Hi-end 6700K Build - Need CPU Cooler Advice!

[Nephi]

My potential system (not yet purchased)(specs updated):

Windows 10 64-BIT
Corsair 600Q
Geforce GTX 980Ti (single card, SLI won't run at full speed on this board)
Samsung 950 Pro 512MB X 2
Intel 6700K (goal is 4.5 - 4.8GHZ)
Kingston HyperX Fury Black 32GB DDR4-2666
MSI Z170A GAMING M9 ACK
EVGA Platinum 850W PS

As per above I want to overlock my CPU to 4.5 to 4.8. I don't want to do open loop liquid cooling so I've narrowed my choices down to a Noctua NH-D15 or a Corsair H110i GTX.

Pros and Cons:

Noctuah NH-D15

+ Reliable
+ Low Noise
+ Less cable clutter
+ Simple, proven solution
+ LNA
+ No software

- Collects dust and is hard to clean
- A few degrees hotter under load compared to Corsair
- Hard to transport, could break off. I may need to ship the computer 1 or 2 times and removing the heat sink is not an option.
- Covers RAM slots limiting choices.

Corsair H110i GTX

+ Better cooling
+ Won’t break off in shipping
+ Less space, better RAM clearance
+ Collects less dust and easier to clean

- Noisy pumps?
- Fan noise and rattles?
- Buggy Corsair Link software
- Cable clutter

Can the Corsair Link be set and run w/out the software running at startup and in the background all the time? Or does the software need to be run full time in order to control/monitor the fans, pump? The con list is based on my experience with an earlier model from Corsair. I found the Corsair Link to be buggy and near useless, the fans rattled, and the pump noise was distracting.

Which one would you guys buy/recommend? I’m solidly on the fence and I can’t decide. I’m worried about shipping the Noctua installed however on the other hand I’m worried about the potentially crappy fans and pump noise from the Corsair unit.

Thanks for any and all advice!

-Brian

 

[ed21x]

The Corsair works fine without the software. I personally just have the pump directly connected to the PSU via a molex adapter, and use the motherboard fan control on my Asrock Fatal1ty to control the fan speed based on different CPU temp ranges. Just remember that since the fan is located pretty far away from the mb cpu area, you'll need a PWM extension cable in order to reach the 4 pin connector on the H110.

 

[hack_tc]

Out of the 2 choices I would go with the Corsair AIO, if you plan on relocating the computer quite frequently.

Otherwise, if you were intent on air cooling, I might consider an alternative option such as the Cryorig C1. Would put less stress on the motherboard, and probably be easier to clean than a typical tower heatsink.

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/7034/cryorig-c1-cpu-cooler-review/index6.html Heres a link to how it performs compared the noctua.

 

[lehtv]

HR-02 Macho

 

[john3850]

To reach your goal of 4.5 - 4.8GHZ you need decent cooling.
Never trust a cheap all in one water system on a 6700K with the heat from the 2xGTX 980Ti.
I would never ship a 6700K with the Noctua installed.
I would go with a custom water loop and not worry.
A Noctua may trap the heat from the 950s.
The 950s will never run at full speed because your 2xGTX 980Ti took 2x8 of the pci_e lanes.

 

[Nephi]

To reach your goal of 4.5 - 4.8GHZ you need decent cooling.
Never trust a cheap all in one water system on a 6700K with the heat from the 2xGTX 980Ti.
I would never ship a 6700K with the Noctua installed.
I would go with a custom water loop and not worry.
A Noctua may trap the heat from the 950s.
The 950s will never run at full speed because your 2xGTX 980Ti took 2x8 of the pci_e lanes.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

I just learned that I can not run dual Samsung 950s and dual 980Tis on this board (or many boards for that matter). So for now I am going to just use a single 980Ti and dual 950s, which will all run at full speed.

Unfortunately a custom water loop is beyond my skills, experience, and time allotted for learning and building this computer. In addition, I don't think its "mandatory" for a single 980Ti and overclocked 6700k.

 

[Nephi]

Out of the 2 choices I would go with the Corsair AIO, if you plan on relocating the computer quite frequently.

Otherwise, if you were intent on air cooling, I might consider an alternative option such as the Cryorig C1. Would put less stress on the motherboard, and probably be easier to clean than a typical tower heatsink.

http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/7034/cryorig-c1-cpu-cooler-review/index6.html Heres a link to how it performs compared the noctua.

Looks like a great compact cooler however I don't think it would handle the overclock. Compared to the Noctua its a few DB louder and hotter.

Thanks for the feedback!

-Brian

 

[john3850]

Noctua or HR-02 Macho are the safest bets.

The average D5 pump which is a excellent pump sells for close to a $100
The problem is all AIO they use cheap pumps to keep the price down.
Now on a cheap cpu I would use a AIO but on a $400 cpu I would avoid it.

 

[Stuka87]

So I have an H100i, and the current version of the software is *SO* much better than the older version. I do not have any issues with it currently.

My pump is near silent, never heard any noise from it. I know the H100's had noise, but not sure I have seen anybody complain about the H100i. I do not have experience with the H110i however.

I don't have fan rattle, but the fans are not as quiet as I would like. Although they very rarely ramp up in speed. They stay near idle even under load.

 

[mizzou]

So I have an H100i, and the current version of the software is *SO* much better than the older version. I do not have any issues with it currently.

My pump is near silent, never heard any noise from it. I know the H100's had noise, but not sure I have seen anybody complain about the H100i. I do not have experience with the H110i however.

I don't have fan rattle, but the fans are not as quiet as I would like. Although they very rarely ramp up in speed. They stay near idle even under load.

Do you have your h100 mounted as intake or exhaust?

 

[Scoobyd00]

Had the h100i and with the new build went with the Swiftech H220 X2.

Runs the same chip 4-6 C cooler, does it quieter and looks better. The 280mm version will be out next week. And would allow you to add a loop for your 980 later when you feel more confident.

http://www.swiftech.com/h240x2.aspx

http://proclockers.com/reviews/cooling/swiftech-h220-x2-cpu-liquid-cooler-review?nopaging=1

 

[crashtech]

I have an older H110 and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. It cools everything I have thrown at it with no problem, heat is just not an issue unless you get insane with voltage. I especially like the fact that it makes swapping CPUs really easy, but I guess most people won't do that. It also puts very little stress on the mobo, unlike a giant heavy air cooler. Honestly I will not go back to a huge air cooler unless it's going to be passive (fanless), the only real reason to have a huge heatsink hanging off your mobo in these days of good inexpensive AIOs, imo.

 

[Magic Carpet]

It also puts very little stress on the mobo, unlike a giant heavy air cooler. Honestly I will not go back to a huge air cooler unless it's going to be passive (fanless), the only real reason to have a huge heatsink hanging off your mobo in these days of good inexpensive AIOs, imo.

But that's the advantage of big air coolers, they can be ran passively, if you can control the heat of your processor. My Noctua cooled passively i5-4570S with no problem. With 4770K I run the fan @500 RPM which is inaudible, really. Only two downsides:

1) have to be careful when in transit
2) when you swap CPUs often (like you mentioned)

 

[MongGrel]

I'd say NH-D15, but have always built my own and would hope if it was pre built they would cushion it in the case a bit.

I'm still a promoter of air cooling I suppose, they run for many years with little to no trouble at all and decent cooling with the good ones.

My NH-D14 still cools the X5680 in here @ 4.6 just fine on the main rig, but the whole case is modded too I suppose.

Even have a old Thermalright True Copper cooler with Noctua fans on it with a X5650 on the HTPC with a bit of an OC, they are pretty quiet fans for the air flow.

That cooler has been around a while now, and weighs a bit

 

[Carfax83]

I have the NH-D15 which I use to cool my 5930K at 4.4ghz, and it's the best heatsink I've ever used. Very quiet, but very effective. You can adjust the main fan height for taller DIMMs as well.

At 4.4ghz and with the uncore at 4ghz, my CPU rarely gets over 60c in games..

 

[VirtualLarry]

I would say, if you are going to transport it, then avoid large, heavy, air coolers.