killnine

Haha,
Now that I have your attention.

I have a dilemma.

I have water cooled my systems for about 2.5 year and have been fairly happy. Its fun to say that I water cool my computer, it is really good performance and a decent price.

However, I am updating my X1900 to a 4870 and need to do some serious renovation if I want my system to be competitive in cooling. That means, new waterblock for the 4870, new radiator (120.3) and new fans. Doesn't this sound like it belongs in the watercooling forum?

Well, now I am thinking to myself: "K9, if you are going to bail on water cooling, now is probably your best and only chance". Air cooling has REALLY made leaps and bounds in the past years, where its sort of diminishing returns on the water cooling. I am wondering if I should just get a TRUE and a HR-03 and call it a day.

After all, it will make my case lighter (LAN paries anyone?) and definitely allow me to sleep more soundly when leaving my system on. The big problem is that it is louder, almost undoubtably and wont yield the same low temps.

Currently I get about 51C on load (GPU+CPU) with a 3.1Ghz overclock (the p5w does NOT overclock my Q6600 well). So, while I might THEORETICALLY not get as low temps, it probably wont matter simply because my board is limiting me as it is.


What do I do? TRUE + HR-03 + Maybe a new mobo... or New 120.3 Radiator, MCW-60, 3 KAZE Ultras?

GUIDE ME OCN!

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dr4gon

After two and a half years, you still can't sleep soundly? I could sleep just fine right after the leak test was done. What rad do you have now? A triple rad would definitely help, and 38mm fans are great. I love my 3870, it's just superb and versatile. Water cooling GPUs is definitely a huge plus. My 3870 is way overclocked/flashed because of it.

The 4870s get pretty hot, they even need to bump the fan speeds just to keep up. Stick with the water, and you'll get some insane volt mods and overclocks.

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killnine

Hrm, that is certainly one sound (and respected) opinion. I would like to hear a reply from some of those air-coolers out there...

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aleiro

I get 51C on load with my current setup so i dont think you will be missing anything unless you play to go higher on the OC

edit: i meant plan

killnine

*** is a CNPS9700 NT? I was thinking getting an Ultra Extreme, which I hear is top-notch. ...I just dont know.... Im leaning air for the reduced cost and the easy transport.

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aleiro

Ya 3.7 tends to get a little too hot for this cooler, but my idle is 30C (my room is 75-76F). Im guessing you are talking about a true? I heard good results from the one that looks just like it starts with an X... i know i should have looked it up but some one will know

Adrienspawn

I would go air because if you plan upgrading anything you will have to add more rads/loops, whereas with air you just slap on a cooler. Each cooler also deals with the heat of an individual component instead of how WC needs to keep up with most of them together. I would first spend money on a good case/mobo, then on a 4870, then finally some mods to the case. Only after all that and how much money you have left, I would finally choose between air and water (lol, from 300, Earth and Water). I find it is better to spend money on things that will make a difference and price/performance-wise are better rather than skipping right to choosing the cooling.

My personal oppinion would be to go air,because of the set-and-forget, the lightness, and finally because that 4870 is not worth putting in a loop because it will utterly destroy everything else in the loop lol.

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To help me out on my raid0 woes...

mega_option101

I suggest that you keep it a CPU loop only and that you ditch Water Cooling your GPU. With the extra money that you're saving from not buy a new rad + GPU block + fans, I would get a good aftermarket cooler for the GPU and also a new motherboard!!

That way you'll get the best of both worlds. Higher OC on your Q6600 with better temps now that your GPU is out of the loop and well the compromise would only be your GPU temps not being as low as they were before. I am assuming that you could deal with it as you were already planning on going back to air completely

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Pwnography

Get a OCZ Vendetta 2 or TRUE (Both top notch) and then get a lapping kit. Its Easy i did it for the first time and now on my OCZ vendetta 2 3.4Ghz i get 35c idle and 50c load which is better temps that ur getting :P

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Spart

K9 I have debated this same thing several times when pondering what my next upgrades will be. I always talk myself out of it simply because I love watercooling. I can't hear my PC right now. All I hear is my HDD seeking sometimes and if I listen REAL hard I might hear a light hum from my yate loons. I won't be leaving the WC world. When I upgrade I will just get another PA120.2 and run them in series. I will get a new cpu block and dump the full cover solutions for my GPU's.

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