$2000 Budget, H100 or Noctua?

[Realz]

Hey everyone,

Yes, i know this has been asked 18837416513048756 times, but i want to see an up to date
answer for this.

I originally wanted to go with the Noctua NH-D14, But i wanted more space. Thus i thought of the Corsair Hydro series. Yes, I want my build to look fantastic without a toilet in it.
Though will the Noctua Stand up with the H100? Replacing stock H100 fans with these.
Cougar Vortex 120mm

This is my first build and i want to see what you guys suggest between these two.

Here are my Current Specifications:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus V Formula EATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($42.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($439.98 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cooler Master HAF XM (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($104.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Acer GD235HZbid 120Hz 23.6" Monitor ($249.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($92.22 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K60 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($89.98 @ NCIX US)
Mouse: Logitech G9x Wired Laser Mouse ($64.95 @ B&H)
Total: $1855.03
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

Thanks.

 

[chulex67]

I have never use an liquid cooling system from corsair, i have heard alot of bad things about the H100 about the noise and leaking, but i have also heard many good things about the h100.... i think there are 2 versions, just pray to get the new one, and not one of the first batches. I recommend buying it directly from the website of corsair

 

[xtwiinky]

I have never use an liquid cooling system from corsair, i have heard alot of bad things about the H100 about the noise and leaking, but i have also heard many good things about the h100.... i think there are 2 versions, just pray to get the new one, and not one of the first batches. I recommend buying it directly from the website of corsair

I believe the issue was with the fans. I remember hearing that the ones they supply it with are horrible. A quick fan change and they were very quiet. Thats what I've heard.

The hydro series is pretty solid. As with most closed loops, they don't offer better cooling if at all compared to high end air, and usually run hotter after a few hours. Aside from the price and preformance value, they are very nice to have in a case. Having Nocturas or 212 Evo's in your case looks awful. This is why I really want an H100.

Look up tests, last time I recall, the difference in temps between the CM Hyper 212 Evo and Noctura was 6C.
I highely doubt the H100 cools more than a few C better than the Noctura, and since they both cost 80+$, go with the H100.

 

[manofchalk]

Would go for the H100 personally, both are similarly priced and the H100 looks better and is tidier than the Noctua. They would be about the same in terms of cooling performance, especially since you have added better fans to it.

Though considering that the HAF-XM doesn't have a side panel window, aesthetics are not really a concern.

 

[diellur]

The H100 will offer performance comparable with the NH-D14, but with the advantage of not hanging 1kg+ off of your motherboard. It's reasonably quiet on stock fans at a low fan setting, although swapping out fans is an option...just make sure they're designed for use with a radiator, as not all fans provide sufficient static pressure to cool effectively.

One issue with the H100 is the pump...it's rated to run at 12V, however some PSUs provide 12.3V on that rail. The pump will run but it rattles a bit...the best way to get around that is to tie the H100 into a fan controller and ramp it down fractionally. Works like a charm.

 

[FinneousPJ]

Custom water or Noctua.

 

[Realz]

Hello Guys,

Thanks for the replies. I believe i will be going with the H100 then...xD But since this is my first build will i have problems Installing the H100? You say it rattles a bit. Is it something i may have to worry about in the future?

Also, To cut down on the Cost i looked at the Asus Maximus V Gene, so i could get a Windowed Case. Diellur, Your specifications show that you own one. Though its a mATX Form Factor will i be limited to doing specific things? ex: Sound card, etc... And will it perform the same as the Formula?

Trying to stick with a Red & Black theme.

Thanks.
- Sorry for a lot of questions :/

 

[FinneousPJ]

Do you really think it's necessary to get an over priced mobo just to stick to a theme?

 

[manofchalk]

^+1
Just get a black mobo (an AsRock Z77 Extreme4), save yourself $100 or so, and get a $10 LED strip.
NZXT CB-LED10-RD, 1m of red LED. $14
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812170026

I personally use Bitfenix Alchemy Connect, but it seems Newegg has every colour but red (unless you want to pay extra for the Aqua strips).

 

[diellur]

Hello Guys,

Thanks for the replies. I believe i will be going with the H100 then...xD But since this is my first build will i have problems Installing the H100? You say it rattles a bit. Is it something i may have to worry about in the future?

If it's going to rattle, it'll start pretty quickly. It's not a design flaw really, just that the pump is being pushed a bit harder than it was designed for...do a Google and you'll see what I mean. Pretty easy fix.

Also, To cut down on the Cost i looked at the Asus Maximus V Gene, so i could get a Windowed Case. Diellur, Your specifications show that you own one. Though its a mATX Form Factor will i be limited to doing specific things? ex: Sound card, etc... And will it perform the same as the Formula?

Trying to stick with a Red & Black theme.

Thanks.
- Sorry for a lot of questions :/

I can't speak for a comparison between the two, but I can say the Maximus V Gene is a good board. It's got decent overclocking options and has an onboard soundcard which is as good, if not better, than the Asus Xonar I was using previously. Alternatively, you could get a PCIe soundcard, althought that would stop any plans you have for a dual-GPU setup in the future.

 

[xtwiinky]

Hey everyone,

Yes, i know this has been asked 18837416513048756 times, but i want to see an up to date
answer for this.

I originally wanted to go with the Noctua NH-D14, But i wanted more space. Thus i thought of the Corsair Hydro series. Yes, I want my build to look fantastic without a toilet in it.
Though will the Noctua Stand up with the H100? Replacing stock H100 fans with these.
Cougar Vortex 120mm

This is my first build and i want to see what you guys suggest between these two.

Here are my Current Specifications:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
Motherboard: Asus Maximus V Formula EATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($279.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($42.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: Asus GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($439.98 @ NCIX US)
Case: Cooler Master HAF XM (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case ($104.98 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Acer GD235HZbid 120Hz 23.6" Monitor ($249.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($92.22 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K60 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($89.98 @ NCIX US)
Mouse: Logitech G9x Wired Laser Mouse ($64.95 @ B&H)
Total: $1855.03
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

Thanks.

A few things you will want to change on your build.

1) Is there any reason you want that specific motherboard. There is nothing wrong with buying a higher end one but generally, people buy higher end boards for more PCIE slots and integrated sound. The voltage and stability are near equivilant to mid end boards. Your build doesn't have a 2nd card, and it may be worth researching whether the onboard audio is better than spending 100$ on a sound card.

2)120 hertz monitor. Definitetly get rid of this, you only have a single card. I know you may be impressed with the 80fps in benchmarks, but those are last gen games.
Unless you want to sacrifice video settings for more frames, just stick to a 60 or 75 hertz monitor. Also you will be very annoying with frames dropping (from 80 to 120 to 60 etc). If you truly want 120hertz or 2560x1600 resolution (double 1080p), buy a second card.

3) You sure you want a Asus 670 for 440$? The most popular 670's are the Gigabyte and MSI versions, they have some of the best cooling and features. The Gigabyte a few weeks ago sold for 360$.
They both come with custom PCB's (better overclocking stablity and voltages), very good coolers and run pretty quiet. The Gigabyte cools a few C cooler and a few DB quieter, but I've seen higher overclocks with MSI cards and my MSI 670 has hit 1300 easy on stock voltages (i haven't bothered to go higher)

If you are spending 450+ range get a 7970, bad price-preformance ratio and value but very nice cards.

 

[g-unit1111]

Do you really think it's necessary to get an over priced mobo just to stick to a theme?

I completely agree there - building around a theme or color scheme almost never works as it really limits what you can buy.

 

[xtwiinky]

I completely agree there - building around a theme or color scheme almost never works as it really limits what you can buy.

It depends. You usually don't have to go out of your price range to get blue/black or red/black mobos. LOL.

I mean in my experience I wished I bought a nicer case and a H100 but as far as colors go, you really only match your RAM and mobo, thats it. No one can see your GPU front, only the sides .. which are usually only black. CPU coolers are never colored... their just black or heatsinks. PSU's are black and even with a colored sticker, many builds still look good with an opposite color sticker on their PSU.

Just buy Individualy sleeved PSU extensions and connect them to your PSU's if you didn't buy one that has one.
Otherwise it may be worth to buy an AX over a TX because of modular and sleeved cables.

 

[g-unit1111]

It depends. You usually don't have to go out of your price range to get blue/black or red/black mobos. LOL.

True, but where it doesn't work is when you try to match things like PSU, drives, fans, lights, etc. Then you wind up spending way too much for very little payoff and then being limited to what you can buy later on.

I mean in my experience I wished I bought a nicer case and a H100 but as far as colors go, you really only match your RAM and mobo, thats it. No one can see your GPU front, only the sides .. which are usually only black. CPU coolers are never colored... their just black or heatsinks. PSU's are black and even with a colored sticker, many builds still look good with an opposite color sticker on their PSU.

I would never purchase an H100 over a real block like the Swiftech Edge or anything from Danger Den. The H100 is a cheap plastic toy compared to the real thing.

Just buy Individualy sleeved PSU extensions and connect them to your PSU's if you didn't buy one that has one.

But even then that's a waste of money. Your PSU comes with cables that are long enough and those will be hidden behind the motherboard tray - no one will see them. I always try to discourage people from wasting their money on things they don't need.

 

[Realz]

Thanks guys for your ideas.

I guess I'll drop the Colored theme with the Build and see what i can get out of this.

For the Motherboards, Neither Asus Or Asrock, I think i'll stick with a Gigabyte UD5H.
I Didn't want Asrock because I expect something to be flawless or at least "Good enough" without something going wrong, as it is my first build.

The MSI GTX670 Power Edition is what i originally wanted... But a forum stated that MSI was Overvolting the Power edition series. MSI Caught
I Don't know if this is bad or good but by the looks of it, it seems bad to me. :/

Thanks if you can answer some more questions.

Updated Specs:
PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Microcenter)
CPU Cooler: Corsair H100 92.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD5H ATX LGA1155 Motherboard ($182.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance 8GB (4 x 2GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($62.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Storage: Crucial M4 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($79.99 @ Microcenter)
Video Card: MSI GeForce GTX 670 2GB Video Card ($384.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Corsair 650D ATX Mid Tower Case ($144.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX ProSeries 750W 80 PLUS Silver Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($109.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($19.99 @ Newegg)
Monitor: Acer GD235HZbid 120Hz 23.6" Monitor ($249.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 (64-bit) ($91.81 @ Amazon)
Keyboard: Corsair Vengeance K60 Wired Gaming Keyboard ($69.98 @ NCIX US)
Mouse: Logitech G9x Wired Laser Mouse ($64.95 @ B&H)
Total: $1842.63
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)

 

[manofchalk]

I have an AsRock Z77 Extreme4 and cant see any quality difference with it.

Depends on your perspective really. Nvidia didn't allow over-volting on their graphics card, which leads to less overclocking headroom. MSI cheated a bit and bypassed the chip that limits this, so it gives you the ability to change your voltages and therefore clock higher.
However, they did this a bit sloppily, and way too much voltage is going to the GPU. It wont fry the chip, but over a long period of time could cause problems.

 

[diellur]

I'd agree...I have the MSI 560Ti and it runs warm.

 

[Realz]

So After a few years the 670 will Begin to heat up? Will the SAPPHIRE Vapor X 7970 Ghz edition be performance wise, Better? But will it be Louder? If so I'll either get the Asus DirectCUII 670 Since it's at $384 Right now

 

[diellur]

Download FRAPS and run it on any GPU, or Google for the FRAPS results for a 670. Look at the temps. Under gaming workloads, the GPU will never hit those sort of temps as FRAPS is a synthetic example that exceeds real-life usage.

 

[FinneousPJ]

Fraps isn't a benchmark, you must be confusing it for FurMark perhaps?

 

[diellur]

Fraps isn't a benchmark, you must be confusing it for FurMark perhaps?

That's the one! Thanks...one of those days.

 

[xtwiinky]

It depends. You usually don't have to go out of your price range to get blue/black or red/black mobos. LOL.

True, but where it doesn't work is when you try to match things like PSU, drives, fans, lights, etc. Then you wind up spending way too much for very little payoff and then being limited to what you can buy later on.

I mean in my experience I wished I bought a nicer case and a H100 but as far as colors go, you really only match your RAM and mobo, thats it. No one can see your GPU front, only the sides .. which are usually only black. CPU coolers are never colored... their just black or heatsinks. PSU's are black and even with a colored sticker, many builds still look good with an opposite color sticker on their PSU.

I would never purchase an H100 over a real block like the Swiftech Edge or anything from Danger Den. The H100 is a cheap plastic toy compared to the real thing.

Just buy Individualy sleeved PSU extensions and connect them to your PSU's if you didn't buy one that has one.

But even then that's a waste of money. Your PSU comes with cables that are long enough and those will be hidden behind the motherboard tray - no one will see them. I always try to discourage people from wasting their money on things they don't need.

I meant if you wanted the individually sleeved cables look with a cheaper psu that doesn't use ones like this
http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=N&biw=1920&bih=955&authuser=0&tbm=isch&tbnid=0Ks1Q05GfWbXyM:&imgrefurl=http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/4266/bitfenix_alchemy_sleeved_cables_review/index.html&docid=3amZqK_p0Xw7lM&imgurl=http://images.tweaktown.com/content/4/2/4266_06_bitfenix_alchemy_sleeved_cables_review_full.jpg&w=850&h=637&ei=6epwUKiTL4bx0gGDyoH4Dg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1620&vpy=470&dur=924&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=129&ty=101&sig=116179333010261799833&page=1&tbnh=138&tbnw=187&start=0&ndsp=50&ved=1t:429,r:30,s:0,i:176