i7 8700k AIO cooling at 5Ghz with top fan recommendations for optimal performance.
i7 8700k AIO cooling at 5Ghz with top fan recommendations for optimal performance.
The discussion was not about humor but about learning, since many overlook the essential parts of overclocking and focus only on purchasing more expensive equipment. It’s important to understand what actually works before considering upgrades. If you’re serious about achieving high overclock speeds, you’ll need to experiment and learn what’s required.
I believe the whole conversation is misdirected unless it’s really about your overclocking objectives rather than just wanting a liquid cooler. The main concern should be whether this question addresses real goals or just personal preferences.
The core issue is that people often miss the bigger picture—overclocking isn’t just about coolers or fans, but about skill and proper setup. Many assume that buying a good cooler will solve everything, which isn’t always true.
Additionally, labeling a product as “good liquid cooling” can be misleading, as marketing often exaggerates performance in comparison to high-end solutions.
I'm looking at the i7 8700k and planning to overclock it to a maximum of 5Ghz, but I need low temperatures for that. I'm seeking advice from you all on which AIOs have been used successfully and how they handle high-frequency cooling. I’m considering adding extra fans, possibly push or push-pull designs, and want suggestions on the best AIOs paired with the most suitable fans to improve performance while keeping things quiet.
I prefer the Quiet Silent Loop 280mm, KRAKEN x62 280mm, EVGA CLC 280mm, CORSAIR H115i 280mm. I’m curious which of these AIOs will provide the lowest temps when running at 5Ghz.
I really like the RGB options on the X62 but performance is what counts most. If aesthetics are secondary, I’m open to other choices. My current case is a 5T and only fits a single large AIO at the top.
Fans: I’m fond of the Quiet Dark Wings 3 with high-speed PWM, so I’m thinking about swapping out the default AIO fan for these three units. I’m considering push-pull fans around 120mm or 140mm sizes. I’d appreciate your recommendations to pick the top AIOs and the best fans for this setup, aiming for both better performance and silence.
PS: I don’t like the Noctua fans much—they look so ugly and won’t fit my blue-red-black RGB rig. So please, don’t even mention them...
I’m upgrading from an i7 3700 after a few years, so I expect this new build with the i7 8700k will be upgraded in about 5-6 years. I need the absolute best components for this project.
Honestly, I doubt any of the coolers you listed can reach 5Ghz with the 6-core i7 8700K unless you only overclock one core. It really doesn’t matter how many fans you add to the case—only the ambient cooling will help. Even with a top-notch custom loop, you won’t hit 5Ghz, especially if you’re aiming for that level from someone who’s been pushing at 5Ghz for over four years.
But when I talk about 5Ghz, I mean all cores running at 5Ghz with solid stability. Now, if you want to know exactly what it takes to get the i7 8700K close to 5Ghz, check out the Chilled Water Cooling vs 3.0 link in my profile.
Wow... I just clicked the link and saw cooling options—definitely on the 5GHz side. With a decent AIO, I think 4.8Ghz is achievable, based on tests from people like Tom and Guru3d. Tom even managed a 4.9Ghz setup with an Alphacool Eisbear 420, stress-tested to 90°C. If you’re not stress-testing the CPU but just using it for normal tasks like gaming or light work, you should be fine around 4.8Ghz.
Guys i dont understand you too much..where is the problem? CPU is 4.7ghz im going up to 5ghz...the 280mm AIO should be a just fine maybe i go with 360mm AIO but i ask you the opinion of you guys who are use or used some of this AIOs what i write above and a better fans can give me for AIO better quiet and performance then a stock AIO fans so i ask and the fan opinion....im really good with OC thing and i don't wanna give a lot of money for the custom loop so im going for my PC with AIO and i7 8700k 5ghz strictly for gaming and i have my aye on the x62 kraken and if i get too high temps on 5ghz then my delid tool is going to solve this matter...so if i understand you good 280mm AIO is too weak for 8700k? im going with AIO on the top of case and my case is be quiet! dark base pro 900 so i can put 360mm AIO on top but i need 5.25 bays so im forcing on 280mm AIO....
Power94 is trying to clarify the situation. He explains that his CPU runs at 4.7ghz and he’s considering upgrading to 5ghz. He mentions using a 280mm AIO fan but wonders if a 360mm model would be better. He seeks advice from others who have used similar AIOs, hoping they can recommend quieter and more efficient options than the stock ones. He also notes his preference for an OC setup and is considering a custom loop, but feels it’s not worth spending much on it. He believes a 280mm AIO might be insufficient for his i7 8700k at 5ghz, and he’s leaning toward using a 360mm AIO with a case that supports quiet operation. He shares a link to a comparison of AIO kits and suggests they are often better built and more reliable.
Biglizard shared his thoughts with Power94, expressing confusion about the situation. He mentioned the CPU is running at 4.7ghz and plans to increase it to 5ghz, considering a 280mm AIO as sufficient but possibly opting for a 360mm model instead. He sought opinions from others who have used similar AIOs, hoping they could recommend better fans for quieter performance and better results than the stock ones. Biglizard emphasized his preference for an OC setup and was considering a custom loop rather than spending heavily on a new fan. He also noted that the 280mm AIO might not be ideal for his high-performance build and mentioned his interest in dark base pro 900 for quieter operation. He referenced a link about AIOs but felt the aesthetics of the AIOs wouldn’t match his PC’s look, so he was leaning toward other options. Overall, he was seeking advice on whether the fans would handle the heat at 5ghz and if a custom loop was worth the investment.
Power94:
I don't get it too much... what's the issue? My CPU is at 4.7ghz and I'm planning to go up to 5ghz. The 280mm AIO should work fine, maybe I'll switch to a 360mm one. But I need your thoughts from people who have used these AIOs before. They might have better fan options for quieter performance and better speed than the stock ones. I'm really into overclocking and don't want to spend too much on a custom loop, so I'm sticking with my PC, an i7 8700k at 5ghz, using the X62 Kraken. If I get too hot at 5ghz, my diagnostic tool will help fix it. So if you understand, is a 280mm AIO really suitable for this setup?
I think the Turbo Boost also enhances individual cores, though not necessarily simultaneously, and when more boost is needed it actually reduces the others. It can increase them all as required, but will decrease as threads on unused cores no longer need the enhancement. This is distinct from what 4ryan6 describes, where keeping all cores overclocked continuously for a long time is quite different from the cyclic boosting approach.
This is more of a personal experience anecdote than a suggested answer. I think it will help others who are moving forward to the 8th generation Intel processors.
OS: Windows 10 Pro
I upgraded from an Intel i5 4690K which I overclocked to 4.8GHz. This CPU was installed in an Asus Z97E USB3.1 Motherboard. I had 16GB of Corsair Pro 2400 Vengeance RAM. The case was a NZXT 410 Phantom.
Most importantly in this topic is to emphasize the Closed Loop Liquid Cooler for the CPU. I have been a fan of the Corsair Hydro H60 for 10 years. I purchased one replacement for my previous build 2014. It works beautifully and quietly.
2018 Build: As of February 8th, 2018 I received all my new components and built a new computer. I will list the parts below.
1. i7 8700K
2. Vengeance DDR4 3000 C15 16GB RAM
3. Asus 370E Gaming Motherboard USB3.1
Those three items were purchased brand new from Amazon at very decent prices.
There was no need to buy a new Case//Tower. There was no need to buy a new Power Supply (PSU). There was no need to buy a new CLC CPU Cooler.
Components carried over to the new build.
1. Corsair Hydro H60 CLC
2. Case NZXT 410 Phantom
3. 800 WATT Corsair Modular PSU
After testing the Hydro H60 Cooler at Default BIOS settings for a couple of hours I felt no need to Overclock the System, it really was running well. Note: I did have to make a few changes to the BIOS for it to see the Hydro H60. The Hydro H60 has three pins and rather than buy a four pin adapter I simply experimented with the AIO settings and the CPU Fan settings. I got it to work in relatively short time. Then I backup the BIOS settings.
After two days I decided to push the CPU by using the AI Tweaker in UEFI BIOS. This nice tool overclocks everything but the Video Card to safe limits. I was able to reach 5.2GHz on the processor and 2998MHz on the Memory.
I found that 5.2 was too hot for the Hydro H60 so dropped the overclock to 4.9Ghz. My system to-date is stable, runs my games, does my video production and the CPU rarely hits 75C. As I type this, idle speed is 30C.
Close to 5GHz is plenty of Overclock for me, especially when I do not need to buy a new cooler. I also have a back up Hydro H60 from another build I made for my wife. She decided she wanted a Laptop last year so that nice computer is setting in the closet as a fully functional backup Desktop PC with Windows 10.
I hope my story helps people who are looking for information on the i7 8000 series Processors and if you didn't know this fact yet, you cannot use the 8th generation processors in the Z100 or Z200 series motherboards. You DO need to buy a Z300 series motherboard.
I use Aida64 for system information and the screenie below show the overclock results from using just the AI Tweaker in BIOS. (no manual settings to multipliers or voltages were needed)