For my new PC, I’m currently torn between these three AIO-CLCs:
According to GamersNexus’ review the Arctic is the best and I would go for that one, but it has only 2y warranty.
The NZXT has a whopping 6y which seems like they qre more confident in their product than Arctic. The downside is that it is more expensive and in order to configure the fan I need CAM, which is proprietary software.
Another option could be the EK one, which has 5y and I would need zo research if it can be controlled easily.
GN vids:
P.S.: I have made up my mind and I do want to use a CLC and not a conventional air cooler.
Well, I would say something else…
Nevermind the warranty. I would say the fans are what make the difference.
In my case I just replaced the garbage fans my Cooler Master 240 AIO comes with and bam - 2C drop momentarily at 30% fanspeed.
Those reviews and menchmarks do test AIOs on open test benches and you don’t have the same airflow and stuff in an actual case. In a case you don’t always get fresh air, you may be starved for air and some fans may do better job than others in that situation, but in open test bench you don’t care…
Anyways, my point is pick whatever makes you feel most secure and then just put Arctic fans on it. I am an arctic fanboy so if it was up to me I would get their AIO, but I understand your concern and that’s why I have a 7years warranty PSU. Knowing their fans and monitor arms I wouldn’t worry all that much about their AIOs, but it’s really up to you.
Or you can connect the fans to the motherboard and use the board fan curves…
Partially (or to a high amount) true of course, which holds even more when you compare Asatek CLC to Asatek CLC. However, the three CLCs linked above use different pump designs. Arcitic and EK have custom pump designs and the Kraken uses Asatek.
Regarding fans, afaik the best ones for radiators are the ones from Noctua, aren’t they?
Shouldn’t the reviews still be comparable to each other? Sure, the temperatures won’t be the same, but the difference in temperature should stay.
Thx! I have never had any product of Arcitic, so it’s difficult to say for me. Personally, I would love to use Arctic this time, but I’m wondering why they didn’t increase the warranty on their product or why they set it that low. There must be a reason for it. (Although this reason might not even be related to durability but to something entirely different.)
That’s true
I think GN recommends something like using CAM to configure it once and then disconnect it again
Yes and no…
Noctuas are 20€ where I live. Arctics are 5. Yes, they are not as great as noctuas, but they come damn close (and I mean really close, there are a lot of videos about how good the P12 fans from Arctic are) for fraction of the price. And they game the 10y fan warranty…
I am not really sure if the GN benchmarks are in an actual case or open air test bench. But if the tests are open air - they aren’t representing the real world in case situation.
I guess so. Asatek and EK are well known names in water-cooling, so they know what they are doing well in that area. My guess is Arctic just entering the AIO market doesn’t want to risk long warranty because it’s still new and unsure of it’s capabilities. IDK, I’m guessing now.
I think you need CAM for the pump led RGB garbage…
My point still stands… Get whatever makes you feel most secure or fits your build best and add good fans to it. Although I think all 3 of those have pretty good fans. NZXT doesn’t use those jet engine fans it used in their early generations AIOs, EK ships with Vardar fans that are very well regarded and Arctic pretty much is the budget Noctua alternative…
Another positive thing for the Arctic cooler is that it’s rather big. Therefore, it takes quite a while to heat up in the first place.
Yeah, I will do that.
I will probably keep the fans as they are since you’ve also pointed out that all of them are good fans. In the end we are talking about a difference of 2-3°C, which isn’t that much to be honest.
Currently I feel like I’m moving in circles. I sort-of made up my mind to go with the EK AIO once it is available again and in order to reaffirm my position I re-watched EK’s tear-down as well as Arctic’s tear-down.
The I noticed the gunk Steve points out as well as the ease of which he was able to unconnect the tubes, which could lead to leakage. Now, I’m wondering again if EK is the most sensible choice and if Arctic, or NZXT would be better…
Well, IIRC this is the second or third gen EK AIO. The first one was a disaster. Leaks and failures and what not. They claim to have learned their lessons which is hilarious for a purely water cooling company to make an awful water cooler after years and years of experience. But still…
If you are set on an AIO, and the warranty is really that worrying to you, I would go NZXT. At least they have their reputation…
That one I need to figure out for myself now. I thought I dodged this bullet, when I “decided” to go with EK until I noticed the mentioned issues. Now, I need to figure out how important this warranty is for me.
What would help me would be to know if the following statements/assumptions are correct:
Most warranty related problems happen in the first two years, i.e. fan and pump failure
Leakage is another issue that occurs early on
What can happen to a CLC after 2+ onward and usually around 5-6y is permeation. This of course would lead to pump failure, but not to leakage or something like that.
Hence, extended warranty usually protects users against early permeation and not against catastrophic failure.
Yeah, I mean I didn’t expect either of them to say something like: Yea, our product sucks, don’t buy it!
But Arctic’s response sounds a tick more reasonable. Also, Arctic didn’t low-level flame me
Keep in mind I’m an Arctic fanboy so I will always sway you that way.
Honestly keeping in mind how many positive reviews there are for it you shouldn’t really have any issues with it.
Also, when you get it I’m waiting for review.
What size you getting? There is 420 one now… They just released it.
I think beQuiet! had some refillable ones. At least my silent loop which I exchanged for Kraken x62 was refillable. But I can’t remember any review by Wendell, nor Steve…
@psycho_666 I’m getting the 360 one. I noticed the 420 but it wouldn’t fit in my Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL. Would have been awesome though
