Which water cooling solution to get?

[Knobbles McFartney]

I am considering water cooling for my CPU so i can ramp it up a bit. I'd like to run my Q6600 at 3Ghz or over. Can someone recommend a good solution for water cooling please? What's good value for money.

Thanks,

---

Moved to Cases & Cooling.

AnandTech Moderator - John

 

[DerwenArtos12]

A build your own is realistically the only way to go for performance. The pre-assembled kits are fine if you just want the looks or, depending on manufacturer, the quiet but, if performance is your main goal then you pretty much have you build your own. The top performing water blocks out right now are(in descending order) the D-tek Fuzion, the newest Danger Den(can't remember the model) and the Swiftech Apogee GTX. As for radiators, the top performance crown goes the the PA120 series but, for about a third the price or less you can't go wrong with swiftech's MCR series. Pump is going to depend a lot on how much you're going to have in each loop but, the staple right now is a DDC3.2 with petra's top.

 

[MarcVenice]

Do realize though, that for a q6600 at 3.0ghz, no advanced watercooling kit is required. An arctic freezer 7 pro will keep a q6600 cool enough at 3.0ghz, and a tuniq tower 120 or a thermalright ultra extreme will allow overclocks of 3.4ghz and sometimes even a little higher, maxing out at 3.6ghz, but only if you get lucky and don't mind the noise

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: MarcVenice
Do realize though, that for a q6600 at 3.0ghz, no advanced watercooling kit is required. An arctic freezer 7 pro will keep a q6600 cool enough at 3.0ghz, and a tuniq tower 120 or a thermalright ultra extreme will allow overclocks of 3.4ghz and sometimes even a little higher, maxing out at 3.6ghz, but only if you get lucky and don't mind the noise

+1 air cooling should be good for 3.4ghz on a G0 and 3.2ghz on a B3. YMMV of course.

And unless your willing to spend 200 for a decient setup. I wouldnt recomend a water migration until you know all there is to know about air sinks and its limitations.

 

[Realguns]

Depends on what you want.
IF CPU only then a kit could work however-

Minimum needed-
Water Block-
I relied on this ti determine block.
Switftech with Bowed Bottom.- $41.99
Radiator-
http://www.moddersmart.com/ind...ducts&product_id=30014Radiator with a great price. $27.99

Pump-
AC- Via Aqua $18+ sealant $5

DC- D-Tek DB-1 44.99

Tubing- @ home Depot. Get the .75" O.D x .5" I.D.. Works as well as annything you can buy and probablbly is the same as ClearFlex.

A 1/2" T

10 Clamps.

2 120mm fans @40-50 CFM each
Thats about it.

If your gonna water cool you should know how to set this up.

OH and The DB-1 can do a CPU, GPU and a N/B if the block are not restrictive.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: Realguns


If your gonna water cool you should know how to set this up.

OH and The DB-1 can do a CPU, GPU and a N/B if the block are not restrictive.

..... thats not a inline pump. Thats a submersable aquarium pump. LOL.

Sealant is i guess to seal the impeller chamber. That pump has a really crappy head output.


I loaned martin a DB-1 i just bought at jab-tech to do some tests on it. So lets see how it performs. Im not holding my breath on your claim above tho. Not for a deicent system.

The D5 is also only 20 dollars more and is a much better pump.

Also home depot tubing is very hard to bend. Its very stiff and not soft. I would just recomend getting some masterkleer.

But im still with my original recomendation of him going air. If thats all he's looking for, theres no need to jump water.

And the D-tek is a much better block for your config also.

 

[Realguns]

aigomorla I am not going to get into a P!&&ing match with you.
The guy asked a question I answered it.

The Via Aqua has been shown to be a pretty decent pump. It is also used inline. I should know mines been going strong for 3 years. If you looking for price performance you cannot beat it. Plus its easier to test/bleed your system with an A/C pump. Only drawback is they run all the time unless you have a relay. Solid state can be had for 4 bucks.

If your careful you don't need to bend tubing at crazy angles anyway which slows water down also BTW.

20 Bucks is 20 bucks the DB-! is a decent pump for the non-jeted water blocks IE less restrictive.

Note the D-tek is a more expensive block and not the best. IMHO. also the differnce is 20 bucks.

Heres the deal do I spend 40 less than you and get 4.7 Ghz or do I spend 40 more and get 4.7Ghz.

The diffence is my full load is 55C and yous is 49C. But the kicker is neither of us can go any higher.

Have fun!!!

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: Realguns
aigomorla I am not going to get into a P!&&ing match with you.
The guy asked a question I answered it.

The Via Aqua has been shown to be a pretty decent pump. It is also used inline. I should know mines been going strong for 3 years. If you looking for price performance you cannot beat it. Plus its easier to test/bleed your system with an A/C pump. Only drawback is they run all the time unless you have a relay. Solid state can be had for 4 bucks.

If your careful you don't need to bend tubing at crazy angles anyway which slows water down also BTW.

20 Bucks is 20 bucks the DB-! is a decent pump for the non-jeted water blocks IE less restrictive.

Note the D-tek is a more expensive block and not the best. IMHO. also the differnce is 20 bucks.

Heres the deal do I spend 40 less than you and get 4.7 Ghz or do I spend 40 more and get 4.7Ghz.

The diffence is my full load is 55C and yous is 49C. But the kicker is neither of us can go any higher.

Have fun!!!

@ jab-tech.

the apogeeGT is currently 41.99
The D-tek fusion is 59.95

The difference between the two blocks in flow reduction is significant expecially in multi block loops.

The DB-1 has a really bad head output and is not recomended for multi block setups. Your flow would be at the bottom end and performance wouldnt be too great.

And im not having a pissing contest with you. I dont think the parts you recomended him is merit enough for him to migrate to water. Because he can get fairly same or close temps to what he would pull on a setup like this

Your last remark would apply right back at ya.

And he would most definitely need to upgrade his radiator to a larger class if he wanted to drop gpu on it. Maybe you didnt notice the GTX he has in sig. :T


And my Load's are sub 40's :T

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Now now, lets all try to get along.

I agree 100% that he could do just fine with a tuniq tower or TRUE but, they just don't have the same oooh-aaahhh factor as water cooling. He asked about water cooling and I reccomended.

 

[PCTC2]

Swiftech MCR220-QP $40
Swiftech MCP655/Laing D5 Vario $75-80
ApogeeGTX/D-Tek Fuzion $60
Swiftech MicroRes $20
10' Masterkleer 7/16" ID Tubing
EK-High Flow 1/2" Barbs (except, if you get the ApogeeGTX, use the barbs provided... the EK's leak with the ApogeeGTX).
8 Worm-gear Clamps
2/4x Yate-Loon DS12-H @ Jab-tech for $3.50/each
PTS - Bionuke and G11 Pentosin

Get these at jab-tech and Petra's Tech shop. They have decent prices. With shipping, it shouldn't be more than $250 and it will be a very decent migration to water.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: PCTC2
Swiftech MCR220-QP $40
Swiftech MCP655/Laing D5 Vario $75-80
ApogeeGTX/D-Tek Fuzion $60
Swiftech MicroRes $20
10' Masterkleer 7/16" ID Tubing
EK-High Flow 1/2" Barbs (except, if you get the ApogeeGTX, use the barbs provided... the EK's leak with the ApogeeGTX).
8 Worm-gear Clamps
2/4x Yate-Loon DS12-H @ Jab-tech for $3.50/each
PTS - Bionuke and G11 Pentosin

Get these at jab-tech and Petra's Tech shop. They have decent prices. With shipping, it shouldn't be more than $250 and it will be a very decent migration to water.

If i may ask, why a 655? with just a cpu block wouldn't he be much better off with the head pressure of a DDC3.2(mcp355b), especially with the D-Tek Fuzion and some accelerators? That was my understanding atleast.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: DerwenArtos12

Originally posted by: PCTC2
Swiftech MCR220-QP $40
Swiftech MCP655/Laing D5 Vario $75-80
ApogeeGTX/D-Tek Fuzion $60
Swiftech MicroRes $20
10' Masterkleer 7/16" ID Tubing
EK-High Flow 1/2" Barbs (except, if you get the ApogeeGTX, use the barbs provided... the EK's leak with the ApogeeGTX).
8 Worm-gear Clamps
2/4x Yate-Loon DS12-H @ Jab-tech for $3.50/each
PTS - Bionuke and G11 Pentosin

Get these at jab-tech and Petra's Tech shop. They have decent prices. With shipping, it shouldn't be more than $250 and it will be a very decent migration to water.

If i may ask, why a 655? with just a cpu block wouldn't he be much better off with the head pressure of a DDC3.2(mcp355b), especially with the D-Tek Fuzion and some accelerators? That was my understanding atleast.

The 655 has better output without a top for the 355.

The 355 has a 10-15% failure rate from what im hearing. And that isnt something good. The 655 has like a 2% return/failure rate. 655 is a lot more reliable of a pump. Expecially if your a newbie to h2o cooling.

So i also stopped recomending them until i see how long this 355 i have in the CM lasts.

If the 355 dies in a few months, im never recomending the 355 again. The DDC-2 had bad performance life history, and the ddc-3.2 looks like its following them.

 

[PCTC2]

Originally posted by: DerwenArtos12

Originally posted by: PCTC2
Swiftech MCR220-QP $40
Swiftech MCP655/Laing D5 Vario $75-80
ApogeeGTX/D-Tek Fuzion $60
Swiftech MicroRes $20
10' Masterkleer 7/16" ID Tubing
EK-High Flow 1/2" Barbs (except, if you get the ApogeeGTX, use the barbs provided... the EK's leak with the ApogeeGTX).
8 Worm-gear Clamps
2/4x Yate-Loon DS12-H @ Jab-tech for $3.50/each
PTS - Bionuke and G11 Pentosin

Get these at jab-tech and Petra's Tech shop. They have decent prices. With shipping, it shouldn't be more than $250 and it will be a very decent migration to water.

If i may ask, why a 655? with just a cpu block wouldn't he be much better off with the head pressure of a DDC3.2(mcp355b), especially with the D-Tek Fuzion and some accelerators? That was my understanding atleast.

Not only is it more quiet, it has, as aigo sad, better output without a top than the DDC-3.2

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: aigomorla

Originally posted by: DerwenArtos12

Originally posted by: PCTC2
Swiftech MCR220-QP $40
Swiftech MCP655/Laing D5 Vario $75-80
ApogeeGTX/D-Tek Fuzion $60
Swiftech MicroRes $20
10' Masterkleer 7/16" ID Tubing
EK-High Flow 1/2" Barbs (except, if you get the ApogeeGTX, use the barbs provided... the EK's leak with the ApogeeGTX).
8 Worm-gear Clamps
2/4x Yate-Loon DS12-H @ Jab-tech for $3.50/each
PTS - Bionuke and G11 Pentosin

Get these at jab-tech and Petra's Tech shop. They have decent prices. With shipping, it shouldn't be more than $250 and it will be a very decent migration to water.

If i may ask, why a 655? with just a cpu block wouldn't he be much better off with the head pressure of a DDC3.2(mcp355b), especially with the D-Tek Fuzion and some accelerators? That was my understanding atleast.

The 355 has a 10-15% failure rate from what im hearing.

what, What, WHAT? that's terrible. 10-15% failure rate is something worth a recall in my books. Back to reccomending the Danger Den pump for me. I've used 4 or 5 of them in the last few months for cheap-o water cooling kits for people that just want the ooohhh-aaahhhh effect of water cooling and not one complaint yet.

 

[Realguns]

Dewin you mena to tell me I got an EW-AH pump? I thiught I got a farly good pump for the price. :brokenheart:

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: Realguns
Dewin you mena to tell me I got an EW-AH pump? I thiught I got a farly good pump for the price. :brokenheart:

No, it's not a bad pump at all, it's a great pump for the price, and given all that I've read this morning about longevity issues with the DDC3.2 the DB-1(as I've now learned is the same actual pump used for the Danger Den pumps I've been buying) is a good pump and has been my fallback pump for CPU only loops but, with the new info I've gotten about the DDC3.2 It's going to be my go-to guy for single block loops.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: DerwenArtos12

Originally posted by: Realguns
Dewin you mena to tell me I got an EW-AH pump? I thiught I got a farly good pump for the price. :brokenheart:

No, it's not a bad pump at all, it's a great pump for the price, and given all that I've read this morning about longevity issues with the DDC3.2 the DB-1(as I've now learned is the same actual pump used for the Danger Den pumps I've been buying) is a good pump and has been my fallback pump for CPU only loops but, with the new info I've gotten about the DDC3.2 It's going to be my go-to guy for single block loops.

the info on the 355 i just reciently found out.

But i really trust my source.

Im trying to find out if its more people error then product error.

But im also hearing of ones that come dead b4 they even get sold. :T


This is why im not recomending the 355 aka DDC-3.2 until i put some stess on the one with the OCLab's top. I have 4 now, 2 on an alphacool dual DDC top, 1 OCLabs top, and 1 XSPC top.

It can/maybe a petratop/alphacool top related issue. But that would still put the unmoded ddc's at a 3-5% failure rate. Which isnt so bad compared to the 10-15% they are at right now.

Its gonna take a couple months for me to determin if they are indeed bad. If the return rate is high, and one of them dies, thats a 25% Dying rate. Way too high for me to recomend to any newbie.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: aigomorla

Originally posted by: DerwenArtos12

Originally posted by: Realguns
Dewin you mena to tell me I got an EW-AH pump? I thiught I got a farly good pump for the price. :brokenheart:

No, it's not a bad pump at all, it's a great pump for the price, and given all that I've read this morning about longevity issues with the DDC3.2 the DB-1(as I've now learned is the same actual pump used for the Danger Den pumps I've been buying) is a good pump and has been my fallback pump for CPU only loops but, with the new info I've gotten about the DDC3.2 It's going to be my go-to guy for single block loops.

the info on the 355 i just reciently found out.

But i really trust my source.

Im trying to find out if its more people error then product error.

But im also hearing of ones that come dead b4 they even get sold. :T


This is why im not recomending the 355 aka DDC-3.2 until i put some stess on the one with the OCLab's top. I have 4 now, 2 on an alphacool dual DDC top, 1 OCLabs top, and 1 XSPC top.

It can/maybe a petratop/alphacool top related issue. But that would still put the unmoded ddc's at a 3-5% failure rate. Which isnt so bad compared to the 10-15% they are at right now.

Its gonna take a couple months for me to determin if they are indeed bad. If the return rate is high, and one of them dies, thats a 25% Dying rate. Way too high for me to recomend to any newbie.

I just went through the posts I read this morning again and I think you're right, I think it's an issue with either user error or with the extra stress of the petratop/alphacool top. I found only 1 with an OC labs top, 1 stock and 6 petras/alpha tops that people posted about failing and all were past the 6 month mark.

Please let us know how it goes with your OC top!

 

[rich168]

if only water cooling is plug ang play....

i would be getting one....

 

[DerwenArtos12]

Originally posted by: rich168
if only water cooling is plug ang play....

i would be getting one....

they have them, they just suck performance wise. they're decent if you just want silence.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: rich168
if only water cooling is plug ang play....

i would be getting one....

its called heat pipes same concept, different medium.

rofl...

 

[imported_dinGLeBeRRy]

ROFL