Watercooler VS Fan/Heatsink
Watercooler VS Fan/Heatsink
I'm preparing my build with an i5-6600k and considering overclocking. Should I choose the Noctua NH-L9i 33.8 CFM or the LEPA AquaChanger 240 103.6 CFM liquid cooler? I understand watercoolers are usually better for OC, but I'm unsure if it's worth it or if a fan cooler would still allow me to reach maximum speeds. If not, what's the highest achievable speed?
Your build looks excellent.
The 14nm skylake model doesn’t require top-notch cooling.
I adjusted my well-binned I5-6600K to 4.8 using a Noctua NH-U12s with just a 120mm fan.
Noctua produces excellent coolers, but I wouldn’t choose a compact downdraft cooler like the L9I when better options exist.
Your case is capable of handling most coolers.
As of 12/04/2016
What percentage can achieve an overclock at a reasonable 1.40v Vcore?
I5-6600K
5.2 <1% delidded
4.9 14%
4.8 38%
4.7 67%
4.6 87%
My take on liquid cooling:
------------------------start of rant-----------
You invest in a liquid cooler to gain an extra performance boost or two from your overclock.
How much do you truly need?
I don’t really like having everything in one liquid...
Here is the rest of your build details.
PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/hKCtkT
Cost breakdown by seller: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/hKCtkT/by_merchant/
CPU: Intel Core i5-6600K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor ($229.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9i 33.8 CFM CPU Cooler ($37.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock Z170 Pro4 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($99.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Memory: Avexir Core Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory ($69.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($79.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Video Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB WINDFORCE OC 6G Video Card ($249.99 @ Jet)
Case: Deepcool KENDOMEN Red ATX Mid Tower Case ($47.99 @ Newegg)
Overall Total: $815.93
Prices cover shipping, taxes, and any available discounts
Created by PCPartPicker on 2017-01-02 14:28 EST-0500
Your build is excellent.
The 14nm skylake model doesn’t require extraordinary cooling.
I adjusted my well-binned I5-6600K to 4.8 using a Noctua NH-U12s fan that only has a 120mm fan.
Noctua produces quality coolers, but I wouldn’t choose a compact downdraft cooler like the L9I when better alternatives exist.
Your case is capable of handling most types of coolers.
As of 12/04/2016
What percentage can achieve an overclock with a reasonably stable 1.40v Vcore?
I5-6600K
5.2 <1% delidded
4.9 14%
4.8 38%
4.7 67%
4.6 87%
My thoughts on liquid cooling: