[caliking420]

Just decided I want to build a new system seaming how I haven't built one in a few years..

So pretty much decided I want to go with a ASUS Rampage IV Extreme extended ATX, with a Intel Core I7-3930k Sandy Bridge-E, and a XFX HD7970 black edition.

My whole question is should I go air or water for the CPU heatsink? I want to go water but I've never done it before, so I'm really if'y about the whole thing. Plus I don't know the fist thing about what waterblocks or rads to use..

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[twerk]

First things first, don't get that GPU. XFX cards have very poor coolers which don't allow for much overclocking and are generally very loud. The motherboard and CPU are great though.

It's up to you whether you want to go water or air. You can buy the best air cooler for about $90 which will keep your CPU cool and will allow for a pretty high overclock. Water on the other hand can be very expensive if you do it properly, sometimes costing over $500 for full loops. The price to performance isn't great but it will keep your components cooler than any air cooler will.

If you want advice on which components to get you should post in the water cooling section here

http://www.overclock.net/f/61/water-cooling

If you did go water cooling would you just want to cool your CPU or would you include the graphics card too?

 

[caliking420]

Okay thanks for the heads up on the XFX!! What would you recommend? Cuz I've been doing research and I think I wanna stick with the 7970 they seam to be on par with nvidia on everything and then pull ahead on the crossfire scaling..

And we'll as far as the question of water cooling I have so little experience i wasn't even ganna bother with the GPU just to keep it a little more simple

 

[Ramzinho]

what's the purpose of the rig??? you know you are spending 500$ on a cpu.. you should know why.

 

[caliking420]

Think I'm just ganna go air though! Stick to what I know and save some money for a better monitor at the same time

 

[caliking420]

And the purpose of the rig is gaming.. Yes I know I'm spending $500 on a processor. Yes I know the processor is over kill for games..

But at the same time I'm doing this so I don't have to build another rig for a good long while.. Even if I do have to upgrade it would only be another GPU or maybe some more RAM

 

[caliking420]

Not my first time

 

[Renee]

I've used the water cooling on the SandyBridge extreme and find it to be most stable.
Renee