4790K CPU Cooling Suggestions?

[Apebble]

Hi everyone!

Very new here, so forgive me if this is in the wrong place. I gave this a quick search, but couldn't find much. Anyway:

Long Version (Short Version Below):

I have a 4790K Intel CPU. I've been using a heatsink/fan which has been working up until now, but partially due to a new environment and the old heatsink/fan growing outdated, the CPU is running hot when playing games. Like...really hot. The kind of hot that'll make you cry (or make me cry...you may be more resilient). 100 C. So a bit beyond the upper limit D:

Anyway, I'm obviously in the market for a new CPU cooler. Sadly, I know very little of what makes a good CPU cooler. Which is where you fine gentleman (or gentleladies) come in! I could use your help in finding a new CPU cooler! Now, although I'd like to learn a bit, I perfectly understand if you just give a link, instruct me to buy it, and tell my verbose self to shuffle off - but, if you could explain why it's the dandiest piece of cooling merchandise, I would hug you! Or, if you are averse to that plan, I can high-five you (or a nod from a respectable distance).

I would prefer to stay away from water cooling (primarily due to my lack of desire to accidentally fry my entire system, which necessarily would happen (not that I'm a clutz or anything - more that the universe conspires against me (RIP MOBO #1)). But if that's the only way to go, so be it.

Super Short Version:

So you're a give-it-to me-straight kind of person. I like you. But yeah, short version. CPU is running hot (100 C). Need a cooling system. I know nothing about cooling systems. Preferably not water cooled, but feel free to suggest it. Thanks bunches!

Spec Info:

If it helps (or is necessary - again, not proficient with cooling systems), my motherboard is the ASUS Z87-Plus running a 4790K Intel CPU (LGA 1150). PSU isn't an issue, nor is case size (well, it is...but that one is easily fixed). If anything else is needed, please let me know.

So that's that! I'm relying on you to save me from hours and hours of blind clicking on Newegg. Remember, free hugs/high-fives/respectably-distanced-nods for anyone who helps!*

*All hugs/high-fives/nods are merely representations of an actual gratitude and will only be conveyed digitally, if at all, and are not required by Apebble under the law.

 

[master_shake_]

i use a coolit c240 on my 4790k at 4.5 ghz

never an issue.

sadly they are not made anymore.

 

[doyll49]

It would help to know what case, RAM and GPU you have.
When was the last time you cleaned your case filters and cooler?

 

[Apebble]

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811121128
ATX Mid Tower build.

GFX Card: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127850
GTX 970.

RAM: 2, 4 GB 240 pin cards

The reason I said case doesn't matter is that I have a new one coming in about 2 weeks. Current one is utter trash (as I'm sure you will notice).

New case is: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811119160&ignorebbr=1
ATX Full.

Last I cleaned it was a few months ago when I moved it to it's new location. Not terribly long, and definitely not long enough to affect it.

 

[ClockHound]

The simplified list for a good air cooler:

1) Base design and mount. If the contact between the cooler and the cpu's IHS isn't solid then all hope is lost, but not the heat.

2) Well-soldered joints connecting the base plate to the heatpipes and pipes to fins. Direct contact heatpipes were a thing some years ago for 32nm chips, but today's best coolers all have the heatpipes embedded in a nickel-plated copper block.

3) Optimized fin thickness and spacing with fans matched to the fin spacing.

That's the basics. But, the devil is in the details. Noctua have mastered those points over the years - their mounting system is near perfect, followed by Cryorig, TR, Scythe and Phanteks.

On a budget, the Scythe Fuma, Cryorig H5 and TR TS 140A are very good sub-$50 options for the 4790k.

Fuma review here and it's $45.95 at PerformancePCs and the H5 at the egg

The TR appears out of stock everywhere in the USA. Ouch!

Moving on up the the best of the big twin towers, there's the Phanteks PH-TC14PE, Noctua D15S, Cryorig R1.

 

[doyll49]

I have to wonder why your temps are high when they were okay a few weeks ago. Seems something changed.

If you are running stock cooler now, stepping up to something like Cryorig H7 $34.99 delivered is a big step toward lower cooling. There are others from about $27 that are also much better than stock, but not as good as H7.

Scythe Fuma is probably best of Apebble list, but I don't think it out-performs the best coolers like NH-D15 and R1. While Performance PC has lowest price, they charge like $12 postage for a total of $58. On Amazon it's $50 plus $5.50 post for a total of $55.50 from Coolerguys. If Nan's Gaming Gear was not on vacation the TRUE Spirit 140 Rev. A or TRUE Spirit 140 Power are very good cooler for about $50 delivered, but nothing Thermalright is available in USA until after July 7th .. and even then we don't know if they will have any new stock. Best place to buy from them is on Amazon.

 

[Apebble]

I have to wonder why your temps are high when they were okay a few weeks ago. Seems something changed.

If you are running stock cooler now, stepping up to something like Cryorig H7 $34.99 delivered is a big step toward lower cooling. There are others from about $27 that are also much better than stock, but not as good as H7.

Scythe Fuma is probably best of Apebble list, but I don't think it out-performs the best coolers like NH-D15 and R1. While Performance PC has lowest price, they charge like $12 postage for a total of $58. On Amazon it's $50 plus $5.50 post for a total of $55.50 from Coolerguys. If Nan's Gaming Gear was not on vacation the TRUE Spirit 140 Rev. A or TRUE Spirit 140 Power are very good cooler for about $50 delivered, but nothing Thermalright is available in USA until after July 7th .. and even then we don't know if they will have any new stock. Best place to buy from them is on Amazon.

Thing is, it could very well have been overheating, but not so much where I would have known there was an issue. It doesn't overheat unless I'm playing an intensive game. When I moved it to its new location, it could have been just enough to push it over the edge. That's my theory at least.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I'll take a look at the Scythe Fuma in particular.With a bit of direction from master_shake, I was looking around and found this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181060

From what I've read/watched, it seems pretty solid. It's watercooling, which I am hesitant towards, but that seems to be the best type of cooling...Any opinions on this? And whether it would be better than the Scythe Fuma?

 

[doyll49]

Thing is, it could very well have been overheating, but not so much where I would have known there was an issue. It doesn't overheat unless I'm playing an intensive game. When I moved it to its new location, it could have been just enough to push it over the edge. That's my theory at least.

Thank you all for the suggestions. I'll take a look at the Scythe Fuma in particular.With a bit of direction from master_shake, I was looking around and found this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181060

From what I've read/watched, it seems pretty solid. It's watercooling, which I am hesitant towards, but that seems to be the best type of cooling...Any opinions on this? And whether it would be better than the Scythe Fuma?

Fuma performs among the best air coolers and cost is very reasonable.

If you want to go water cooled do it correctly. Please do not get a CLC. They are not quality liquid cooling, but made as cheaply and can be and still work. When Asetek first announced them they called the LCLC for Low Cost Liquid Cooling. Many say Swiftech made the first pump on waterblock liquid coolers, but Asetek patentted the idea. Patents are not given to who pioneered an idea, but to you applies for the patent. But I digress, you get much better quality in a pre-built and filled kit system than in a CLC. Pre-built and filled have a pump with a motor that has more power than a fan motor does, have a copper radiator like custom loops do compared to an aluminum one with high density fins requireing high airflow fans to move enoguth air through it to cool like the copper radiator does, have a fill port and components that can be replaced instead of having to replace everything and at basically the same price like the Swiftech H220 X here.
With the Swiftech you get better and quieter cooling, user replacement parts, a system that can be expanded to include GPU block with another radiator, simply a much better system. It is the cheapest way to get into water cooling and have a real water cooling system.

Here is chart showing CLC, air and Swiftech H220 X and H240 X. H240 X is $10 more than H220 X. Both have been replaced with newer H220 X2 and H240 X2, but the performance is near identical and they cost quite a bit more. Notice how much better the Swiftech does when the noise level is 40dBA or below. George did not slow the H220 X fans and pump down to 33dBA like NH-D15, but it is basically the same as H240 X .. at most a couple degree different.

Here are some of the reviews the above data came from.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

The OP seems new to all of this. There's no evidence in his post that he's overclocking. If he is, we don't know the vCORE during his intensive gaming, and that could be a factor. But if he doesn't "know" cooling very well, I'd bet that he isn't . . . overclocking, that is.

I'd start with the voltage settings or BIOS settings generally. Then look at the current cooler. He didn't mention what sort of cooler it is. He's using a $30 case, and doesn't explain fan deployment or anything else.

He's reticent about water-cooling, even with an AiO or CLC.

So before he shells out for an H105i or a more expensive Swiftech kit, he could produce more details about his problem, and it could actually be possible that something like a Hyper 212 EVO cooler would do the trick.

For less than $30.

Fuma performs among the best air coolers and cost is very reasonable.

If you want to go water cooled do it correctly. Please do not get a CLC. They are not quality liquid cooling, but made as cheaply and can be and still work. When Asetek first announced them they called the LCLC for Low Cost Liquid Cooling. Many say Swiftech made the first pump on waterblock liquid coolers, but Asetek patentted the idea. Patents are not given to who pioneered an idea, but to you applies for the patent. But I digress, you get much better quality in a pre-built and filled kit system than in a CLC. Pre-built and filled have a pump with a motor that has more power than a fan motor does, have a copper radiator like custom loops do compared to an aluminum one with high density fins requireing high airflow fans to move enoguth air through it to cool like the copper radiator does, have a fill port and components that can be replaced instead of having to replace everything and at basically the same price like the Swiftech H220 X here.
With the Swiftech you get better and quieter cooling, user replacement parts, a system that can be expanded to include GPU block with another radiator, simply a much better system. It is the cheapest way to get into water cooling and have a real water cooling system.

Here is chart showing CLC, air and Swiftech H220 X and H240 X. H240 X is $10 more than H220 X. Both have been replaced with newer H220 X2 and H240 X2, but the performance is near identical and they cost quite a bit more. Notice how much better the Swiftech does when the noise level is 40dBA or below. George did not slow the H220 X fans and pump down to 33dBA like NH-D15, but it is basically the same as H240 X .. at most a couple degree different.

Here are some of the reviews the above data came from.

 

[Apebble]

The OP seems new to all of this. There's no evidence in his post that he's overclocking. If he is, we don't know the vCORE during his intensive gaming, and that could be a factor. But if he doesn't "know" cooling very well, I'd bet that he isn't . . . overclocking, that is.

I'd start with the voltage settings or BIOS settings generally. Then look at the current cooler. He didn't mention what sort of cooler it is. He's using a $30 case, and doesn't explain fan deployment or anything else.

He's reticent about water-cooling, even with an AiO or CLC.

So before he shells out for an H105i or a more expensive Swiftech kit, he could produce more details about his problem, and it could actually be possible that something like a Hyper 212 EVO cooler would do the trick.

For less than $30.

More of a "halfway-house" kind of deal. I know enough about enough things to have a setup capable of running games to my desired setup. Definitely don't know as much as some, but more than your average Joe. Which is why I asked for explanations if possible.

Definitely not overclocking. Meant to read up on that and try it out, but decided against it (since I had no real use for it at the time). After reading up on the watercooling, I'm growing to like it.

The heat issue is likely due to (a) shoddy location for the PC (in a new apartment. Not much room, sad to say), (b) the poor case (c) piggy backing from b, not many fans to speak of and (d) the current heatsink/fan (I'm tentative to say it's this one's fault. It worked quite well before the move).

I'm currently reworking (A), (B) and (C). But (D) may still need addressing. Coincidentally, you managed to say the cooler I have now, the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo. I'd been trying to find the full name for quite a while. Even with the Case pulled into a new location, it's idling at ~38 C and ~100 C at load.

And doyll - your post was orders of help! Thank you!

 

[doyll49]

The OP seems new to all of this. There's no evidence in his post that he's overclocking. If he is, we don't know the vCORE during his intensive gaming, and that could be a factor. But if he doesn't "know" cooling very well, I'd bet that he isn't . . . overclocking, that is.

I'd start with the voltage settings or BIOS settings generally. Then look at the current cooler. He didn't mention what sort of cooler it is. He's using a $30 case, and doesn't explain fan deployment or anything else.

He's reticent about water-cooling, even with an AiO or CLC.

So before he shells out for an H105i or a more expensive Swiftech kit, he could produce more details about his problem, and it could actually be possible that something like a Hyper 212 EVO cooler would do the trick.

For less than $30.

Very poor way to act mate.:thumbsdown: Your post sounds like you did not read the thread and my earlier post in the order they were posted; first asking what components he had, then suggesting a $35.00 cooler and saying there are others for about $27.:thumbsdown:

If you want to quote someone about pushing unneeded purchases, quote master_shake_'s post talking coolit c240 and ClockHound talking about $50 coolers.

I am trying to help and keep things lower priced, same as you. :\

 

[BonzaiDuck]

More of a "halfway-house" kind of deal. I know enough about enough things to have a setup capable of running games to my desired setup. Definitely don't know as much as some, but more than your average Joe. Which is why I asked for explanations if possible.

Definitely not overclocking. Meant to read up on that and try it out, but decided against it (since I had no real use for it at the time). After reading up on the watercooling, I'm growing to like it.

The heat issue is likely due to (a) shoddy location for the PC (in a new apartment. Not much room, sad to say), (b) the poor case (c) piggy backing from b, not many fans to speak of and (d) the current heatsink/fan (I'm tentative to say it's this one's fault. It worked quite well before the move).

I'm currently reworking (A), (B) and (C). But (D) may still need addressing. Coincidentally, you managed to say the cooler I have now, the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo. I'd been trying to find the full name for quite a while. Even with the Case pulled into a new location, it's idling at ~38 C and ~100 C at load.

And doyll - your post was orders of help! Thank you!

Amazing! I thought you were using the Intel cooler. But! you shouldn't be getting those temperatures with the EVO. Especially if you aren't overclocking the processor. What is the voltage when you stress the processor? Or what is the manual setting in BIOS as well as the stress reading? I would think you might have checked the mounting hardware by now.

Of course, it might be a high room ambient and poor case ventilation, but not for temperatures like that. Those factors can contribute but they don't explain it.

Doyle: Acknowledged. I think I had been looking at the H240. I think the reservoir and pump were built-in to a sleek design for that cooler? It looked like a winner for an "expandable" kit, but I'd have to buy a new case to fit it in. No doubt, though, it is a good cooler.

 

[Apebble]

Well. Something just went drastically wrong. Ran Rise of the Tomb Raider and Windows crashed. Now it won't boot. Keeps giving a WHEA UNCORRECTABLE ERROR. In other words, I'm in for quite the headache.

EDIT: And after the headache, it decided to boot. This fragile little cookie of a computer...

 

[aigomorla]

take off your side pannel to PC, and see if it helps with temps.

The case you linked does not look like a great case with good airflow..
It also seems to lack a lot of the wire management features good cases now have, which could mean your getting poor airflow though the PC.

Then at that point, its not about heat sink, but more about tiddying up the wires, to improve airflow, or getting a better case.

But to answer those questions a simple test of having the side panel removed, so your motherboard is exposed and can pull air from open side will be a good diagnostic.

 

[doyll49]

Amazing! I thought you were using the Intel cooler. But! you shouldn't be getting those temperatures with the EVO. Especially if you aren't overclocking the processor. What is the voltage when you stress the processor? Or what is the manual setting in BIOS as well as the stress reading? I would think you might have checked the mounting hardware by now.

Of course, it might be a high room ambient and poor case ventilation, but not for temperatures like that. Those factors can contribute but they don't explain it.

Doyle: Acknowledged. I think I had been looking at the H240. I think the reservoir and pump were built-in to a sleek design for that cooler? It looked like a winner for an "expandable" kit, but I'd have to buy a new case to fit it in. No doubt, though, it is a good cooler.

I agree, 212 is old cooler with many newer one similar priced and better performing, but it's not a bad cooler at all. Apebble's problems are more than just the CPU cooler, like aigomorla says.

Yes, the Swiftech H220 /240 /320 X2 and X2 Prestige are new more eye appealing versions of old H140 /220 / 240 / 320 X.

Well. Something just went drastically wrong. Ran Rise of the Tomb Raider and Windows crashed. Now it won't boot. Keeps giving a WHEA UNCORRECTABLE ERROR. In other words, I'm in for quite the headache.

EDIT: And after the headache, it decided to boot. This fragile little cookie of a computer...

As already suggested, run with no side cover and see if that helps. It is very common for the cooler intake air temp to be 10-20c higher than room air temp .. and it is not uncommon to have even higher temps with all the heat modern GPUs put out. With air coolers every degree warmer the air is about a degree hotter the CPU is. A case setup with good airflow delivers air 3-5c warmer than room. That translated to 5-17c cooler the CPU temp is. I suspect your 80mm is giving very poor (make that abysmal) case airflow. You have a single 80mm case fan's airflow supplying all the air for 2x 90mm GPU cooler fans and 1x 120mm CPU cooler fan. This means your components are at best using 3 times as much air as case is flowing .. meaning they are re-using their on heated exhaust making it even hotter, then re-using it again when it's even hotter, and still again doing the same thing.

You don't have a computer case, you have a computer oven.

You said you are getting a HAF 932. While I have not used one, my experience is 120mm and 140mm case fans perform much better than 180-220mm fans, and as such would suggest getting a case that uses conventional 120mm or 140mm fans. Additionally I would recommend a case that does front to back airflow .. not side and hopefully little to no top airflow. The straighter the airflow is, the smoother and better it works. Have you looked at Fractal Design and Phanteks cases? Both have some very nice cases with good flow with minimal modification (extra fans, etc).

Here is a basic guide to case airflow:

Setting up the case for optimum cooling is often the hardest and most time consuming part of a build... And the most neglected by most builders.

• There is much more to cooling than good cases and good CPU / GPU coolers. Add the fact that many GPU's make more heat than CPU means getting that heat out of the case and keeping a cool airflow to components can be a challenge.
• Cases, especially those with filters, usually benefit from fans with higher static pressure ratings than stock fans... "cooler" fans instead of "case" fans.
  Intakes typically have more restricted than exhaust because of air filters, more restrictive grills, HDD cages, etc.
• I prefer more intake than exhaust. And don't confuse number of fans with amount of airflow... or airflow with airblow
• airflow is flowing cool air from intake to component and flowing hot air from component out of case without the hot air mixing with the cool air.
• airblow is lots of fans blowing air with some of hot air from components mixing with cool air making it warmer resulting in warm air not cooling components as well as the cool air will.
• Putting fans in case as intake and/or exhaust is only the first step. These fans only move air in and out of case.
• This does not mean heated air is not mixing with cool air.
• Nor does it mean cool air is going to where it is needed.
• Getting the air to flow inside of case properly is even more important. We still need to manage where the air flows inside the case. We can do this several ways; deflectors, more intake fans.. & exhaust fans, removing vent grills, removing HDD cage, using fans with higher pressure/airflow, building ducts to or from CPU/GPU cooler, etc.
• Using a remote temperature sensor to monitor what air temps are is the key to finding out where the cool air is flowing and knowing heated air is not mixing into it. By monitoring this we can than make changes to get airflow the way we want it.
• Keep in mind your case needs to flow more air than components do. It isn't so much how many fans but how well they flow air through the case. If component fans move more air than case fans move through case components are using their own heated exhaust to make up the difference and case heats up. Good rule of thumb is 25-50% more case cfm than component cfm but well tuned airflow can be almost equal equal.
• Traditional tower cooler exhausting toward back of case must have rear / rear & top back case exhaust fan that remove as much or more cfm than cooler fans exhaust.
• A duct from back of cooler to back of case (like Thermalright HR-22 uses) is also an option that works very well.
  For example
  • My Define R2 system has three TY-140 74cfm intake fans. (no exhaust fans) in case while CPU has TY-143 130cfm fan and GPU has two TY-100 44cfm fans
  • Case = 222cfm
  • Components = 218cfm
  • Air temp inside of case is never more than 3c above room.
  • 2 front TY-140 & CPU cooler TY-143 fans are PWM controlled by CPU
  • Bottom TY-140 & GPU TY-100 fans are PWM controlled by GPU

It is amazing how much cooler a system runs (and quieter) once the case airflow is setup to keep heated exhaust from contaminating cool intake air. Once we start doing these things, the concept seems like a no-brainer, yet most users seem to think more fans and/or powerful fans are needed to get better cooling. The reality is it's not so much the power and amount of air the fans move. but the currents / pathways the air flows in on it's way through the case that is important. Fan power/airflow only needs to be a little more than the amount the components are using at any given time. Using too many, fan and having too much airflow airblow can be as detrimental to case's flow pattern as not using fans with enough flow .. and if the flow isn't tuned to keep cool and heated air separate the system is not going run as cool as it can.

I need to edit and improve the above, but it is still a pretty good starting guide.

 

[Apebble]

take off your side pannel to PC, and see if it helps with temps.

The case you linked does not look like a great case with good airflow..
It also seems to lack a lot of the wire management features good cases now have, which could mean your getting poor airflow though the PC.

Then at that point, its not about heat sink, but more about tiddying up the wires, to improve airflow, or getting a better case.

But to answer those questions a simple test of having the side panel removed, so your motherboard is exposed and can pull air from open side will be a good diagnostic.

Already had it without the side on when it was reaching 100C. I've got a case coming in this week, though, so we'll see!

I agree, 212 is old cooler with many newer one similar priced and better performing, but it's not a bad cooler at all. Apebble's problems are more than just the CPU cooler, like aigomorla says.

Yes, the Swiftech H220 /240 /320 X2 and X2 Prestige are new more eye appealing versions of old H140 /220 / 240 / 320 X.


As already suggested, run with no side cover and see if that helps. It is very common for the cooler intake air temp to be 10-20c higher than room air temp .. and it is not uncommon to have even higher temps with all the heat modern GPUs put out. With air coolers every degree warmer the air is about a degree hotter the CPU is. A case setup with good airflow delivers air 3-5c warmer than room. That translated to 5-17c cooler the CPU temp is. I suspect your 80mm is giving very poor (make that abysmal) case airflow. You have a single 80mm case fan's airflow supplying all the air for 2x 90mm GPU cooler fans and 1x 120mm CPU cooler fan. This means your components are at best using 3 times as much air as case is flowing .. meaning they are re-using their on heated exhaust making it even hotter, then re-using it again when it's even hotter, and still again doing the same thing.

You don't have a computer case, you have a computer oven.

You said you are getting a HAF 932. While I have not used one, my experience is 120mm and 140mm case fans perform much better than 180-220mm fans, and as such would suggest getting a case that uses conventional 120mm or 140mm fans. Additionally I would recommend a case that does front to back airflow .. not side and hopefully little to no top airflow. The straighter the airflow is, the smoother and better it works. Have you looked at Fractal Design and Phanteks cases? Both have some very nice cases with good flow with minimal modification (extra fans, etc).

Here is a basic guide to case airflow:

I need to edit and improve the above, but it is still a pretty good starting guide.

I wish I had read this a bit sooner. Sadly, I had already ordered it before your post. Nevertheless, the HAF 932 seems to be a quality case from what I read. If anything, it will be a dramatic increase in quality than my current (horrendous) case.

Once I see how the temps are doing with the new case, I'll report back with what they are doing (I'll also go ahead and clean the components...may as well). In all likelihood, I'll go with the Noctua NH-D15 or Scythe Fuma unless the case pulls some magic icicles out of its bum.

 

[guskline]

I'm using a HAF 932 case with my 4790k rig but I have it custom water cooled with an EK block and use an external radiator. Despite your fears, I would buy a high quality AIO cooler suck as the Kraken or Corsair and be done with it.

 

[Apebble]

I'm using a HAF 932 case with my 4790k rig but I have it custom water cooled with an EK block and use an external radiator. Despite your fears, I would buy a high quality AIO cooler suck as the Kraken or Corsair and be done with it.

Took a look at the Kraken website. In any of their high-quality listings, I couldn't see a 120mm compatible set. The 31x is 120mm, but am unsure as to how effective it would be. As for Corsair, the best I saw (remember, I'm not particularly fluent on this yet) was this:http://www.corsair.com/en-us/hydro-series-h100i-v2-extreme-performance-liquid-cpu-cooler

However, if I am correct (and please correct me if I'm wrong), that is a CLC unit, which Doyll recommended against. I'll read up some more on water cooling units and the various options. Still unsure of the alternative to a CLC unit (aside from having a custom one, such as yourself). If any of you have any articles/posts/personal info to aid in that, I'd appreciate it, though I should be able to do some basic research on my own.

EDIT: After doing some further reading, I'm leaning towards the Swiftech H220 X2

 

[doyll49]

I'm using a HAF 932 case with my 4790k rig but I have it custom water cooled with an EK block and use an external radiator. Despite your fears, I would buy a high quality AIO cooler suck as the Kraken or Corsair and be done with it.

I'm surprised you recommend a CLC when you hve a custom loop.

'High quality' and 'Karken or Corsiar' are polar opposites. D:
And while they are AIO, they are specifically CLC.
There are no 'quality' CLCs. Asetek originally named them LCLC for Low Cost Liquid Cooler.

CLC specifications are usually only about their fans, but nothing about their pumps. Thier pump motors use similar power to move the coolant that a fan motor uses to move air .. and air is much easier to move than water.

Skip the CLCs and move up to AIO or a kit.
If you want to water cool, do it properly or don't do it all. Good air coolers are definitely as good as CLCs and cost much less.

 

[doyll49]

Took a look at the Kraken website. In any of their high-quality listings, I couldn't see a 120mm compatible set. The 31x is 120mm, but am unsure as to how effective it would be. As for Corsair, the best I saw (remember, I'm not particularly fluent on this yet) was this:http://www.corsair.com/en-us/hydro-series-h100i-v2-extreme-performance-liquid-cpu-cooler

However, if I am correct (and please correct me if I'm wrong), that is a CLC unit, which Doyll recommended against. I'll read up some more on water cooling units and the various options. Still unsure of the alternative to a CLC unit (aside from having a custom one, such as yourself). If any of you have any articles/posts/personal info to aid in that, I'd appreciate it, though I should be able to do some basic research on my own.

EDIT: After doing some further reading, I'm leaning towards the Swiftech H220 X2

The Swiftech work quite well. I have been from air to custom water and now back to air. I will not even consider a CLC, but would definitely use a Swiftech if I was to every go back to water. Good cooling, low noise and ability to maintain and expand as needed are requirements I demand. CLC can cool okay, but that is the only with twice the noise and no maintenance or expansion.

 

[guskline]

I'm surprised you recommend a CLC when you hve a custom loop.

'High quality' and 'Karken or Corsiar' are polar opposites. D:
And while they are AIO, they are specifically CLC.
There are no 'quality' CLCs. Asetek originally named them LCLC for Low Cost Liquid Cooler.

CLC specifications are usually only about their fans, but nothing about their pumps. Thier pump motors use similar power to move the coolant that a fan motor uses to move air .. and air is much easier to move than water.

Skip the CLCs and move up to AIO or a kit.
If you want to water cool, do it properly or don't do it all. Good air coolers are definitely as good as CLCs and cost much less.

I was considering the OPs price parameters. I have played around with a number of CLC and they are really good to cool to a certain point. If you go to custom water cooling, expect to pay much more. Sure you gain a few degrees better cooling but at a much higher price.

 

[guskline]

Apebble: From Experience, the HAF 932, despite being big is NOT a very user friendly custom water cooling case. Rad capacity, internally is limited unless you want to do a lot of modding.

I found the real reason to do custom water cooling is to cool BOTH your cpu and gpu with water. That takes $$$. Don't get me wrong. I've done it.

I started out with CLCs and a HAF 932 Adv and when I "graduated" to a X79/3930k rig I decided to custom water cool. I started with a used Swiftech 655-B pump (D5 pump set at level 4), an XSPC RX360 rad, a Swiftech Apogee cpu block and a used XSPC Razor GTX 670 water block for my 670. I learned a lot.

I learned to squeeze more radiators into the 932 was next to impossible (actually had a 120 rigged into the back).

What gpu are you using?

 

[Apebble]

The Swiftech work quite well. I have been from air to custom water and now back to air. I will not even consider a CLC, but would definitely use a Swiftech if I was to every go back to water. Good cooling, low noise and ability to maintain and expand as needed are requirements I demand. CLC can cool okay, but that is the only with twice the noise and no maintenance or expansion.

I was considering the OPs price parameters. I have played around with a number of CLC and they are really good to cool to a certain point. If you go to custom water cooling, expect to pay much more. Sure you gain a few degrees better cooling but at a much higher price.

Apebble: From Experience, the HAF 932, despite being big is NOT a very user friendly custom water cooling case. Rad capacity, internally is limited unless you want to do a lot of modding.

I found the real reason to do custom water cooling is to cool BOTH your cpu and gpu with water. That takes $$$. Don't get me wrong. I've done it.

I started out with CLCs and a HAF 932 Adv and when I "graduated" to a X79/3930k rig I decided to custom water cool. I started with a used Swiftech 655-B pump (D5 pump set at level 4), an XSPC RX360 rad, a Swiftech Apogee cpu block and a used XSPC Razor GTX 670 water block for my 670. I learned a lot.

I learned to squeeze more radiators into the 932 was next to impossible (actually had a 120 rigged into the back).

What gpu are you using?

I'm using a GTX 970: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127850

I never have an issue with its temp, even with my current case/airflow. I also haven't bothered overclocking it. Watercooling for it, at this time, would be overkill. It's likely so far down the line of me needing to do so that I'd likely be gearing up to replace much of my system. A dedicated CPU cooler is currently all I need. With the HAF 932, one 2x120mm radiator (such as the swiftech) should be plenty and would fit quite well at the top of the case.

 

[doyll49]

I was considering the OPs price parameters. I have played around with a number of CLC and they are really good to cool to a certain point. If you go to custom water cooling, expect to pay much more. Sure you gain a few degrees better cooling but at a much higher price.

CLCs cost more that air coolers with the same cooling ability and make more noise.
Top air cooler is about $60 and cools as well as H110 at same noise level and H110 are about $110. Step up to about $120 for Swiftech H240 X and you have entry level component loop that out-performs air and H110.

I'm using a GTX 970: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814127850

I never have an issue with its temp, even with my current case/airflow. I also haven't bothered overclocking it. Watercooling for it, at this time, would be overkill. It's likely so far down the line of me needing to do so that I'd likely be gearing up to replace much of my system. A dedicated CPU cooler is currently all I need. With the HAF 932, one 2x120mm radiator (such as the swiftech) should be plenty and would fit quite well at the top of the case.

You now say not temp problems, but your opening post says " But yeah, short version. CPU is running hot (100 C). "

 

[Apebble]

CLCs cost more that air coolers with the same cooling ability and make more noise.
Top air cooler is about $60 and cools as well as H110 at same noise level and H110 are about $110. Step up to about $120 for Swiftech H240 X and you have entry level component loop that out-performs air and H110.


You now say not temp problems, but your opening post says " But yeah, short version. CPU is running hot (100 C). "

I meant no temp issues with the GPU mate, not the CPU. CPU temp is horrendous, but GPU temp is no issue. Definitely need one for the ~100C CPU, but the GPU is perfectly fine at the current max of ~60-70C. I can see how that may have been unclear. In all likelihood I'll be going with the H220 X2 (can't seem to find the H220 X in stock anywhere).