plan on having it in a fractal node with a push/pull configuration. So which do you guys think is better, a 120 rad that is thicker or 140 rad that is thinner?
Wouldn't go with either, neither are particularly great value. A $30 cooler sits 6 degrees higher, runs quieter and costs less than half the price.
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/922?vs=936
Six degrees is quite a big difference if you ask me... the cooler you keep your components the longer they will live.
A H80i in 'balanced mode' is loud the 212 evo is quieter even at 100% fan speed and god forbid you set the H80i to'performance mode' its sounds like a jet engine!
I have a h90 and it works well, good cooling, good noise, no dramas. A cheap air cooler like the hyper212evo is going to get normally good enough temps, but for a bit more money you get slightly less noise, no weight on your mobo, no mobo component clearance issues and the best bit is it can vent the heat to outside your case. I also found installation the simplest out of any cooler I've done so far and the H90 also feels a very quality unit, thus I'm very happy with my choice and recommend it to anybody willing to spend the money.
Also if you compare the H80i in quiet mode (rather than balanced) to the hyper212evo (as under Assassamilation's link), then you'll see the h80i is getting better temperatures at less noise than the 212, so its just better if you can cough up the money. Personally still would stick to the H90 though, less thickness makes it mount easy, 140mm fan and thinner rad mean its quieter, although despite being bigger it only cools about as well if your willing to crank the h80i's fan-speed (thus noise) up. The H90 is also PWM, so that means it can ramp up only as needed if you stick the fan to the cpu fan socket on your mobo and the pump to a chassis fan socket (to maintain stall alarm in case of pump failure, never heard of it happening but better safe than sorry) and then manually set to 80-100% speed.
Really the carry away if you can cool well enough by sticking a second fan on a hyper212evo, but the H90 is the pick if your spending more money than that.