.

 

[dfusco]

Well if you're like me and it's sitting on the desk looking at you....play time! Heck since you have it anyhow you gotta try it!

 

[delluser1]

Well if you're like me and it's sitting on the desk looking at you....play time! Heck since you have it anyhow you gotta try it!

I left mine on the desk " looking at me " for 3 weeks before taking my Xigmatek 1284 off of the cpu and replacing it.
Shaved 7c off my max temps ( I7-860 at 3.8 ) using push/pull fans.

 

[leon2006]

Use the H50 you can get significant reduction in temperature (Peak and Average) and in noise.

I can't comment on other conditions but below is my actual results:

I just installed an H50 on one of my system. The original cooler is Zalman 9700.

My Q6600 is OC 24x7 @ 3.0GHZ. It can be cranked higher but i don't turn off the PC so i settled at 3.0GHZ.
Prime-95 for ~10hrs (All passed)... I started ~ 7:45AM...

Zalman: Highest Temp is 55C... The Average for 10hrs is 53C
H50: Highest Temp is 49C........ The Average for 10hrs is 45C

The biggest benefit....Significant reduction in noise. I have a 900case...All fans are tuned-down to min. I can hear my hard drives now. Before the ZALMAN fan is the most dominant sound @ 80% speed @ OC condition.

I got the H50 on sale from Best buy for $50 several weeks back. I got it installed just recently.

 

[JohnnyLucky]

The only thing I will absolutely, positively, 100% guarantee is individual results will vary. There are too many factors and variables when it comes to cooling a system.

 

[Shadow703793]

^ Amen.

 

[scottiemedic]

Best answer selected by scottiemedic.

 

[scottiemedic]

Finally got the H2O in, and here are my results. Both used Arctic Silver 5 as thermal paste. PC Wizard 2010 monitoring temps.

Intel Q8200 2.33GHz OCed to 3.01GHz at 430FSB x7
Antec Three Hundred case
(2) 120mm front intake fans, (1) 140mm top exhaust
With AC - (1) 120mm back exhaust
With Corsair - (1) 120mm back intake on radiator
No side fan for either test.
Prime95 Blended Test

Arctic Cooling Freezer Extreme rev. 2
At Idle - 28C
Under load with Prime 95 - 60C (within 5 minutes)
CPU Voltage 1.176 (load)

Corsair H20
At Idle - 23C
Prime - 40.5C (after 4 hours)
CPU Voltage 1.16 (load)

Are you kidding me??? For me, I've clearly found the winner! As soon as I stopped Prime with the H2O, the temp dropped to 28 instantly and continued to work itself back down to 23 within 2 minutes. It should be noted, I had my home cooling system set to 73F, nice and warm for the wife and the water cooler still kicked ass!! Hell, my 9800GT is running 44C, almost twice the temp of my CPU.

 

[justin_2]

Hi all...
I have currently a q8200 at 2.6Ghz. All I've done is raise the FSB. I am using an Arctic Cooler Freezer XTreme rev 2, and my proc is running 25C at idle and 28-29C under minor loads (the most it does is play FEAR or BioShock).
So my poll question is this: I also have a Corsair H50 sealed water cooler sitting in my office. Which should I use? the AC or H50? I plan on going to an i7 eventually, so take that into consideration!! I'm using this as a poll, whichever cooler get the most vosts WINS, haha. I'd like some good reasoning too as to why one is better than the other too if you can, or if you have experience with one or the other, you opinion is valuable to me!!
The ambient temp in my office is about 66-70 usually, I know that has to be taken into consideration!!

Thanks!

I think the H50 would be better for OCing or gaming
low end liquid cooling like this tends to have a higher IDLE temp but performs great under load.

you may get 20c idle on air but you'll probly get like 30c-35c idle on water
BUT water stays consistant you may get 35c idle wit it but OCed under load and you'll be suprized that liquid cooling holds close to the same temp all the time(40-45c load)

on air you can get 20c idle but OCed under load the temp will get high 60c+
conclution: if you want your cpu to last longer and you don't game as much you'll probly want to go air (keeps good idle temp but doesn't do great under load)
but if you want to get the most out of your cpu you need to go liquid!

(I would'n worry to much about the life of your cpu come on by the time its burt up if will be so outdated its not even funny(if you are a TRUE gamer who cares about the life i mean an OCed cpu running a 3.5ghz maybe 4ghz will last a year or 2 and by that time is up It'll be time to upgrade) technology advances so quickly its hard to keep up)

SO... my vote is for Liquid H50 you'll get better load temps BUT remember! liquid cooling means alot of upkeep (Replacing coolent every 6 months)
so if you want to put something in there and never see it again until something burns up go wit air! but if you want the best experence and don't mind sacrifysing a couple of hours every 6 months to a year to replace coolant you can have a much better cooling setup AND BRAGGING RIGHTS (depending on whom you are bragging to)

GO LIQUID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[justin_2]

^ Umm... fail much? The H50 is easily beaten by a mid - high end air cooler:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/corsair-h50-fort120,2370-5.html

If you want *REAL* water cooling it will cost you ~$200-250.

FYI! some of us arn't a rich know it all
some of us don't have the money for a "*REAL*" custom liquid setup
and some of us only have need to cool our cpus not drives ect...
a 200-250$ setup would be for cooling CPU, GPU, HDD/SSD, OPTICAL DRIVE, ECT...
the H50 is GREAT for a cpu only
i think that the H50 will beat an air cooler

im a buget gamer myself
IM14 years old!
don't have a job (I HAVE BUILD MANY GAME COMPUTERS)
but um not gonna go buy a stinkin XBOX 360 for 400$ when i can build a good gaming machine for the same price
and guess what liquid cooling setup im gonna use
PROBLY THE H50 calse i don't have a need 2 cool GPU ect...

IF i was a smart mouth show off like you id get the 250$ system

 

[scottiemedic]

The H50 is outperforming my air cooler at idle and kicking it's ass at load bearing. This thread is over as far as I'm concerned, my $50 liquid cooler is the shiz for CPU cooling...

 

[RJR]

FYI! some of us arn't a rich know it all
some of us don't have the money for a "*REAL*" custom liquid setup
and some of us only have need to cool our cpus not drives ect...
a 200-250$ setup would be for cooling CPU, GPU, HDD/SSD, OPTICAL DRIVE, ECT...
the H50 is GREAT for a cpu only
i think that the H50 will beat an air cooler

HAHAHA, that made me laugh, THANKS.

Oh, you didn't have to tell everyone you are 14, I think your post did that already.

As far as the H50 goes, high-end air will beat the H50 with no problems, you can see this in MANY reviews and from many people that own one. If you aren't running an i7 at a higher OC then an H50 will be more than enough for most people, no question about that.

 

[scottiemedic]

Whatever other threads say, the h50 beat an arctic cooling freezer extreme hands down on my setup, and my setup is the only one that matters to me. When I get my i7 I promise to do the same review with the same hardware, and from what I've seen with a c2q, I'll put money on the h50

 

[RJR]

Whatever other threads say, the h50 beat an arctic cooling freezer extreme hands down on my setup, and my setup is the only one that matters to me. When I get my i7 I promise to do the same review with the same hardware, and from what I've seen with a c2q, I'll put money on the h50

No, I said against good high end air cooling, not the arctic cooling freezer. The H50 will blow away the AC no problem at all. Once you get into the higher end air coolers like the NH-D14 or Megahelam it's a different story, but as I said for anything except the i7's massive heat output the H50 is very capable and will do a good job (unless you want a max OC, that is).