Buy AIO gpu or custom water loop

[timpeh82]

still planning for:
plan A
buy MSI GTX 1080 seahawk [only gpu is water cooled, vram etc is air cooled]
Plan B
buy gigabtye gtx waterforce 1080 [full water AIO, no local warranty]
Plan C
custom water loop, currently holding on gtx 1080 Founder editions
but casing is only corsair 400c
need big space for corsair h115i, 280 radiator.
limited space for custom water loop
loop just for gpu, not keen to sell my new h115i to be lowballed
which is the best option?
any advise from experts here??

 

[dreadknight]

Limited space, and just gpu, get either msi or gigabyte solution

Custom loops don't justify the cost and hassle.
Even though I cool just my cpu on custom loop, I don't see a need to wc the gpu. My games and apps are more cpu bound

As for which is better, I'll say a fully aio cooled will be better for overall stability and silence,

But I'm sure msi solution isn't far off either
Sent from Sent from Dark Matter Universe using Human souls using GAGT

 

[timpeh82]

Anymore tips from other experts?

 

[XcoldstarX]

What is your budget? You have to understand that custom liquid cooling is a rather expensive affair. And what do you wish to achieve? Overclocking capabilities? Nice aesthetics? As a custom wc user myself. I went the route of custom wc for noise control and mainly, aesthetics.

 

[timpeh82]

What is your budget? You have to understand that custom liquid cooling is a rather expensive affair. And what do you wish to achieve? Overclocking capabilities? Nice aesthetics? As a custom wc user myself. I went the route of custom wc for noise control and mainly, aesthetics.

Less than $1k.
Just gpu cooling
Purpose: avoid 71-80 degree temp, seeing cpu temp at 41-43, yet gpu at 70-72 sucks
Might go hybrid to save trouble, but just 120 radiator, temp might not go 40-45 for gaming

 

[XcoldstarX]

Less than $1k.
Just gpu cooling
Purpose: avoid 71-80 degree temp, seeing cpu temp at 41-43, yet gpu at 70-72 sucks
Might go hybrid to save trouble, but just 120 radiator, temp might not go 40-45 for gaming

How about you take a photo of your casing with side panel on and side panel off?

If the radiator placement not good, or even worse, casing placement not good, even custom liquid cooling cannot save you.

I saw photos of the 400C casing and honestly, I don't recommend going liquid cooling with this case.

 

[Donten]

if you go custom, 240 rad enough. 1 block 1 120 enough to cool. if wc graphic card, temp will be very good(60~ max).

 

[royfrosty]

Actually saying a GPU a 70ish degree is bad, then going custom can be around 60ish degree. Is it worth that money paid for that increase in cooling capacity? May be you can answer that for yourself.

But overall what certainly you can get is the quiet nature of it. More heat is being dumped out of the chassis as radiators are placed somewhere rather near to the exits of the chassis.

On top of that you get a overall solid aesthetics of it. So if you are into all this then i would say go for it.

Go into hybrid solution, imho sux. Things like GPU core being cooled only, and the vrms, and vram area being passively cooled, it may not be that great after all.

I did go into hybrid 290 before. Cores may be cool, but vrms are hot. 90ish degC sometimes peaked till 102degC.

So imho, if you ever consider to even buy a AIO and buy the adapter to mount the AIO to the GPU cores, then i urge you to reconsider, and also rather go the proper custom water cooling.

 

[Crimson_FURY]

Nowdays there are AIO GPUs with full coverage blocks like the gigabyte waterforce 1080. Just get something like that instead of bothering with a custom loop

 

[ExArchz]

Alternative solution is: EK gtx 1080 have an option to pre filled the block to be added into EK predator AIO cooler. So if u have an EK AIO cooler, this is another option

 

[trento]

AIO GPU cooler/hybrid pre built has the least hassle. The manufacturer will ensure all components incl vrm vram are adequately cooled. So Plan A or B sounds ok. Not sure why B has no warranty though unless u mean local distro don't sell this.

Custom water loop requires more effort and it's costly.

The other option as Roy mentioned is custom hybrid. It's the cheapest option but u have to know your gpu's component placements. The 290 was problematic as the vrm is placed on 2 extreme ends. So with only a single fan, the other end vrm usually has high temps. Most ppl will just place vrm heatsinks. It will help limit the high temps.

Nowadays, since manufacturers make hybrids, might as well save the trouble and buy off the shelf. The custom loop is an enthusiast thing and u won't find significant temp improvements over a hybrid. Added to that, u gotta spend time to maintain the liquid, take out the tubes once awhile. Def not a buy and forget thing!. To each his own. If u like that sort of thing and the budget works out, go ahead. A hybrid will give u more than enough temp improvements.