AiO Water Cooler or Air Cooling for small build.

[Robb1]

Hi!

I`ve just bought a SilverStone Sugo SG-13 case with mesh front, and this is my first small build, and also my first post on this super awesome forum!

Now I`m really wondering if I should go for a Deepcool Gamer Storm Captain 120EX (Rated
Best Single 120mm Closed-Loop Liquid CPU Cooler by Tom`s hardware) or a good Noctua 120mm fan in front and a low profile CPU cooler like the Noctua NH-L9i.

As some of you know, AiO water cooling is not always the best solution regarding temperature, as many thinks. But in this case where the Sugo SG-13 only have 1 fan-slot, will water cooling be the better choice? I`m choosing a SFX PSU over an ATX just to get more room for airflow, good or not?


This is the hardware I`ve been thinking of putting in the case:

- Intel Core i5 7600k
- Gigabyte GA-Z270N-WIFI
- Corsair SF450 450W
- Asus GeForce GTX 1060 Dual OC 6GB
- Corsair Vengeance LPX Black DDR4 16GB
- Some sort of cooling!?


Any advice for a noob?

 

[SeñorDonut]

Depends on your budget

 

[Robb1]

Depends on your budget

What depends on my budget? It stands between those two solutions that I mentioned in the original post, so the budget is around that.

 

[3lfk1ng]

First of all, welcome!

If you haven't seen it already, EK's new kit ($149.99) is pretty damn slick. They just announced it at Computex so it might be worth considering especially since it's designed with SFF in mind.

https://www.ekfluidgaming.com/ek-kit-a120

 

[Robb1]

First of all, welcome!

If you haven't seen it already, EK's new kit ($149.99) is pretty damn slick. They just announced it at Computex so it might be worth considering especially since it's designed with SFF in mind.

https://www.ekfluidgaming.com/ek-kit-a120

Thank's a lot for the feedback.

So just to be clear, this is the same type of product like the aio cooler I mentioned in my original post? Just a new, more fitted and maybe better product, not something ground breaking, right?

I will definitely look at this, as it looked really nice and clean. Only problem is that I doubt it will be in any webshop here in Norway anytime soon.

 

[Karamazovmm]

Actually that kit needs assembly.

But it's fairly easy there is a review already at guru3d about it and the it's extremely efficient

 

[3lfk1ng]

Yea, like Karamazovmm said, with these kits you will have assemble it yourself. This helps to ensure that the length of the tubing is near-perfect length in your case, instead of one size fits all. The tubing they are using is also really great for tight bends, something the other AOI systems (esp Corsair) aren't capable of. Personally I enjoy setting up liquid cooling loops but even if you don't, or perhaps you have no experience, it's not as difficult as it sounds. Better yet, this setup will outperform the competition and the pump will last a lot longer.

Better still, with these options for EKWB, you gain the ability to swap out the CPU waterblock and/or buy an optional mounting bracket when/if you change socket types. Even better, you can expand the loop to cool other components, such as your GPU, or swap out the 120mm radiator for a 140mm/240mm/280mm etc etc.

 

[Boil]

First of all, welcome!

If you haven't seen it already, EK's new kit ($149.99) is pretty damn slick. They just announced it at Computex so it might be worth considering especially since it's designed with SFF in mind.

https://www.ekfluidgaming.com/ek-kit-a120

Okay, these kits are cool, but where are the EK-MLC products...?!?

MLC = Modular Liquid Cooling

These would be the replacements for the EOL Predator line-up...

EK stated these would be available on Spring 2017, we are in Summer 2017 now...

The thing that I like is that they stated they were gonna offer the radiator / pump / reservoir combo(s) by themselves; no CPU block attached...

This would allow for independent loops for both the CPU & the GPU, each component controlling its own cooling system...

 

[Biowarejak]

The one thing to be cautious of is that those EK kits are aluminum based.

 

[3lfk1ng]

As long as the copper is nickle plated (which it all is unless you specifically order something made of pure copper), it won't be an issue.

 

[K888D]

I have no experience with custom water loops but this has got my interest! How do you mount the reservoir?

 

[3lfk1ng]

All sorts of creative ways, either by 120/140mm fan mounting brackets, custom case brackets, or a few well drilled holes. As long as the orientation allows the pump to suck in water (not air), any location will do.
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[Robb1]

Well, it turns out I was right. No webshop will sell this in the nearest future here where I live. So to import it, it will cost me about 200 usd. And that would be too much I'm afraid. Especially compered to other cooling solutions that works almost the same, which I can buy here and not have to pay shipping and import fees.

 

[Karamazovmm]

For me the one thing that is missing is a low profile reservoir.

We have the low profile one made specially for the n1, however I want it smaller.

Well, it turns out I was right. No webshop will sell this in the nearest future here where I live. So to import it, it will cost me about 200 usd. And that would be too much I'm afraid. Especially compered to other cooling solutions that works almost the same, which I can buy here and not have to pay shipping and import fees.

Damn.

I would them go for the AIO, and put the fan to blow air into the case and position your PSU to exhaust the hot air out of it.

 

[wywywywy]

To get back to topic and answer OP's question.

I have two SG13, one with AIO water cooling, one with an air cooler.

I have tried Scythe Shuriken, Scythe Big Shuriken, and the Noctua NH-L9x65 as the air cooler. I have the Corsair H55 as the AIO. Both use the 120mm Noctua Redux as the front intake. Both are with the Silverstone SX500-LG SFX-L PSU with fan facing up.

In short - the AIO is vastly superior to the air cooler, in terms of both noise and temp. I also used the Noctua low-noise adapter cable on the pump, so that the pump noise remains very very low.

BUT!!! The Deepcool has a very tall pump and will not fit the SG13. So just go with a standard Asetek-made one.

Also another note, a push-pull configuration further improves the noise and temp, by quite a significant margin.

 

[wywywywy]

And no the EK kit won't fit the SG13 at all. Come on guys let's not distract OP like that.

EDIT - Oh yea OP, please don't forget to get a Silverstone PP08 bracket.

 

[Karamazovmm]

And no the EK kit won't fit the SG13 at all. Come on guys let's not distract OP like that.

EDIT - Oh yea OP, please don't forget to get a Silverstone PP08 bracket.

Why it wouldn't fit? It's 160x 120x 30mm

I know there is the reservoir, and that may be the very tight part

 

[wywywywy]

This is the inside of a SG13.

It is not possible to mount that pump/res. Obviously if you do a huge amount of modding as well as using special components (e.g. external AC adapter) then anything is possible. But in general, it's a no.

Also it's not OP's question

 

[Karamazovmm]

There are 2 radiators in that build that you showed.

The reservoir should fit there and it should be tight.

This is concerning the op, given that one of the issues with fitting and AIO in such a small case is the length of the tubing, and the cable mess, given that s/he is using a SFX and not a SFXL psu there would be even more space.

It would be even more awesome if custom cabling would be used, it would provide even more space and a cleaner build.

 

[3lfk1ng]

Around these parts, we are not of the mindset that, "it won't fit".

It will definitely fit, in some cases it just takes some creativity.