Liquid cooling recommendations?

[blueM16000]

Hi,

I am just a student studying in the Netherlands (meaning that I am relatively poorer than most of the PC enthusiasts,) and I would like users to choose between the following CPU cooling solutions.

I am currently using a AMD stock cooler, but it makes too much noise in the Silencio 550 case. It gets much better when I close all the panels and so on, but my CPU fan is simply a factory itself.

I was considering the following:
1) Corsair H55
2) Corsair H60

If there are any other liquid/air cooling methods that you guys can recommend, they are always welcome! By the way, according to the official Cooler Master (CM) website, my CM Silencio 550 can take CPU cooler with the height up to 154 centimeters, due to the noise/vibration damping materials at both side panels.

Last but not the least, are both cooler I have mentioned actually going to reduce a lot of noise from my system? (also temperatures, preferably)

This is a discussion format, so feel free to argue and repute to each other!


Thank you in advance!
blueM16000

 

[Eggz]

The Corsiar H[xx] and H[xx]i are generally good coolers, but the cost is hard to justify for coolers less than 80. So, the H80i may be worth is, and the H100i is worth it, to a lot of people. But the H60 and H55 won't really do much better than a nice air cooler, and they will certainly be noisier.

If you are trying to save money, you won't have to cut any corners on price or noise if you go with the Noctua NH-D14. I've used their fans, and they are so quiet that you can't hear them until you put your head up to the case. Amazing, and WAY better and quieter than the fans that come with Corsiar's liquid coolers. My reccomendation o your budget is actually to get Noctua's air cooler

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608018

But if you are set on liquid, the H60 is a decent cooler. If you can get something with an "i" in the Corsair series, you'll have better control over the component without having to add extra hardware. Unfortunately, the "i" series starts with the H80i (I believe).

[EDIT]: The Noctua NH-D14 is actually 6mm too high, based on the case specifications you mentioned. I change my reccomendation. Sorry. Consider the Noctua NH-C12P SE14 140mm SSO CPU Cooler. It's 152mm. Check it out -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608019

The only issue is that it's a little more money because it's lower profile. It's about the same cost as the all in one coolers you were looking at. Still it would be quieter and just as effective.

 

[blueM16000]

My reccomendation o your budget is actually to get Noctua's air cooler

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608018

But if you are set on liquid, the H60 is a decent cooler.

Hi,

Thanks for a great answer. My budget is actually quite low, but I am also kinda worried about the compatibility of Noctua C14, and it is a little too expensive for a student like me.
Will the Corsair H60 do better cooling and lower noise than the AMD FX stock cooler? Main reason for me to change the cooler is basically to reduce the noise level.

Thanks in adv.
blueM

 

[Eggz]

I haven't used the H60 before, but I have used the H80 and H100. You can hear the fans and the pump on them. I put the Noctua fans on my H100, and now I only hear the pump, but I had to spend money on the fans in addition to my H100, plus I still hear noise. Had I gone with the Noctua air cooler, I would not hear anything. Their fans are awesome, and on an air cooler, they are the only thing producing noise. Pumps on water coolers sound like an HDD seeking for information with subtle little clicks constantly going on.

If you like the air cooler idea, you can get the NH-C12P on eBay for a little cheaper than on NewEgg:http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_from=R40&_nkw=NH-C12P&_sop=12

If you get a used one, you just need to know whether the fans work as new. You can wash off the heat sink in soapy water to make it nice and fresh again. Just towel it down and blow dry it. It'll be dust free like new. Of course you'd had to take everything off of it before doing that, but it's an option. If you'd rather not, you can just pay a few dollars more for the new one.

As for comparing the H60 to a stock cooler, I can't really say without knowing more about your stock cooler. There is a chance you might just have dust on it, so the fan is spinning high. Did it used to be quiet? If so, just buy some thermal paste so you can put the heatsink back on after removing it for a clean (best stuff only costs $9): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007

Dust prevents the heatsink's fans from cooling down when the fan blows air on it. It's like your heatsink wearing a winter coat. If it's dusty, give it a good clean.

As for the H60, it has the same fans at the H80 and H100. They sounded like jet engines on my H100 at high speeds, and they were just not quite as loud at low speeds. The blades just don't cut through the air very gracefully. The Noctuas, on the other hand, cut the blades so that the blades cut through the air without making extra sound. Maybe if your stock cooler is just a fan problem, after you make sure it's clean, you can just put a Noctua fan on it. They make 90mm, 92mm, 95mm, 120mm, and 140mm: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100006519%2050012454%2040000574&IsNodeId=1&SubCategory=574&Manufactory=12454&SpeTabStoreType=1