liquid cool CPU vs GPU???
liquid cool CPU vs GPU???
I just purchased a Corsair H55 and have an i7-4790k with a stock cooler, plus a pny GTX 980 Ti in a NZXT H440. I'm wondering if it's better to liquid cool the CPU or GPU for overclocking, as this could help boost performance more.
Hamda is clarifying that AiO's are not open loop watercooling, and the H55 is merely a standard 120mm cooler. He suggests this won't significantly boost performance for your GPU. He also mentions attaching an extra 120mm fan to the H55 and notes that both options will provide some improvement, though not much. He advises checking VRM and cooling solutions like Kraken G10 or heatsinks.
the gpus, the gpus have the highest performance in gaming and so proper cooling and overclocking will enable the best results during the games.
I want to point out that AiO's are not open loop watercooling, and the H55 is just a standard 120mm cooler, so I wouldn't expect it to handle much for your GPU. You might get some extra performance, but you'll need to ensure the VRM's and memory stay cool too.
I want to mention that AiO's aren't open loop watercooling and the H55 is just a standard 120mm cooler, so I wouldn't think it would handle much more for your GPU. So... using it with the i7-4790k would give me better performance through overclocking? I've attached another 120mm fan to the H55.
Hamda would like to clarify that AiO's aren't open loop watercooling, and the H55 is just a standard 120mm cooler, so it shouldn't perform exceptionally for your GPU. Putting it on the i7-4790k might actually boost performance through overclocking? I've attached a second 120mm fan to the H55. You'll likely get a bit more from either option, but don't expect huge gains. The GPU will still offer better gaming performance, though you should ensure the VRM and memory stay cool. Kraken G10 and some heatsinks are recommended.
Spectre694 :
Hamda :
I want to mention that AiO's aren't open loop water cooling, and the H55 is just a standard 120mm cooler, so I wouldn't think it would help much for your GPU. So... using it with the i7-4790k would give me more performance if I overclock? I've attached another 120mm fan to the H55. You'll get a bit more from either option, but don't expect huge gains. The GPU will still offer better gaming performance, just make sure the VRM's and memory stay cool. Kraken G10 and some heatsinks would help. Or should I just use the H55 with the i7 and overclock it? It's an Intel stock cooler, and you can also try overclocking the 980 Ti with a reference cooler?
Hamda is clarifying that AiO's are not open loop watercooling, and the H55 is just a standard 120mm cooler, so it shouldn't perform exceptionally for your GPU. He suggests considering overclocking with the i7-4790k and attaching an extra 120mm fan to the H55. He also mentions using a Kraken G10 and heatsinks for better gaming performance, or simply using the H55 with the i7 and overclocking the 980 Ti with a reference cooler. He advises testing the setup yourself.
Just because you use water cooling doesn’t guarantee uniform performance. Pump efficiency and radiator dimensions are key factors in determining the overall Delta-t for the parts being cooled. Also, consider this: using a 240 rad loop to cool a stock CPU should work well. However, adding an extra GPU, overclocking the CPU, and keeping only the 240 radiator will limit the benefits of water cooling. This setup won’t compensate for insufficient radiator capacity or inadequate flow rates. Testing showed the Corsair H110i GTX achieved minimal coolant movement—around a liter per minute—making it far less effective than a properly configured liquid loop with higher flow rates.
Just using water or liquid cooling doesn't guarantee uniform results. Pump efficiency and radiator dimensions are key factors in determining the optimal Delta-t for the parts being cooled. Also, this approach:
A 240 rad loop handling a stock CPU should perform well.
Introducing an extra GPU, overclocking the CPU, but keeping only the 240 radiator will reduce the benefits of water cooling.
In this case, your GPU may cool slightly better than a standard air cooler, but relying solely on a radiator isn't sufficient for the components you wish to cool. It doesn't address flow rate or fan usage at all. During testing with the Corsair H110i GTX, the flow rate was minimal—just under 1 liter per minute. Compared to a DDC or D5 pump that can move 1–1.5 gallons per minute in a similar loop setup, this is insufficient.
Correctly, I plan to use liquid cooling for the 980 Ti and 4790K with a custom loop (240mm + 140mm radiator) in the future. Right now, I have an H55 with dual fans, so overclocking the CPU with the H55 or using it on the GPU with Kraken G10 plus heatsinks for VRM, memory, and the Intel stock cooler on the 4790K would be ideal. My goal is to achieve top gaming performance.