Log Advice | Q58/6900 XT/12700K - Water Cool Both CPU/GPU or just CPU?

[onmybikedrunk]

*I also posted this on reddit so my apologies if you ran into it both places...

So I'm not new to SFF builds... I've had a few. I was both an OG Dan A4 and Louqe Backer. BUT I have never attempted a full on water-cooled build and think I might give it a shot... This will be a secondary computer for me. As my kids get older they're always trying to use MY full-tower gaming PC.

I've currently turned my Hackintosh SFF build (Louqe 9900k with NZXT Kraken and an air cooled 5700 XT, SF600 connected to a 4K 144hz monitor) to a dual boot Hack/gaming PC so my son and I can play MP games together. As he gets older he wants access to more AAA titles which the 5700 XT struggles with at 4K. Because of the MacOS side of things, I have to use specific parts like the AMD GPU (Intel CPU is also ideal) because Nvidia and MacOS just won't work together. I'm gonna build something a little bit bigger than the current Louqe build for him and I and this is the plan...

Parts:

• Lian Li Q58 (white)
• 12700K
• Asus STRIX Z690-I
• 6900 XT (Ref)
• Cooler Master V850 (new white version)

This is where I'm struggling... I am an aesthetics FREAK. I went to school for industrial design and I like things pretty... I'm deciding if it's worth cramming in a custom loop... OR I can only loop the CPU and leave the RX 6900 XT alone with it's stock air cooler... This machine will only be used for gaming and some light productivity work on the MacOS side (Adobe and some sketching apps). Any rendering or heavy stuff I do happens on my Windows-only full tower. That being said, the hottest it will be is when it's running games.

Opinions needed:

So should I even try to run a full loop? I love how much quieter water cooled builds are (especially on the GPU) and of course they look fantastic. At the same time I don't want to sacrifice too much gaming performance because both these parts run, uh, warm. My watercooling parts would look like: Alphacool 30mm 240 rad (white), Lian Li 120mm Uni-Fans (silver/white), Alphacool 10ML (50mmx100mm) reservoir, DDC Pump, Alphacool CPU block. It would be similar to the GGF Q58 Build we've all seen and love here just with a 6900 XT and a 12700k. From what I've seen the 12700k is pretty on par with the 11600k he used as far as thermals but the 6900 XT would run a wee-bit hotter. I am just worried that's a lot of heat for a 240mm x 30mm rad to handle but I think it might be doable...

So what do I do?! Water cool the f*** outta it or just pull some off the shelf parts and be happy I have nice things... Thanks in advance!

 

[thelaughingman]

Personally I'd say no. A single 240 rad is just not enough for me. Others are okay with running water temps upto 55C, which is still lower than the hard limit of 60C but too close for my comfort. I'm still waiting on my WB going through custom to put the 6900XT into the loop, but previously when I ran 2080Ti with 5950X and a 360 rad, water temps never get above 45C in 30-32C ambient.

On the other hand, if you're okay with high water temp then go ahead and put the 6900XT in. GPU aircooler are just too damn loud LOL

 

[Teletubby89]

I managed a 240 and a 140 at the rear with great temps , i replied to a build on here maybe consider that ? 240 wont be enough imo.

 

[onmybikedrunk]

So I've switched my mindset around a bit and IF I got for it, I'll be throwing in a 280... Just have to adjust a loop design a bit but that's ok...

 

[thelaughingman]

So I've switched my mindset around a bit and IF I got for it, I'll be throwing in a 280... Just have to adjust a loop design a bit but that's ok...

280 rad should be enough - think Meshlicious. May want to swap the panels around so the mesh ones at top closer to the radiator to help with intakes, and the bottom fan running higher RPM to aid airflow also.

 

[onmybikedrunk]

280 rad should be enough - think Meshlicious. May want to swap the panels around so the mesh ones at top closer to the radiator to help with intakes, and the bottom fan running higher RPM to aid airflow also.

So that's the tricky thing... the 6900 XT (reference) is too long to have the 120 fan at the bottom because I need to shove a DDC pump in that recessed fan area... The 6900 XT extends so far that a pump/res combo won't fit so I have to do a pump seperate from the res... Super annoying. I suppose I could try using one of those little alphacool pumps but I am not a fan of pump noise and they scare me (albeit I have zero experience with them).

I checked out your post you mentioned above btw... build looks great, love how much cooling you were able to squeeze in there. I wish I could just use a friggin' Nvidia card (for more reasons than only the short PCB) but I have to have MacOS on this machine... I'm starting to debate even going for a slightly larger case. I would really love this to work out tho... Any other ideas?

Here is a quick'n'dirty sketch I did when I was planning it all out. Might give you a better idea of where my head's at. Do you think this is a possibility? I don't wanna drop hundreds on water cooling supplies to have it fail... Scary.

 

[thelaughingman]

So that's the tricky thing... the 6900 XT (reference) is too long to have the 120 fan at the bottom because I need to shove a DDC pump in that recessed fan area... The 6900 XT extends so far that a pump/res combo won't fit so I have to do a pump seperate from the res... Super annoying. I suppose I could try using one of those little alphacool pumps but I am not a fan of pump noise and they scare me (albeit I have zero experience with them).

I checked out your post you mentioned above btw... build looks great, love how much cooling you were able to squeeze in there. I wish I could just use a friggin' Nvidia card (for more reasons than only the short PCB) but I have to have MacOS on this machine... I'm starting to debate even going for a slightly larger case. I would really love this to work out tho... Any other ideas?

Here is a quick'n'dirty sketch I did when I was planning it all out. Might give you a better idea of where my head's at. Do you think this is a possibility? I don't wanna drop hundreds on water cooling supplies to have it fail... Scary.

thanks for the sketch! you should measure very carefully the space you have left next to the 6900XT WB - cause if you have 62mm left, you can easily go Bitspower Magic Cube + DDC and then a 50-60mm tube res on top of that and clear out the space at the bottom for the fan.

the other question is how attached you are to the traditional tube res? some other shape res can work there like the EK FLT 80. Or you go with a pump-block combo like Barrow, Aquanaut Extreme or LOBO since the radiator up top can act as a res already if you have additional ports

 

[onmybikedrunk]

thanks for the sketch! you should measure very carefully the space you have left next to the 6900XT WB - cause if you have 62mm left, you can easily go Bitspower Magic Cube + DDC and then a 50-60mm tube res on top of that and clear out the space at the bottom for the fan.

the other question is how attached you are to the traditional tube res? some other shape res can work there like the EK FLT 80. Or you go with a pump-block combo like Barrow, Aquanaut Extreme or LOBO since the radiator up top can act as a res already if you have additional ports

Here yah go, some measurements for yah... This is where I'm at...

The only res fitting in there is a 50mm tube reservoir. I wish I could get an EK FLT 80 in there but it just won't fit unless I'm missing something. One of the bigger problems with the EK FLT 80 is also the port locations... They might be blocked by the GPU itself. The EK Classic Block gives me 47mm depth and because of this I could probably squeeze a 60mm tube in there as the widest part of the tube would be in a place where it wouldn't hit the GPU WB but that's TIGHT.

The problem here is that damn front IO panel which I'm just not ok removing - it takes up 15mm.

I just watched a Optimum Tech video where he did a single 280mm rad in a Meshalicious with a 3080 and a 5950X and his temps were good! I mean, do you think this dude is just full of it for views? Isn't the TDP between a 5950X/3080 similar to a 12700k/6900? Maybe mine's a bit higher... He seems convinced it's a recommendable setup...

I'm starting to think I'll paint the AMD card white and just get an AIO. I've spent days researching, measuring, heeing and hawing over this... I'm starting to get impatient and frustrated haha.

 

[Josu]

Any chance to see it?)