H100i vs Raystorm 360

[DARGIE]

Okay im looking too cool my cpu and for some reason i want to go water
I could get the H100i or the Raystorm 360 Im just not sure if its worth going custom due to the fact id be doing it more for the looks which for all my black fittings and white tubing etc itd take the raystorm kit to about 200 vs the h100i at 110! any actual better performance in the custom loop??

Unlikely to cool my GPU till i get 2 which would be in maybe a year and a half two years!

 

[jesh4622]

If you're in it for more than the looks you definitely want to go custom. There's little point in water cooling when you push yourself into a closed-loop only mindset.
If you're not extremely limited on space, there's *no* reason to buy a closed-loop watercooler like the h100i over a high end air cooler.

On the other hand, a custom high end watercooling setup can yield dozens of degrees C difference over high end air. It's not effective dollar for dollar, of course, but the cost is justified for some.
Custom loops can easily last 2.5 years and can be expanded for GPUs with universal blocks. That's something you can reuse for build after build. There are plenty of people with custom loops who have parts dating back more than a decade. It takes some maintenance and careful part selection, but it's possible. A raystorm kit is a good starting place, but you will want more once you get it together.
I would start doing research on exactly what you'll need for your setup to be happy with it once and for all, then commit to it. As an example, you may have 2 GPUs later, so definitely look into a 360mm radiator if you can fit it.
You may want to get plasticizer free tubing to prevent build up in your blocks over the years. Kits don't come with that.
You may want a quieter/more powerful pump than comes with the raystorm for adding SLI later, etc etc. There's tons of research that goes into doing a custom loop, and that's why there are so few who actually commit and do it.

I'm not going to be the one here who says, "Yeah man, the H100i is awesome it's almost just as good, forget the Raystorm kit."
That's just plain disillusionment. If you want to get the H100i just to say you have watercooling, then ok. Do it. Just don't forget that the setup is neutered, compares unfavorably with high end air, and can't be expanded. In other words, a giant waste of money.

 

[bryonhowley]

I did a complete custom loop on my AMD FX-8350 rig and I must say it looks great that way. When I did my i5 3570K rig this year I went for the Corsair H100i just because I did not have the time to do another custom water cooler on it. Over all I am still happy with the results as the H100i is really not bad looking and the way pump/block lights up is really nice. You have the several options on the lighting I have mine set to temp based so the lights change according to the temperature. It looks nice in my In Win GRone White case and does a very good job of cooling my i5 3570K.

 

[amuffin]

Well, why do you want to go to CLC/Custom?

An air cooler may be the better choice for you.

 

[confuciused]

I would suggest you consider the swiftech H220. At $140 it's the perfect compromise for you with the simplicity of a CLC and the flexibilty of a custom loop.

 

[bigcyco1]

I wouldn't get the H-100i that's not real watercooling imo. An air cooler may be the better choice for you.If you really want to watercool get something like this it's a good starter kit http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/xsra750rxwak.html

 

[bigcyco1]

If you're in it for more than the looks you definitely want to go custom. There's little point in water cooling when you push yourself into a closed-loop only mindset.
If you're not extremely limited on space, there's *no* reason to buy a closed-loop watercooler like the h100i over a high end air cooler.

On the other hand, a custom high end watercooling setup can yield dozens of degrees C difference over high end air. It's not effective dollar for dollar, of course, but the cost is justified for some.
Custom loops can easily last 2.5 years and can be expanded for GPUs with universal blocks. That's something you can reuse for build after build. There are plenty of people with custom loops who have parts dating back more than a decade. It takes some maintenance and careful part selection, but it's possible. A raystorm kit is a good starting place, but you will want more once you get it together.
I would start doing research on exactly what you'll need for your setup to be happy with it once and for all, then commit to it. As an example, you may have 2 GPUs later, so definitely look into a 360mm radiator if you can fit it.
You may want to get plasticizer free tubing to prevent build up in your blocks over the years. Kits don't come with that.
You may want a quieter/more powerful pump than comes with the raystorm for adding SLI later, etc etc. There's tons of research that goes into doing a custom loop, and that's why there are so few who actually commit and do it.

I'm not going to be the one here who says, "Yeah man, the H100i is awesome it's almost just as good, forget the Raystorm kit."
That's just plain disillusionment. If you want to get the H100i just to say you have watercooling, then ok. Do it. Just don't forget that the setup is neutered, compares unfavorably with high end air, and can't be expanded. In other words, a giant waste of money.

:lol: +1