Been stalking PC forums in the last two months with plans to build my first gaming PC ever. But, I think I've learned enough and I'm quite confident I can manage the ambitious move to go with real water cooling vs. Corsair self-contained units.
Would love for you guys to takea look and review what I'm planning. Since its closing in on Black Friday, I'm waiting to see if FrozenCPU offers applicable discounts so that I'd be ready to buy (also accumulating parts as Newegg deals keep coming this month).
Goal:
- Single Loop
- Cooling CPU + graphics card
- Blue color theme
Parts already ordered:
- Cooler Master HAF X Blue Edition + extra CM 200mm LED fan for the top
- Corsair HX650
- 4x 4GB Corsair Vengeance LP
Projected purchases:
- ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 or ASRock Z68 or ASRock Z68 Extreme4 Gen3 or ASUS P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3
- Intel i5-2500k
- Single nVidia GeForce GTX 570
What I'm going to order just for the watercooling (down to everything needed):
- XSPC Rasa 750 RX360 Universal CPU / Triple Radiator Water Cooling Kit w/ RX360 Radiator and Free Kill Coil!
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14183/ex-wat-182/XSPC_Rasa_750_RX360_Universal_CPU_Triple_Radiator_Water_Cooling_Kit_w_RX360_Radiator_and_Free_Kill_Coil.html?tl=g30c321s1310#blank
- EK GeForce 570 GTX SE VGA Liquid Cooling Block - Electroless Nickel Plated (EK-FC570 GTX SE - EN (Nickel))
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/13954/ex-blc-958/EK_GeForce_570_GTX_SE_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Electroless_Nickel_Plated_EK-FC570_GTX_SE_-_EN_Nickel.html?tl=g30c311s1356
- PrimoChill PrimoFlex PRO LRT Tubing 7/16"ID 5/8" OD with 3/32" Wall - UV Blue or spring for the 10' pack
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/8276/ex-tub-433/PrimoChill_PrimoFlex_PRO_LRT_Tubing_716ID_58_OD_with_332_Wall_-_UV_Blue.html?tl=g30c99s809
- 2x Bitspower Chrome G1/4" Barb Fitting - 1/2" ID (BP-WTP-C01)
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/11501/ex-tub-172/Bitspower_Chrome_G14_Barb_Fitting_-_12_ID_BP-WTP-C01.html?tl=g30c407s1030#blank
- Distilled Poland Spring Water from some drug store
Questions
1. SIZE. Major concern is the size of the rad. I've seen two builds where the RX360 was attached to the ceiling of the case with the two 200mm CM fans. One build used Enermax 120mm fans but one was hugging a heatsink on the mobo and another made it difficult to insert RAM after installing the fan. The other just used two fans.
If worse comes to worse, I'll just install RAM first and use two fans (front + mid) and leave out the back fan, right? It'll just be 100% pull and 67% push... Or maybe I'll get lucky and the mobo heatsink doesn't interfere... Or can I get a thinner fan?
2. POWER. I've used several PSU calcs to find how much power I need. Even with CPU overclocked, 650W should be able to push the 570 + pump. Right?
3. PIECES. Is there anything missing/wrong from the watercooling purchase set? Newb question, does the Bitspower Barb come with a clamp? Should I get PT Nuke to be safe?
I'm most worried about having the big pieces and missing the small pieces when it comes time to start building.
4. TUBING. XSPC kit comes with 2m (~6.5ft) of clear tubing. So, should I go with 8ft of UV Blue rather than the 10ft? Newb question, do I need a UV cathode to bring the tubing "to life"?
5. LOOP ORDER. Read enough to know loop order has little significance. But, going PUMP/RES -> CPU -> GPU -> RAD ->PUMP/RES.
That's all the questions I have for now...
Thanks in advance!
Would love for you guys to takea look and review what I'm planning. Since its closing in on Black Friday, I'm waiting to see if FrozenCPU offers applicable discounts so that I'd be ready to buy (also accumulating parts as Newegg deals keep coming this month).
Goal:
- Single Loop
- Cooling CPU + graphics card
- Blue color theme
Parts already ordered:
- Cooler Master HAF X Blue Edition + extra CM 200mm LED fan for the top
- Corsair HX650
- 4x 4GB Corsair Vengeance LP
Projected purchases:
- ASRock Z68 Extreme3 Gen3 or ASRock Z68 or ASRock Z68 Extreme4 Gen3 or ASUS P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3
- Intel i5-2500k
- Single nVidia GeForce GTX 570
What I'm going to order just for the watercooling (down to everything needed):
- XSPC Rasa 750 RX360 Universal CPU / Triple Radiator Water Cooling Kit w/ RX360 Radiator and Free Kill Coil!
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/14183/ex-wat-182/XSPC_Rasa_750_RX360_Universal_CPU_Triple_Radiator_Water_Cooling_Kit_w_RX360_Radiator_and_Free_Kill_Coil.html?tl=g30c321s1310#blank
- EK GeForce 570 GTX SE VGA Liquid Cooling Block - Electroless Nickel Plated (EK-FC570 GTX SE - EN (Nickel))
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/13954/ex-blc-958/EK_GeForce_570_GTX_SE_VGA_Liquid_Cooling_Block_-_Electroless_Nickel_Plated_EK-FC570_GTX_SE_-_EN_Nickel.html?tl=g30c311s1356
- PrimoChill PrimoFlex PRO LRT Tubing 7/16"ID 5/8" OD with 3/32" Wall - UV Blue or spring for the 10' pack
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/8276/ex-tub-433/PrimoChill_PrimoFlex_PRO_LRT_Tubing_716ID_58_OD_with_332_Wall_-_UV_Blue.html?tl=g30c99s809
- 2x Bitspower Chrome G1/4" Barb Fitting - 1/2" ID (BP-WTP-C01)
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/11501/ex-tub-172/Bitspower_Chrome_G14_Barb_Fitting_-_12_ID_BP-WTP-C01.html?tl=g30c407s1030#blank
- Distilled Poland Spring Water from some drug store
Questions
1. SIZE. Major concern is the size of the rad. I've seen two builds where the RX360 was attached to the ceiling of the case with the two 200mm CM fans. One build used Enermax 120mm fans but one was hugging a heatsink on the mobo and another made it difficult to insert RAM after installing the fan. The other just used two fans.
If worse comes to worse, I'll just install RAM first and use two fans (front + mid) and leave out the back fan, right? It'll just be 100% pull and 67% push... Or maybe I'll get lucky and the mobo heatsink doesn't interfere... Or can I get a thinner fan?
2. POWER. I've used several PSU calcs to find how much power I need. Even with CPU overclocked, 650W should be able to push the 570 + pump. Right?
3. PIECES. Is there anything missing/wrong from the watercooling purchase set? Newb question, does the Bitspower Barb come with a clamp? Should I get PT Nuke to be safe?
I'm most worried about having the big pieces and missing the small pieces when it comes time to start building.
4. TUBING. XSPC kit comes with 2m (~6.5ft) of clear tubing. So, should I go with 8ft of UV Blue rather than the 10ft? Newb question, do I need a UV cathode to bring the tubing "to life"?
5. LOOP ORDER. Read enough to know loop order has little significance. But, going PUMP/RES -> CPU -> GPU -> RAD ->PUMP/RES.
That's all the questions I have for now...
Thanks in advance!