Should I Liquid Cool?

[Phyraan]

I'm currently running an i7-3770k, 16gb ram, and a gtx 960. My room always gets extremely hot during the summer due to my computer and it is not possible for me to install an air conditioner in my window. I read online that liquid cooling can keep your system MUCH cooler. Currently my CPU runs about 70 Celsius and my gpu runs at about 80 Celsius. My room is constantly around 80-85 Fahrenheit during the summer and it's just unbearable.

Would liquid cooling my system be worth it and lower the temperature in my room? If so what cooling systems would you suggest?

[Kagthul]

Without knowing what case you have and what your fan and CPU cooler setups already are, its really hard to say for certain. For the most part, the "All-In-One" liquid coolers arent really much better than good air coolers, but a custom loop system *can* deliver substantially lower temps... But they require a decent amout of know how and a lot of work to set up.

Its likely addding a good air cooler and re-arranging/adding to/upgrading your case fan setup will do what you need. My office regularly hits the mid 80s (F) and my system (crammed into the EVGA Hadron Air mITX case) remains in the 50-60(C) range even under full load (Aida64 Stress Testing)

Also, id suggest getting a window fan (not an AC unit) and set it up so it is blowing OUT of your room. Itll help circulate te hot air out.

[Lathais]

I'm currently running an i7-3770k, 16gb ram, and a gtx 960. My room always gets extremely hot during the summer due to my computer and it is not possible for me to install an air conditioner in my window. I read online that liquid cooling can keep your system MUCH cooler. Currently my CPU runs about 70 Celsius and my gpu runs at about 80 Celsius. My room is constantly around 80-85 Fahrenheit during the summer and it's just unbearable.

Would liquid cooling my system be worth it and lower the temperature in my room? If so what cooling systems would you suggest?

A good custom loop can keep your system cooler, but it's taking that heat and putting it into your room, so if anything, it will just make your room hotter. As long as your CPU/GPU temps are within safe levels, which it looks like they are, I wouldn't change anything.

[Skalm]

As others have said, a custom loop will keep your components cooler (closer to the ambient temperature, depending on your radiator setup and such) but all that heat will dump right into your room.

If you do not vent this heat out, eventually you will get to the same point you are at on air cooling.

Basically you will heat the water (with CPU/GPU), which heats the radiator (radiator pulls heat out of the water), which heats the air (air pulls heat out of radiator). So, as your air gets hotter, and you do not vent it out of the room (replace it with cooler air) then you will begin to move warmer air across the radiator. This will cause less heat to get pulled from the radiator, which means less is pulled from the water. Which then causes warmer water to go through the loop, so the next pass it is even hotter at the radiator.

[Deleted]

just so people understand the temps, Your Room is at 26°C - 29°C

the lowest your CPU will get with a custom loop is the same as your room temp. In this case 26°C - 29°C.
I try to keep my room around the 18°C - 20°C temperature range and when idle my CPU temp is around is around 8-10°C higher, rising to around 40°C when gaming.



as for you doing watercooling, you have to make that decision for yourself, for me it is a no brainer as I had been using a watercooling solution of some description since the days of the astek waterchill kits from the early 2000's. If you do decide to do do a watercooled solution, then there are two things you absolutely must do.

1 - research. do lots and lots of reading, watching videos, and looking closely at pictures of peoples rigs and loops. pay close attention on how then set things up, and never be afraid to ask questions.

2 - Most important of all, do not under any circumstance buy cheap inferior components for your loop. you are dealing with liquid inside of your computer that you have probably spent several hundreds of dollars so you don't want to risk damaging it with cheap, badly fitting parts.

Custom watercooling is not some sort of dark art as some people would have you think it is, yes it can get complex if you let it, but if you are comfortable with fitting a custom air cooler, then fitting a CPU block is a simple process, fitting a block to your GPU is slightly more difficult as you have to remove the current cooler and make sure you have the correct block for your gpu board.

[Aurimas]

What everyone else said. All coolers are just moving the heat from one environment (the case) to the another environment (your room). (and adding a little heat in the process)

Hell, even an air-conditioner does that. That's why the hot part is outside. Those finicky laws of physics.

Now, if you could water cool and figure out some way to get the radiator outside of your room... that's something you could do with water that you couldn't do with air. (I'm being mostly sarcastic, though I suppose it's technically possible)

[Remilia]

Would liquid cooling my system be worth it and lower the temperature in my room? If so what cooling systems would you suggest?

As others mention, if you custom loop you'd actually be dumping more heat into your room (I guess is the right way to put it). It's better to find a way to vent your room with some cool air than to do a custom loop (and it's cheaper).

Now, if you could water cool and figure out some way to get the radiator outside of your room... that's something you could do with water that you couldn't do with air. (I'm being mostly sarcastic, though I suppose it's technically possible)

I get the feeling someone has done that before.

[Aurimas]

I get the feeling someone has done that before.

Not me... but I had that same thought. Was almost tempted to google for pictures. I'm sure somone has

[mrgreenthump]

Not me... but I had that same thought. Was almost tempted to google for pictures. I'm sure somone has

Ofc they have.. It's a pretty good option if you have it available as it keeps your room cool while still having the comp inside it. But mostly it's too much hazzle for what it is worth.

[teddytous]

Now... if your PC can be put near the window... you could put the radiator outside. Now were talking about something.

[Remilia]

Now... if your PC can be put near the window... you could put the radiator outside. Now were talking about something.

As the bird that flys by and craps on it. >.>
Well, that's what the birds around here do to the window next to me. Fly by crap attacks.

[teddytous]

As the bird that flys by and craps on it. >.>
Well, that's what the birds around here do to the window next to me. Fly by crap attacks.

Well you'd obviously give it a hat.

[lockblock]

You could always put the desktop in another room and use a Steam link or other low powered system with Steam in home streaming. Yes it's not the most ideal solution especially if you have a shitty wifi connection and/or have non steam games that use launchers. Obviously there is other downsides but it may be worth checking out. One other thing I found makes a difference is having a led backlit screen dumps way less waste heat into the air vs ccfl. Lastly if you have a screen with built in speakers that would be the time to use them over speakers that has a dedicated amplifier.

[Lathais]

What everyone else said. All coolers are just moving the heat from one environment (the case) to the another environment (your room). (and adding a little heat in the process)

Hell, even an air-conditioner does that. That's why the hot part is outside. Those finicky laws of physics.

Now, if you could water cool and figure out some way to get the radiator outside of your room... that's something you could do with water that you couldn't do with air. (I'm being mostly sarcastic, though I suppose it's technically possible)

I actually know a guy who did this. He built an enclosure outside his home for his radiator then drilled holes through his wall for the tubing. He added additional fans to the enclosure, intake on bottom and exhaust on top, to keep air moving across the radiator. The things you can do with custom loops is pretty amazing.

[roent]

Former water cooler (about 15 yrs ago, back when there were few commercially sealed solutions).

The more efficient the cooler, the closer you get to ambient temperature, which is what you're ultimately bound to unless you're willing to use a refrigerant method (LN, peltier - but then you need to worry about condensation). Even if you dump your heat somewhere cooler (basement), that cooler water may cause condensation depending on your computer room's ambient temperature.

I gave up on watercooling because fan units have gotten so much more efficient (materials, heat pipes, huge radiators & fans). Even today I think it's rarely worth the extra efficiency given price & complexity.

One of the more creative solutions I saw back in the day was the water tank in the toilet. Flushing the toilet provided a new supply of cold water. Granted, it's tap water, so you're stuck with sediment / electrolytes (galvanic corrosion), but it was a neat idea.

[the boar]

your computer is gonna kick out heat, improving your cpu cooling is just kicking out that heat quicker. as others have said. forget your pc if it is running fine.

buy a fan, the tower ones that rotate a bit are good. open the window. put the fan by the window so it is sucking fresher air in and circulating it around the room.

my old bedroom used to get super hot for whatever reason, fan by the window was good. also sleeping during the day and being awake through the night is another good solution if you really cannot stand the heat... if you can sleep through it.