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- Feb 18, 2005
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System Name | Firelance. |
---|---|
Processor | Threadripper 3960X |
Motherboard | ROG Strix TRX40-E Gaming |
Cooling | IceGem 360 + 6x Arctic Cooling P12 |
Memory | 8x 16GB Patriot Viper DDR4-3200 CL16 |
Video Card(s) | MSI GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Ventus 2X OC |
Storage | 2TB WD SN850X (boot), 4TB Crucial P3 (data) |
Display(s) | 3x AOC Q32E2N (32" 2560x1440 75Hz) |
Case | Enthoo Pro II Server Edition (Closed Panel) + 6 fans |
Power Supply | Fractal Design Ion+ 2 Platinum 760W |
Mouse | Logitech G602 |
Keyboard | Logitech G613 |
Software | Windows 10 Professional x64 |
I recently purchased an Arctic Liquid Freezer II 420, which cost under £90. I then bought a Threadripper system and, since the LF2 doesn't supper TR (due to its block's coldplate being tiny, which is probably one of the reasons why these coolers are so cheap), had to buy a replacement AIO - the Silverstone ICEGEM 360, which cost £130. The latter has a much larger coldplate but a far smaller rad (360mm @ 30mm thick vs 420mm/40mm for the LF2). This peeved me quite a bit because what I really want is the LF2's radiator, but with the ICEGEM's coldplate. This then led me down the line of considering building my own watercooling loop, which is something I dabbled in once a looong time ago before AIOs became a thing, and then AIOs became a thing and I never really touched custom again because AIOs were Good Enough.
The problem is, watercooling components are really freaking expensive. For example, just the block is £65; the cheapest pump + res combo is £130 and cheapest 420x30mm rad is £80. That's 275 quid before the ancillary-but-necessary bits like tubing and fans - more than I paid for two fully-functional AIOs! Now I know that I can get parts much cheaper - Alphacool seems to be more sanely priced, and Barrow and Bykski are the bargain-basement AliExpress options - but you're still not looking at anything I'd consider "decent value", even considering these parts can be reused across multiple builds over multiple years.
This then got me to wondering, what is the experience of others who have either used, or are using custom watercooling setups. Have you also migrated to AIOs? Have you experienced customer cooling components' prices increasing or decreasing over time? Do you think the custom loop is a dying hobby/art?
And no, I'm not making a poll because I'm not interested in bland yes/no answers - I'm looking for others' experiences. So walls of text away!
The problem is, watercooling components are really freaking expensive. For example, just the block is £65; the cheapest pump + res combo is £130 and cheapest 420x30mm rad is £80. That's 275 quid before the ancillary-but-necessary bits like tubing and fans - more than I paid for two fully-functional AIOs! Now I know that I can get parts much cheaper - Alphacool seems to be more sanely priced, and Barrow and Bykski are the bargain-basement AliExpress options - but you're still not looking at anything I'd consider "decent value", even considering these parts can be reused across multiple builds over multiple years.
This then got me to wondering, what is the experience of others who have either used, or are using custom watercooling setups. Have you also migrated to AIOs? Have you experienced customer cooling components' prices increasing or decreasing over time? Do you think the custom loop is a dying hobby/art?
And no, I'm not making a poll because I'm not interested in bland yes/no answers - I'm looking for others' experiences. So walls of text away!