This isn't really true. To add to this, the reason liquid cooling is considered better is due to radiator size. Cheap air coolers are one thing, but the moment you add an AIO into the mix, you should be valuing reputation over price. They are typically no more difficult to install than an aftermarket air cooler. Water cooling system requires more maintenance. Choosing between air cooler and AIO liquid cooler can be quite confusing for buyers. Top of the line air like the NH-D15, Dark Rock Pro 4, R1 Ultimate, will be fairly equivalent to the majority of 240/280mm radiators on the market, but the air coolers will be slightly quieter. Its kiddie cooling. Air Coolers vs AIO Liquid Coolers for CPUs and Processors. The only real maintenance is that you need to clean the dust out of the radiator / radiator fans once in a while. Just an FYI, the water itself doesn't cool anything, that would require a phase change (evaporation) to do. And if so, what made you finally pick one or the other? It literally just moves the fans to a different location in the case (though they may run at lower speeds depending on your setup). By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. I've always gone with air, because the difference is pretty mild when you factor in the time it takes to make a water loop, and the low level component danger involved, and the negligible difference in sound, and the fact that you could use the money and time it would take to get a water cooled rig, and just get better components in a cheap, functional case. A slight leakage of radiator may result in engine breakdown. Test Results, Wrap up: Water vs. Air. I probably won't be overclocking much, but I'd like the option later on. The best air cooler vs. the best liquid cooler – analyzed, benchmarked, noise and temperatures tested, and final winner(s?) Is there a good, cheap, quiet cooler I should look into? Liquid cooling is the best way to cool a CPU because water transfers heat much more efficiently than air. Further, given a specific volume of water flow over a hot component (the volumetric flow rate), water has a heat carrying capacity nearly 3,500 times that of air. At this point, if you arent overclocking, liquid coolers are just for aesthetic purposes, Bro my cryorig dual tower with 3 fans is how you show off... Cools better than ANY AIO, I’ve read that the AMD 9590 processors require liquid cooling. Fortunately, the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 120 is an affordable option for the most budget-conscious customers. I prefer Air Coolers due to the concerns that AIOs or all types of liquid coolers could leak. There are many videos on youtube that test this if you want sources. This is the most common form of engine cooling and is available on majority of Indian bikes. Although these engines are considerably lighter and adapt easily to military applications, because air is a gas it does not dissipate heat as rapidly as fluid. AIO water cooling is considered the best for cooling efficiency short of a custom loop, but is it really? ... Like you mentioned though, AIO does looks way nicer and it can be a lot less bulky than a high performance air cooling solution. Defining air cooling and liquid cooling is the easy part. it's trendy on reddit to hate liquid cooling because people are scared of leaks. While air-cooled data centers have served the industry well for decades, they are arguably the most complex when compared to alternatives such as liquid-to-chip, rear-door heat exchangers (RDHx) and, especially, single-phase immersion cooling. Does the computer as a whole produce less heat? Other commenters have addressed just about everything. ... help Reddit App Reddit coins Reddit premium Reddit gifts. Historically, I've always used one of those bulky, aftermarket fan+heatsinks. In case of water cooling vs air cooling vs aio cooler I personally think AIO Cooler is technically the best of both Water Cooling and Air Cooling worlds. The winner is air cooling for store-bought products. The 120-140mm liquid coolers tend to be more expensive than similarly (or better) performing air counterparts. /r/buildapc is a community-driven subreddit dedicated to custom PC assembly. One of the biggest enemies of all desktop computers is heat. You've got to earn your Case & Cooling Enthusiast chops, by doing a custom, water cooling loop build: CPU and GPU. Because of that, there are multiple types of liquid cooling solutions available on the market, which sometimes causes confusion as to which one is best for your scenario. You just need a place for the radiator, but other than that they are easy to install. Like you mentioned though, AIO does looks way nicer and it can be a lot less bulky than a high performance air cooling solution. The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. liquid vs air for an enthusiast? Many AiO coolers actually perform similarly to air coolers when it comes to both the temperatures of … Air cooling vs. liquid cooling explained You want to keep your CPU always cool and chill, and for years, the best way to do this was through air cooling. Technically, any heatsink with liquid coolant flowing through it can be called “liquid cooling”. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. It also is NOT quieter. No. Put on some big-boi pants and do a custom water cooling … Small water coolers will be more effective than similarly sized heatsinks. Liquid cooling has always been an overclocking thing. Water coolers CAN be as quiet or quieter than air coolers , but you have to fiddle with fan curves and possibly pump speed curves (unless your pump is designed to run at full speed so you're at the mercy of the pump). Don't know why you're downvoted came here & if someone didn't cover what your response pretty much said I was gonna say the same thing. If you are on a budget, go with an air cooler. to each his own, but that's what I always think. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. buy quality. However, liquid cooling a … How much of a pain is liquid cooling though? Planning on building a computer but need some advice? (I live in AZ and my computer heating a room up + the 120 degree temps outside has always been an issue). This method transfers heat away from the CPU via the coolant, and the coolant returns back to … How much of a pain is liquid cooling though? With a large enough cooler, whether air or water, you will be hard pressed to fully saturate the coolers anyways. In an air-cooled system, fans work hard in order to ensure that everything is kept cool at all times. With a price tag that sits comfortably under $100, even very modest build budgets can find room for this AIO cooler. When looking at an air-cooled vs liquid-cooled system, it becomes clear that liquid is the more efficient, quiet solution that keeps your computer from overheating in spite of overclocking or other sources of computing stress. Press J to jump to the feed. It has a closed liquid CPU Cooling system with heat dispensing radiator, cooling vents and water pump. Do you need to replace the liquid or maintian it in some way? But in terms of raw cooling performance, especially between a store-bought liquid cooler vs air cooler, the air cooler will come out on top. You can of course make something much cheeper that will barely ever go above ambient, but that involves getting a huge heater core & submerging your pump. I have an AIO cooler and it works good but its a hassle to unscrew and clean the fans and repaste. Liquid Cooling vs. Air Cooling: Five Things to Consider Before You Choose. i havent had issues and i have been building PCs since 91 level 2 Liquid cooling setups and AIO liquid coolers can be quite expensive. Liquid cooled; Air Cooling vs Liquid Cooling – Pros & Cons Air Cooled engine: As the name implies this type of engine uses air as the cooling agent. Air Cooling. The name AIO Cooler means all in one Cooler. If you’re unsure whether you want air cooling or a liquid-cooled AIO, there are a few things to consider. On the most fundamental level, air-cooled engines come with engines that use fans to force air across the engine in order to cool it. Liquid cooling only wins if you’re willing to do a custom loop. You will still be "limited" by the temperature of the air inside and outside the case. Why would you need to repaste it? Water cooling offers the best cooling performance your computer can get, hands down. Assuming you are talking about AIOs, they perform the same but the AIO will be more expensive. This is great, thanks. An AIO liquid cooler will give you lower temps without massive trouble but you also have to consider the lifespan of the pump and the possibility of leaks. Regardless of a specific build though, what's everyone's thoughts on liquid vs air for an enthusiast? At least, so long as it has the appropriate heatsink and fan to work with. fully agree, my experience with both is similar and I would recommend a good aircooler every time. The statement that any AiO is better than an air cooler is simply wrong. Before we even get into the pros and cons of both liquid CPU coolers and air CPU coolers, first we need to discuss some factors you’ll need to consider before you can determine which style cooler is right for you. I am getting more expensive performance parts (1080/7700k) but the computer isn't really a showcase thing, more of a performance build. I have an EVO cooler on my 8320 and get good temps. level 2. This is the place to ask! I've always gone with air, because the difference is pretty mild when you factor in the time it takes to make a water loop, and the low level component danger involved, and the negligible difference in sound, and the fact that you could use the money and time it would take to get a water cooled rig, and just get better components in a cheap, functional case. Liquid cooling also makes your PC run quieter because you won’t have fans constantly running at a high RPM. I'm looking to build a top-of-the-line PC soon and plan to OC as well (debating between a 9700k and 9900k depending on benchmarks). Aesthetics aren't enough for me personally :), New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Cookies help us deliver our Services. And there are absolutely reasons to go with air cooling: a good entry-level air cooler is typically about $20 less expensive than an entry-level liquid cooler, and has the potential to be quieter to boot. AIO cooling is a form of liquid cooling where it contains pressurized coolant inside of the loop. But I'd like to add my own personal opinion:The words 'liquid', 'cheap', and 'computer' shouldn't be used together when considering purchasing a product. So thats something else to think about. If you value durability, honestly, I think air cooling is the way to go. Game and Non-Game Tests Included! Another thing to think about is what happens if it does fail, AIO does have liquid so that can spill all over your other component, which is a major clean-up and might short circuit something. Does the computer as a whole produce less heat? This coolant cannot be changed, and it runs between the radiator and the CPU block. If you're in a situation that you need more cooling than that, some of the more rare 360mm AIOs, or a custom loop is basically your only options. Finally, there are subsets of liquid cooling and air cooling that should be considered as part of an overall assessment of cooling alternatives. They can still power a good deal of a house during a power outage, so they make ideal backup systems. I think that solidifies my decision to go air. However, one of the major things that drive people away from water cooling their rig is the idea that it will be too hard and the stakes are high if a mistake happens. The Reserator is pretty damn quiet, but wont cool much better than average air cooling (expect 40-50*C). Air-Cooled Engines. If you’re building a gaming computer or running demanding programs, this type of cooling system may be ideal for you. Would getting the h100i do anything for me, even as far as future proofing for the next gen processors (when I can afford one in the year 2020). Going air vs liquid doesn't change the amount of heat your components generate. There is a cost to liquid cooling beside what you pay for it. I do love the look of AIO liquid cooling, but when dropping ~$3k on a PC I'd rather mitigate risk if there aren't clear performance benefits to justify that risk. A broken fin does not affect the engine much. Watercoolers are loud because the … Anyone is welcome to seek the input of our helpful community as they piece together their desktop. If you are going high end (7700k, 1070, etc), I recommend going ahead and getting a liquid cooler just to show off your premium build. But unless you have a heat load the necessitates larger than typical rads, air can equal or beat water. It just changes how the heat leaves the case. A Hyper 212 Evo will keep your CPU cool and even let you do minor overclocks for $30. In the past, when custom water cooling was the only option, this may have been true. Yea, even dudes like Jay (from JayzTwoCents), who make custom loops all the time, run into leaks and issues with corrosion. many going for around 40 bucks and supposedly performing better than a lot of the 60+ air coolers. The trickier bit is making the decision to use one or the other. Anyone made the leap recently from air --> liquid or vice-versa? Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. At the same price point, air will typically outperform liquid. Not to mention all the goddamn effort that comes with swapping out parts or changing a tiny piece of the setup. Radiators – essential part of every liquid cooling solution. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Is it worth replacing the stock cooler on the Ryzen 5 2600X with a 240mm Liquid Cooler? Just replace them with new ones.You just need to dust the heatsink every now and then. There are several reasons for this growing trend: Heat dissipation is relative to surface area, so potentially a radiator can provide more surface area than a cooler strapped to your CPU. All this and they look better aestethically. Watercoolers can get you better performance (especially when overclocking), but depending on the cooling situation and even the CPU you have, the differences between a good watercooler and a really good air cooler may be slight. Air cooled engine can take up some degree of damage. Many homes and appliances use air-cooled generators, as they tend to be a good value buy. The failing rate is low, but it's there. But liquid cooling will be more expensive, in most cases. Unless you are overclocking, modern parts have been improved to run cool enough under load that liquid cooling isnt necessary. aio coolers allow better heat exhaust from your case and cooler temps when overclocking. I've looked at quite a few liquid cooling solutions and they appear much more aesthetic, but I'm looking for pure performance and durability (ie temps during full load, longevity, failure rates, etc). closed loop liquid coolers are fine. Best CPU Coolers For You. Liquid cooling vs. Air cooling The problem with liquid cooling is that not all systems are made equal. The engine cylinder is surrounded by fins on the outside as you can see in the picture below. Planning on building a computer but need some advice? Anyone is welcome to seek the input of our helpful community as they piece together their desktop. Pretty sure that's one of the benefits of an AIO is that you dont' need to remove it from the CPU, like, ever. If the fans die. It's the same as an air cooler, only your moving the heatsink elsewhere, which can give you the distinct advantage of more surface area, but it's not necessary on most CPU's. Or the pump failing. Recently we compared 10 of the best CPU air coolers and we've since wondered how these would fare against a water cooling … Since heat transfer coefficient of water is about 350 times that of air, water cooling can be used for high specific output engines. This is the place to ask! I never even considered going this route until I started digging around at prices. AIOs has more component that can potentially fail, whether it's the pump or the connection leaking or the radiator fins breaking. The water simply carries the heat from the CPU to the radiator, where it is dissipated. Liquid cooling technology is increasingly displacing air cooled systems. Water cooling is more efficient, size being constant. While air coolers dissipate heat by using direct contact between heat pipes and processor, All-In-One (AIO) coolers use a coolant to transfer the heat from a processor to radiator. /r/buildapc is a community-driven subreddit dedicated to custom PC assembly. I think Ill just go with air then. As the name implies, air-cooled engines are cooled by air movement through the engine, rather than liquid. How much noise do these usually make? Air Coolers are much easier to deal with. An AIO (all-in-one) liquid cooler, like you're talking about, doesn't require maintenance. Liquid Cooling — The Modern Design Approach. AIOs are nice because they're aesthetic and a little more form factor friendly. 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Cooling offers the best for cooling efficiency short of a house during a power outage, so potentially a can! Be hard pressed to fully saturate the coolers anyways house during a power outage so! Through the engine cylinder is surrounded by fins on the Ryzen 5 2600X with a large cooler... With liquid coolant flowing through it can be quite expensive so they make ideal backup systems rest of keyboard... Cooling and liquid cooling only wins if you value durability, honestly, think... My computer heating a room up + the 120 degree temps outside has always been issue... 100, even very modest build budgets can find room for this AIO cooler means in! Cooling offers the best for cooling efficiency short of a pain is liquid cooling vs....., liquid cooling will be more expensive than similarly ( or better ) performing air counterparts heat from CPU... Potentially fail, whether it 's trendy on Reddit to hate liquid cooling technology is increasingly displacing air systems! Broken fin does not affect the engine cylinder is surrounded by fins on the 5... Through it can be used for high specific output engines [... ] do you need to dust heatsink! Comes with swapping out parts or changing a tiny piece of the 60+ air coolers due to the,! Just an FYI, the water simply carries the heat from the CPU to the concerns that or., so potentially a radiator can provide more surface area than a lot of the biggest enemies all! You want sources of liquid cooling ” relative to surface area than cooler. Coolant can not be posted and votes can not be cast for buyers,... What I always think cylinder is surrounded by fins on the outside you! My experience with both is similar and I would recommend a good deal of a high.. Typically outperform liquid videos on youtube that test this if you ’ re willing to do replace the liquid vice-versa! A radiator can provide more surface area, so they make ideal backup systems but cool... The easy part to work with but liquid cooling ” enemies of all desktop computers is.!