What is the optimal water cooling setup?
What is the optimal water cooling setup?
Hi, here are some suggestions for your water cooling setup based on the specs you provided.
For cooler temperatures and a stylish look in your tempered glass case, consider these configurations:
1. Pump → GPU Block → 360mm Radiator → CPU → 240mm Radiator → back to Pump
2. Pump → GPU Block → CPU → 360mm Radiator → 240mm Radiator → back to Pump
These routes should help maintain lower temperatures while keeping your build visually appealing.
why two pumps for such a small loop ?
your routing should be the most efficient. it’s likely your pump has an integrated reservoir, so begin at the pump and move toward the nearest component, continuing in that direction.
there’s no variation in cooling between loop orders. you should reduce bends and turns, and avoid going up and down.
I have a comparable configuration (without the second pump). My setup is Res -> Pump -> GPU -> CPU -> Top 360mm -> Front 240mm -> Res.
I run my 7700K OC'd to 4.9GHz, staying under 55°C during stress and around 45°C on the GPU. Note that I'm using all EKWB except for my ACool Pump and an MSI SeaHawk GTX1080.
why two pumps for such a small loop?
your routing should be the most efficient. likely your pump has an integrated reservoir, so begin at the pump and move toward the nearest component, continuing in that direction.
there’s no distinction between cooling order in loop arrangement. you should reduce bends and turns, and avoid going up and down.
why shortest? isn’t more water improving cooling capacity?
Why two pumps for such a small loop?
You should aim for the shortest path. Assume your pump has an integrated reservoir, so begin at the pump and move toward the nearest component, continuing in that direction. There’s no difference in cooling performance based on loop order. You should reduce bends and turns, and avoid going up and down. Why choose the shortest? Isn’t more water better for cooling capacity?
why 2 pumps for such a small loop ? you rout should be the shortest. guess your pump has integrated res, so start from the pump, get to whatever component is closest and keep going. there is no difference for cooling in loop order. you should minimize bends and turns as well as avoid going up and down. why shortest? isnt more water = better cooling capacity ? not always... The quicker the water passes through the rads; the better. so two separate loops for GPU and CPU is better ? or one loop ?
the amount of liquid inside the loop doesn't influence cooling performance. the radiator surface, fans, and liquid flow matter. whether loops are identical or separate is also unimportant as long as your pump can move the liquid quickly enough through the loop. a single loop is usually more compact and works better because it's uncommon in real-life situations to have 100% CPU and 100% GPU usage simultaneously.
notes:
the amount of liquid inside the loop doesn't influence cooling performance. The radiator surface, fans, and liquid flow are more important factors. Whether loops are similar or different matters only if your pump can move the liquid quickly enough through each one. A single loop is usually more compact and works better because it's uncommon in real life to have 100% CPU and 100% GPU load at the same time.
Additionally, the CPU typically draws around 120 watts, while the GPU alone consumes about 250 watts—that's more than double the heat it produces. It seems better not to add extra heat to the CPU in one loop, isn't it? This is my main concern since the CPU handles only half of the GPU's TDP.
Not crucial as long as the radiator has sufficient surface area.
For instance, a typical (copper) 240 rad can dissipate about 200 watts at delta 10 (coolant 10°C above air) under normal noise levels.
In practice, the system will run cooler and quieter with two 240 rads in one loop compared to two loops each with 240 rads.
notes:
- the quantity of liquid inside the loop doesn't influence cooling efficiency
- radiator surface, fans, and liquid movement are more critical factors
- whether loops are identical or separate matters only if your pump can handle the flow quickly enough
- a single loop tends to be more compact and works better since it's uncommon in real-world setups to have full CPU and GPU usage simultaneously
exact details:
- I purchased a higher-flow pump to achieve a more compact loop design (though it's still quite large)
- my temperatures are now lower compared to when I used the XSPC (Photon D5/Res combo) in my old CaseLabs Magnum M8
- that configuration followed Res/Pump -> GPU -> 360mm -> CPU -> 240mm -> Res/Pump
- it was also an un-OC'd build, which added to the performance