Cooling advice needed...

[Warden]

Ok folks, here's my dilema. I currently have an A64-3200 that will do about 2250 on air. My Radeon 9800-XT is running at 460/395 on the stock cooler. I'm getting a few bucks back for taxes this year and want to get a solid cooling solution in place. I'm considering the following options...

Peltier/Water Cooling set up with Meanwell Powersupply

Vapochill

Prometia

I have also had some PM's with Baker regarding having him build a unit for me.

Here's what I want to accomplish - I'm primarily looking to cool the CPU although if I can cool the GPU as well I will. I'm not looking to break any records here, maybe hit 2500-2600 on the A64. I'd like the system to be fairly quiet and basically self contained. As far as what I can spend it will be in the $500-1000 range I'd say.

Thanks in advance!

Warden

[skate2snow]

Prommy or baker is the best, but if you can have prommy(CPU) and baker (GPU) its the best;)

[Piper]

Unless your going for the records, I would stay with straight water.

Build your system around the Innovatek convection radiator/s.

Look at it like this, any decent water setup will work well and let you OC confortably.

If you build around massive convection instead of smaller Rads with fans, you get the added bonus of a quiet room.

And if you get the itch to push your OC, just drop the rad/rads into so cold freakin water :D

BTW, an RBX or Whitewater is nice.
Play and plan it out and you can do this.

Pump > RBX > two lines out to two Rads > recombine at Reservoir > and single line back to pump.

[Jrocket]

Piper is probably right that water would be enough for you. Or you could go pelt in the future. You could also pm Captian Cascade, he builds some self contained dual evaps for cpu and gpu.
Have fun!

[CrashOv3r1De]

I would not suggest vapor phase change cooling if your not going for any goals especially.

If your just going to play games or do everyday taks then yougo for watercooling. Its neat and silent. You will most likely get 2.5ghz maybe more. Also if you dont run 24/7 it gets annoying to wait for the cold boot. This delays your system start up time anywhere from 1 to 3mins.

[CrashOv3r1De]

However if you must go phasechange I would suggest going with a VapoChill PE or XE.

Since your not going for records a vapochil wouild surpass you needs. A vapochill is small and compact and very portable. perfect for lan partys. Also vapochills are quiet and will fit right on top of your desk. You will be able to get 2.6ish without vmods and 2.7~2.9with vmods. All depends on your chip. A vapochill pe will make little noise also.

Sure a prommy is more powerful and will get colder temps and a 100~200mhz higher overclock. However running a prommy is 2x more expensive on your electric bill. Its like running a 2nd fridge. Also a prommy produces more noise and it is not portable at all. The cooling unit weighs about 40lbs plus the weight of your case and system components. With a prommy you could get a slightly better overclock and better temps but it will cost more, produce more noise and will look uglier if you dont want to spend $00 for lianli mods (case and bottom mod).

Hardcore benchers and power users use prommys and guys who want to accelerate their system to the max without making any sacrifices go with vapochills.

Custom made solutions are of course better but can be more inconvient. Benchers do not care what their work space looks like as long their units are cold. Also custom made solutions do not have intergrated softyware that you can control the unit with and do not offer as good condensation protection or mounting systems. But their the COLDEST solutions available on the market. Baker18, captaincascade, chilly1, gary loyd and bowman1964 are all very reputable and you can trust them. They produce some of the coldest systems available.

As for pricing goes kit-tronics.com is the cheapest prommy reseller and epowerhousepc.com is a cheap vapochill reseller