Like I said, if I'm building a system for a mainstreamer family member, it will be a rock-solid computer that's like a Toyota Corolla -- compared to my personal systems, which I try and push to "Escalade" levels with a sensible budget. I might build a system for my brother with a Hyper 212 and a mid-range processor. And -- I did that: his last system was an Ivy Bridge and he's still running it, problem free.
Air coolers have a price range with the upper limit below $100. I want the best, so I'll spend $30 or $40 more. Now . . . I'm looking at one poster's mention of a Macho Revision C, and I found a review for it at
TweakTown. Somehow, I can only guess that Rev. C is somehow different from my
Grand Macho RT . I say this, because the Tweaktown review rates OC thermal performance several notches below the Noctua NH-D15 (or "S" model), but my advance work leading to my RT purchase shows at least a few review performances a couple degrees C better than the Noctua. It wouldn't be the "stock" fan, because the lab tests employ the parts that come with the cooler.
That being said, along comes John1780, touting his i9-10850K with its 95W TDP (which he might likely push well into the 100s of watts -- can't say -- don't know). A lot of the "best" AiO water systems only perform a few C degrees better than coolers like the Noctua or Grand Macho (at least -- the RT version).
So "begging to differ" depends on your view of "dubious value" of maybe 5C? or would it be 10C better? 10 degrees C improvement would make a better argument than 5.
IF I really wanted the advantages of a water loop, I'd want to do it with a thermo-electric chiller formula. But for me, that's too much complexity, too much maintenance -- too much trouble. But -- wouldn't it be nice, though?!
And again -- I may be repeating myself. If you're going to shell out the $80 for the Grand Macho RT, do yourself a favor and buy ThermalRight's rubber-accordion exhaust duct. The only problem you'd have with that is the steps for installing it. You're best served by installing the cooler on the motherboard out of the case and fitting the duct to it before you slide it in to line up with the rectangular ATX I/O plate at the rear. Very easy that way. By itself as an afterthought, a pain in the ass.