1. I have not found a reason to delid any Intel CPU since the 3500k / 3700k ... all CPUs since have hit voltage wall long before temperature wall.
2. There are very good $99 coolers (Cryorig R1, Noctia NH-D15, Phantes PH-TS14PE) but the $45 Scythe not only tops those but every CLC type AIO on the market (at time of testing) but one and that once is, like almost all others, extremely loud. The numbers are the numbers ... If you want to spend 2 -3 times as much for an AIO that is going to be much louder and cool almost as good as the Scythe, that's a user's perogative. At 55% load, I would want to leave the room:
https://martinsliquidlab.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/swiftech-h220-vs-corsair-h100i-noise-testing/
Look at the temps and noise differences below ... the $120 Cryorig A40 gets the same temp result as the $45 Scythe of 69C but it is 1.75 times as loud:
https://tpucdn.com/reviews/Scythe/Fuma/images/temp_oc_aida64.png
https://tpucdn.com/reviews/Scythe/Fuma/images/fan_noise_100.png
Yes, liquid cooling is more effective cooling when we are talking about custom loops... AIO coolers with aluminum rads need extreme rpm fans to get close to cooling the aforementioned air coolers. Can they do better than these coolers... yes... with 2200 rpm fans ... but so can your air cooler with 2200 rpm fans. But do you want to spend 3 times the price of a Scythe for say a Cryorig A40 to get something that is 1.8 times as loud ? Again, the test results speak for themselves. If ya ever decide to go w/ an AIO, would recommend an all copper unit like the EK or Swiftech offerings.
3. I agree, I would not put in a CC type AIO if they were free ... way too loud, (galvanic corrosion science experiment) ,, I have no issue with OLC types will all copper componentry and 1.0 + gpm pumps like EK and Swiftech
h ttps://
www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=a_r4tWpMHHI&feature=youtu.be&t=8
https://martinsliquidlab.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/corrosion-explored/
4. If you take Noctua fans off a Noctua cooler and replace with Phanteks, temps drop by 6C at same rpm. However, this is a new cooler with new fans.
https://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/phenteks_f140/3.htm
5. It's all about delta T ... that is, it is consistent with changes in ambient temps.
6. You can accelerate TIM curing by thermal cycling. While I find P95 useless for stability testing, I do use it to accelerate TIM curing ... cycling it up to 80+ and back to room temps 4 or 5 times. TIMs have different curing rates ...AS5 for example can take 7-8 weeks (w/ Shin Etsu and P95 cycling, I find only marginal improvement after about 2 hours). All TIMs have cure time ...
https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/...-vs-conductonaut-liquid-metal-73-w-mk.229167/
7. You want 50% (dusty air intake filter restriction) more intakes than exhaust to insure that you are not sucking in hot exhaust from PSU and GFX card thru the rear grilles and vented slot covers. Rule of thumb for "quiet system" ... one 140mm case fan for every 75 - 100 watts of component wattage (50-75 for 120mm).
8. I'm pretty sure that the Asus Z170 Pro Gaming comes equipped with AI Suite which includes FanXpert utility ... you can install AI Suite to get FanXpert and then disable other components of the suite if you do not wish to use them. Use FanXpert to set up fan curves for each MoBo header.
9. I have 2600ks thru 8700ks running in low - mid 70s at 4.6 - 4.8 GHz ... no delidding.
10. Connect Cooler to CPU or CPU_OPT ... usually 2nd fan has no rpm monitor... alternately cooler may have splitter in which case plug into CPU header. Suggest putting three intake fans on CHA_1 and 2 exhaust fans on CHA_2 ... make sire combined amperage on any channel is < 1 amp... most case fans < 1500 rpm are around 0.14 amps.
11. Recommend testing on a standard load .. we use RoG Real Bench (8 minute benchmark) and HWiNFO for monitoring. Note the 'default OC settings for voltage that some MoBos assign are usua;lly too high ... they basically say "what voltage will be needed for the worst OCing specimen we ever made".
http://dlcdnmkt.asus.com/rog/RealBench_v2.56.zip
12. CPUs and coolers are make curved on purpose, IHS matching cooler with the concave / convex thing. Some manufacturers void their warranty if lapped as they believe it affects performance.... Most testing however shows no difference from lapping unless you have a low budget cooler with bad surface.
13. Your HWiNFO numbers look fine, again suggest RoG real Bench which is an application based rather than an unrelaistic sythetic load.