New to water cooling, help me suit up!

[jahjahbinks]

Hi all, so far I am having a lot of fun in overclocking and I have decided to take the cooling one step further with water. I have about $350-400 to spend on a good unit. I understand that to get the best performance you have to buy each piece seperately but pay a premium price, or buy a decent kit. So for my price range what do you guys suggest?

The processor needs to be cooled will probably be 3700 (san diego) or 146 Opteron, (4000 is still kinda expensive). Is it possible to do 3GHz with water?

[Bloody_Sorcerer]

well, it depends. Do you just want to cool the CPU, or do you also want to cool the GPU?
Also, what's your stance on noise? Is absolute silence a need, or can you deal with some noise?
The one part that I will recommend without knowing any of the above is a Swiftech Storm. Hands down the best commercial CPU block.

[jahjahbinks]

That's easy. heh. GPU does not need to be cooled, and I can deal up to 30-35dB of noise.

[Bloody_Sorcerer]

OK then. If you've got the space, an MD (or WMD, 50 bucks less though slightly larger and supposedly hotter (I have a WMD and love it ;) ) 20RLZT is pretty much the best AC pump availible right now. Keep in mind that AC (wall plug) pumps tend to be bigger and less efficient. Keep in mind that bigger doesn't mean better. If you'd rather have a DC pump, there are some new ones down the pipe, such as the AquaXtreme 150Z and 100Z and C-Systems MAY be releasing an "ultimate watercooling pump" of sorts. Currently, the best DC pump is the RD-20 (yes, I'm NOT saying the RD-30.), but it's in the neighborhood of 200 dollars and very hard to find for mere mortals. So, since I can't reccomend that in good conscience (price, availibility), I'll reccomend either one or 2 AquaXtreme 50Zs (if 2, in series). They're compact and powerful, especially when overvolted. While not quite as powerful as the 20RZ, they're much smaller and dump less heat into the loop.
Thermochill is supposed to be releasing their new PA120.X radiators soon (read: tommorrow or early next week) which should be the best rads on the market. Without knowing what they're like, I'd reccomend a PA120.2, but we'll see once they're released.
As for fans... I'd have to reccomend San Ace 120x120x38mm fans without knowing anything about the PA120.X rads. However, at 7volts they're absolutely silent. Very hard to get, but there are some members selling them in the for sale section at very nice prices...
all the mcmaster stuff (in one of maxxx's stickies) is a must for this setup. Clearflex 60 will suit you well; if you have any exceptionally tight bends (plan out your loop beforehand!!!), you might want to buy a foot or 2 of tygon as well.
Without knowing anything about the PA120.X rads, the pump and block will run you 200 dollars. I have absolutely no idea as to what the PA120.X rads will run, and the various mcmaster parts will be around 20 dollars, so the only thing on top of that (220 dollars) is the radiator and fans, both of which I won't be able to speak more of until they're released (unless, of course, Cathar feels like shedding some light upon us)

[HiJon89]

With $350-400 you may want to look into a cheap phase unit such as a Mach 1 or Vapochill PE

[jahjahbinks]

The way I see phase is that it allow you to pump more voltage to the chip which can dramatically shorten the life time of the chip, and you have to deal with condensation and all that.

[Bloody_Sorcerer]

However, for ever 10c you cut off a CPU's operating temp, you double life expectancy (or something like that). If you can stretch to some more than 400 dollars, shoot chilly1 a PM about his custom single-stagers. His units are second to none and insulating them is easy

[jahjahbinks]

You didn't mention anything about waterblock in the other post, so I assume you want me to get Swifttech storm.

[Bloody_Sorcerer]

yeah, it's the best waterblock money can buy right now (not counting the G5 and G7, both of which are virtually impossible to get ;) )

[jahjahbinks]

Why? Why? Why? :D

you mentioned several items that are impossible to get. :stick:

How much of improvement is the setup u mentioned compare to H20-APEX?

[jahjahbinks]

can someone answer my question please? How many degrees drop will I see vs. SI-120?

[k00lance]

Not much difference from g5 to g4.
5-7C lower from air to water.