Pre-built vs DIY for Newbie

The alternative to direct air cooling

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Gunnerbob
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 9:01 am

Pre-built vs DIY for Newbie

Post by Gunnerbob » Mon Apr 09, 2007 11:37 am

I know DIY is always better, but I'm a liquid newbie and am a bit intimidated by DIY.....though I am willing to try. So I'm looking for some expert suggestions.

Relevant Specs:
-C2D 6300 OC'd to 3.2ghz currently
-Antec P180
-4 hard drives in lower cage, Noctua case fans, very quiet setup
-8800GTS

Requirements:
-setup that will be QUIET and fit with my P180
-internal or external, but if it's external it HAS to be sleek (top mounted I suppose) and fit with the case
-CPU cooling for sure, with possibility for GPU as well (so pump, etc has to handle the flow)
-can't break the bank
-don't need extreme, just something to decently beat my air setup (Noctua NH-U12F, stock GPU HSF)

Pre-Built Options (my newbie attempt):
-Swiftech H20-120 Premium
-Koolance INX-720BK
-Danger Den 4101
-Thermaltake Bigwater 745

DIY:
-not a clue
-am in Canada so it has to be easily available here online. US companies that don't ship to Canada won't work.


Can anyone suggest both a good Pre-Built kit and a complete list of DIY components that won't break the bank and is fairly quiet? I'd really appreciate the help.
Much Thanks!

YugenM
Posts: 40
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Post by YugenM » Mon Apr 09, 2007 6:17 pm

www.ncix.com has a HUGE inventory of watercooling components, and they are also located in Canada.

www.directcanada.com is another alternative.

As for GPU cooling, almost any pump will handle the flow just fine, it's the radiator that will be the bottleneck of your loop.

Having said that, the radiator that comes with the DD 4101 is a Black Ice Xtreme, which being optimized for high-airflow fans, isn't that great for quietness.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? ... e=Swiftech

The radiator will not fit inside the case without hacking it a bit, but the "Radbox" that ships with it will allow you to mount the radiator on the back of the case.

The radiator also has enough thermal capacity to cool your 8800GTS too, should you decide to incorporate it into the loop later on.

EDIT: Actually, this kit offers much more for the price.

They're in the U.S. and you'll have to e-mail them about the order since it's an international order, but they've gained a damn good reputation for great customer service.

HammerSandwich
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Post by HammerSandwich » Tue Apr 10, 2007 7:25 am

What are you trying to accomplish here, Gunnerbob? Just noise reduction, or are you temps uncomfortably high? If noise is the problem, have you tried to identify your noise sources?

Your system's specs indicate two significant loud spots: the 8800 & the 4 HDs. WCing won't help the HD noise at all, so you really should investigate this before dropping $200 on new gear.

Gunnerbob
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 9:01 am

Post by Gunnerbob » Tue Apr 10, 2007 11:06 am

Yugen, thanks for the links/info, I'll look into possibly locating parts here in Canada or shipping here.

Hammer, good points. My setup is already quiet, but my temps are kinda high.....my case location isn't ideal (but I'm stuck with it) and it gets too warm for my liking. So I'd like to maintain the quietness I have, while getting a solid, basic water setup that can cool at least my CPU, and possibly GPU if I can swing the cash. So I don't want a noisy pump/setup. Nothing extreme, just a good basic setup that will last. Either pre-built or DIY listing that I can research and attempt.

Thanks for the help so far. All suggestions are welcome, I'm open to either product path.

YugenM
Posts: 40
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2007 9:55 pm
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Post by YugenM » Wed Apr 11, 2007 3:07 pm

Oh poopcakes, don't even bother with the Petra's Tech Shop link.

The GPU block it comes with is incompatible with your videocard.

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