Air coolers are more compact, easier to install and maintain, and banal cheaper. However, their heat dissipation capabilities are severely limited - 200, well, maybe 220 watts. Even in smartphones and gaming laptops, manufacturers are experimenting with liquid cooling (although there is no water block, and the so-called evaporation chamber). And in desktop PCs, especially powerful gaming and professional-working, the system of liquid or, in common parlance, water cooling reduces the CPU temperature by 10 degrees and adds 10 charisma points (joke). There are five main sizes of water blocks: 120, 240, 280, 360 and more recently 420 mm (one, two and three-fan, respectively). Heat dissipation efficiency can reach 350 watts. In addition, SVO are divided into closed-type factories, which are already filled with refrigerant, and custom,
be quiet! Pure Loop 120mm - when the tower is not placed
Reasons to buy: Compact size 120 mm, double noise insulation of the pump, quiet fan on the threaded bearing, nickel-plated sole.
Reasons not to buy: Efficiency is not better than an air tower.
be quiet! Pure Loop 120mm - German liquid cooling system of compact single-section size 120 mm. It is intended first of all for assembly of the personal computer in the miniature case where neither the big two-section SZhO, nor a high air tower does not fit. Long flexible tubes in a protective braid allow you to organize a neat cable management.
In order not to lose much in efficiency of heat dissipation to larger relatives, the Pure Loop 120mm pump is forced to pump refrigerant one and a half times faster - up to 5500 rpm. But due to the double noise insulation of the pump there is no acoustic discomfort. The outer cover of the pump is decorated with white lighting around the perimeter. The complete 12-cm Pure Wings 2 fan on a threaded bearing can accelerate up to 2000 rpm.
The whole design together buzzes at almost inaudible 19 decibels at 50 percent speed, and still moderate 36 dB at 100 percent. The inner sole of the pump, in contact with the processor, is not made of copper, as in most other SZHO, but covered with nickel, which allows you to use not only thermal paste, but also liquid metal. There is a hole for refilling the refrigerant, which after several years of operation may partially evaporate.
AQIRYS Aquarius 240 AIO - when lazy to choose for a long time
Reasons to buy: Universal size 240 mm, long hoses with protective mesh, black or white body color, ARGB-illumination of the pump and fans.
Reasons not to buy: Not compatible with AMD Threadripper processors.
AQIRYS Aquarius 240 AIO - Romanian dropsy of the most universal format 240 mm. It's definitely more efficient than an air cooler, but it still fits in most computer cases. Black and white radiators, tubes, pumps and fan frames are available in a choice. The manufacturer claims support for many current processor sockets, including the latest AMD AM4, Intel LGA 1700 and LGA 2066.
But the semi-server AMD TR4 is not supported, although the claimed heat dissipation of up to 250 watts Aquarius 240 AIO would definitely cope with Threadripper processors. Why do you need such a high TDP if most Core and Ryzen processors emit only 65 to 125 watts of heat? In fact, it's a TDP excluding the automatic overclocking of Turbo Boost and Precision Boost. And after manual overclocking, the processors begin to heat up to 200+ watts.
SJO AQIRYS tubes are made of airtight rubber, which prevents the evaporation of refrigerant, and the top is covered with woven mesh to avoid swelling. The length of the tubes is longer than usual - 45 cm. The pump runs at a moderate 2600 rpm, which is quieter than many other dropsy. Complete fans spin up to a maximum of 1800 rpm and have two connection connectors: 4-pin PWM and 3-pin ARGB.
Fractal Design Lumen S28 - better wide than long
Reasons to buy: Optimal size 280 mm, ceramic pump bearing, swivel pump cover with ARGB backlight, two 14-cm threaded fans.
Reasons not to buy: No tube of thermal paste included.
Fractal Design Lumen S28 - perhaps the most balanced standard size of dropsy is 280 mm. In terms of heat dissipation, it is much closer to 360 mm than to 240. And there is no need for a very long or tall computer case. But the protrusion from the top of the case is still desirable, otherwise the SJO fans can rest on the VRM of the motherboard.
Used in Fractal Design Lumen S28 branded rotators Aspect 14 PWM with threaded bearings and without backlight (also sold version of SJO with glowing propellers). Their rotation speed varies from 500 to 1700 rpm, and the noise level - from 10 to 35 dB, respectively. The time of trouble-free operation is stated to be 90 thousand hours. But the pump bearing will last twice less - only 40 thousand hours. Fortunately, it is ceramic, so it is not prone to corrosion.
The translucent pump cover is decorated with six ARGB address LEDs, which can be configured separately. In addition, the cover can be rotated 90 degrees so that the manufacturer's logo is displayed exactly regardless of the direction of the tubes. The length of the hoses is 40 cm, which is enough for both the upper and front location of the radiator. Thermal paste from the factory is applied to the soleplate of the pump - as much as needed for one installation.
Arctic Liquid Freezer II 420 - for hellishly hot processors
Reasons to buy: Maximum size 420 mm, three 14 cm FDB fans, VRM blower fan, MX-5 thermal paste, 6-year warranty.
Reasons not to buy: It fits in a few buildings.
Arctic Liquid Freezer II 420 is the largest large format of 420 mm closed water cooling systems. It is cooled by three 14 cm Arctic P14 PWM fans with durable FDB bearings. The turntables start at a record low of 200 rpm and gradually accelerate to 1700. And the pump has not fixed high pumping speed, as in budget SVO, and adjustable in the range of 800 - 2000 RPM.
The icing on the cake was the so-called VRM Fan - a small, only 4 cm in diameter, propeller on the pump, which cools the power supply circuits of the motherboard on top and side of the processor socket. According to the manufacturer, this reduces the temperature of the mosfet by about 15 degrees and allows even on mid-range motherboards to fully operate the functions of long-term overclocking Intel Velocity Boost.
The disadvantage of 420-mm SVO is its incompatibility with the vast majority of computer cases. But little by little, suitable cases are still on sale. In addition, the Liquid Freezer II series includes more compact dropsy, including 12-volt RGB and 5-volt ARGB backlight. The set includes the famous Arctic MX-5 thermal paste, and the SVO is given the longest 6-year warranty on the market.
EKWB EK-Quantum Power Kit D-RGB P360 - designer for adults
Reasons to buy: Custom CPU SJO with the ability to expand to a video card, three backlit fans, mounting tools included.
Reasons not to buy: Too ingenious choice for the role of the first SVO.
EKWB EK-Quantum Power Kit D-RGB P360 is a basic kit for building a custom cooling system with your own hands. Includes everything you need to cool the processor, and additional spare parts for cooling the video card is offered separately. It is good that they are also in the range of the Slovenian company EKWB.
The starter kit includes a nickel-plated EK-Velocity D-RGB water block that contacts the processor; two-meter EK-DuraClear hose, which can be cut into the required number of parts; pump with transparent tank EK-Quantum Kinetic TBE 200 D5 PWM; EK-CoolStream PE 360 radiator with three EK-Vardar EVO 120ER D-RGB fans with address illumination; and a pair of L-shaped EK-Torque fittings for neat laying of hoses around the perimeter of the PC case.
The EK-Loop Multi Allen Key and the EK-Loop Soft Tube Cutter are designed to simplify installation. The assembled system is filled with EK-CryoFuel Clear Concentrate, pre-painted with one of the dyes from the EK-CryoFuel Dye Pack. The backlight is synchronized with motherboards ASUS Aura, MSI Mystic, Gigabyte Fusion, ASRock Polychrome and, most likely, Biostar Vivid as well.
