If you’ve decided that you want to explore the AIO route, I suggest picking up a radiator with no less than 2 fans. Corsair H100i Pro– Best CPU Cooler 5. For someone that wants aesthetics, I recommend picking up a 240-280MM AIO cooler, they perform on par with the best air coolers, and they look far better thanks to the small CPU block and the added RGB features. It isn’t ideal running Prime95 for a prolonged period of time and if you get called away to do something, it could be left running for much longer than needed. If you compare the best air coolers to the best AIO’s, you will find out you get similar performance for far less. AIO cooling is a form of liquid cooling where it contains pressurized coolant inside of the loop. Compared to the massive air coolers, like 280mm and 360mm the 240mm AIO coolers occupy limited PC space allowing ample room to install taller RAM modules for maximum performance. However, if you’ve purchased a cheap flimsy motherboard, it may bend or worst-case scenario, it may snap. ... AIO Seems to be where everyone turns to in order to cool your cpu even cooler vs an air cooler. That being said, Asetek controls a large part of the AIO cooling solutions available, so apart from aesthetics and software, many of the trending AIO solutions will perform the same. The performance of a top-of-the-line air cooler will be at par with a 240 or 280mm AIO liquid cooler depending on their build quality. In the last couple of years, … The Cooler Master Nepton 240M liquid cooler is another popular 240mm cooler that competes well with the H100i GTX. Some people like the cleaner look that a 120mm AIO cooler offers, while other prefer the looks of a nice-looking air cooler. Here’s a buyer’s guide for the best Air and AIO coolers for the I7 9700K, keep in mind these coolers are still viable for other processors. Beginners to PC building shouldn’t attempt to create their own custom loop. It utilizes air to transfer heat away from the processor unlike AIO’s and custom loops. I've used their solutions for eight years on many test systems, and it has always been a set it and forget it experience, even if I was overclocking. NZXT Kraken X52– Advanced Liquid Cooler***Overall Best 4. If we talk about the performance of the Aio cooling system, with 240mm or larger radiators, they dissipate heat way too faster. It's an all-in-one liquid cooling unit with a pre-filled and sealed pump housing and triple fan radiator that moves 66.7 cubic feet of air per minute to draw waste heat away from delicate CPU circuits and boost performance. If built correctly, custom loops can be as aesthetically pleasing as you desire. Since our previous cooling reviews prior to November 2016, we have decided to update the method accordingly for better and consistent results. This problem can be avoided by planning ahead and researching which parts are compatible with each other. Thankfully past AMD solutions pushed the market to improve cooling with processors like the FX-9590 that had TDP up to 220W, so we have AIO cooling solutions that can easily handle your 105W CPU. AIO’s have far better cooling potential than most air coolers on the market today. Keep up with the rising temperatures of increasingly faster CPUs with a quiet, efficient liquid cooler or powerful air cooler from CORSAIR. Air cooling always wins. This test was performed using the NH-U12A and an IC Graphite … Compared to a 240mm AIO there’s nearly 40% more surface area in the radiator maximising the area across which heat can be dissipated. After you’ve picked your processor to run your new build, you must now pair it with an AIO or AIR cooler that will keep it cool whilst running. DIMM slots can be blocked by the air coolers large fans and heat sinks. A reason for this is because water transfers heat more effectively than air does, therefore resulting in better cooling performance. This is my 3700X against my 2700. They require beginner level skill to install and requires no maintenance. Upgrading my PC to support DisplayPort 1.4, which GPU should I buy? They’re carrying liquid through tubing, pumps, and a radiator they’re inherently riskier. A custom water cooling build in terms of reliability is by far the worst. Large air coolers are infamous for this problem. As you know the Ryzen 9 3900X is a beast of a CPU offering a 12 core 24 thread design and TDP of 105W. Corsair H100i– Extreme Cooling Performance 3. I’d say never go for a 120-140MM AIO unless you’re going for an SFX Build, they rarely beat even the most basic air coolers on the market. Which CPU and motherboard should I pick for best future upgradability? Corrosion can also occur if you’re not mindful of the types of metals you’re using. Their Frosftflow 120 is an AIO cooler (all-in-one) for those who want to hit solid temperatures when overclocking. AIO water cooling is considered the best for cooling efficiency short of a custom loop, but is it really? If price is your concern in this battle, then water cooling vs air cooling isn’t even a competition. My recommendation is going to be for Corsair. It’s important to note that the base liquid cooler score is higher than even the overclocked wraith prism score. Custom water cooling loops price ranges from $300-$3000. The best 120/140mm solution we have tested is the aging H80iGT with high-performance air-cooling solutions filling up the gaps in our charts. Water blocks that come with AIO coolers which attach to the CPU are far smaller than the traditional heatsink and fan which air coolers use. Stylish Radiator. The best AIOs on the market are 240, 280, & 360MM and they cool far better than the smaller 120, and 140MM varients. This is a big factor why beginners gravitate to air coolers more. And, while a higher-end air cooler will outperform most similarly-priced 120mm or 140mm AIO coolers, aesthetics will also play a role in what CPU cooler type will work best for you. While the 240mm AIO coolers are great alternatives to most air coolers, not every one of them will be ideal for your PC build as they have some notable differences. Today, it doesn't matter what your build or budget is, there's a cooler for you. Furthermore, when it comes to transportation, a large air cooler has an increased chance to damage the motherboard as the moving weight has more of an effect on the board. AIO Cooler: Kraken X73. For beginners, I recommend going for the air cooling route as its the most reliable, consistent, and cheapest method that exists. Their new line of closed loop coolers dropped earlier this year and they currently have three AIO coolers to choose between: 280mm, 240mm, and 120mm. For a complete buyers guide on CPU coolers, follow this link. Keep in mind, an air cooler such as Noctua D15 will perform on par or even better than 240MM AIOs for less money. Corsair Hydro Series H60. The Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML360R is the best choice for gamers looking to keep their rigs running cool. The single-threaded performance is largely the same, but the multi-threaded score sees a neat uplift. Liquid coolers use a liquid (usually water) to carry thermal heat away from the CPU. Shop now. Dust them off every 3 months and you’re good to go. One fan simply isn’t enough to cool a CPU effectively and performs on par with stock CPU coolers. Air coolers are very price friendly, and the best ones are usually <$100. You can have someone install it for you, and even then they will charge you somewhere up to $100/h. But that being said, the high-end air cooler does offer great cooling performance. They should have the same temperature more or less. © 1999-2021. The radiatorsize is lower then that of a decent air cooler and such is the performance. Our n… Once installed, there is not much to do left. The best air coolers on the market barely touch the $100 mark, and they perform on the same level as 240MM AIO’s. iCUE H100i RGB PRO XT Liquid CPU Cooler. Overclocking with a custom water cooling loop is not an issue, as temperatures will be lower than anything an AIO and air cooler can achieve. Required fields are marked *. Use the form below to submit a question for Ask the Experts. Most motherboards shouldn’t have a problem if you’ve installed the large air cooler correctly and didn’t screw it in too tight. Steve Burke over at Gamers Nexus has a great article on who makes these AIO solutions broken down by cooler as there are several other players in the market. Here’s a buyer’s guide for the best Air and AIO coolers for the I7 9700K. And with these air coolers, you can overclock your PC as well. The best air coolers on the market barely touch the $100 mark, and they perform on the same level as 240MM AIO’s. On the other hand, entry-level air coolers are not even close to the AIO cooling system. A rule of thumb for water cooling is to plan for 120mm of cooling for each component you want to cool. Liquid cooling vs Air cooling: Size. So, a single CPU installation will need at minimum a 120mm AIO, and that grants us about 150W of thermal capacity. This method transfers heat away from the CPU via the coolant, and the coolant returns back to the radiator to get cooled off. A rule of thumb for water cooling is to plan for 120mm of cooling for each component you want to cool. ... High-performing 240mm AIO cooling. A Noctua NH D15 is a premium air cooler priced at around $90, whereas an AIO on par in terms of performance such as the CORSAIR HYDRO Series H115i PRO is priced at $140. 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