Hi Guys,
So I am perplexed as to whether or not to buy an AIO for my shiny new Haswell i5 4770K.
I'm thinking either H100i or Swiftech H220 (leaning to the H220). I was keen as mustard to get one until I started reading horror stories about pumps failing, which made me think that mabey AIO's were more trouble than they are worth.
Has anyone got any experience with these? I really want to hear from you, good or bad as to what I should do.
Cheers !!!
It really depends on your needs. If you like the aesthetics of the AIO units, then go for it.
If you are looking for price to performance, larger air coolers often have the same cooling potential as the larger AIO units. So I would suggest an air cooler.
The clearance inside your chassis might be a deciding factor.
I don't think you'll have too many issues with the pump/radiator exploding. I have heard lots of complaints about noise. Again, noise may be a deciding factor.
You should give us some idea of your needs. e.g silent operation. Small form factor. Overclocking capability. What do you want out of your build?
I guess I really want an AIO for the aesthetics, but I am planning on OCing a little. Mild overclock for every day use.
Noise is defiantly a factor, but I'm looking at a Fractal R4 case at the present so space shouldn't be a problem.
The noise issues with AIO's, is the noise from the pump or the fans?
Thanks for the help.
I bought a $120 AIO, the Silverstone TD02, that performed marginally better, maybe 3 or 4 degrees better, than my old and trusted hyper 212 EVO that I got on sale for $15. Yeah.
It looks better... but the stock fans are louder... it's really expensive... and I just spent $20 sending it back for RMA after a matter of two months because the pump broke.
Before you buy an AIO, think about what you are willing to sacrifice so your build can look a bit better.
Secondly, the fans I got, were loud and obnoxious even at the lowest settings. I need to order new fans because of how bad they sound. This is something that can plague regular Air Coolers, too, but to properly get the full benefit of an AIO you need more air... which makes more noise.