Starting in water cooling

[ATMA-WEAPON]

Hi guys

Apologies in advance for the NOOB questions. Very much grateful however for any pointers.
In brief, want to build a new system, with a Z390 motherboard and a Thermaltake P3 case. Main focus is on being quiet (yes, I know the case is not a closed one...). It would only be used to cool the CPU as can't be bothered with messing around to make it also work for my graphics card.
I'm used to aircooling, as well as, on my current system, water cooling (Corsair H80: https://bit-tech.net/reviews/tech/co...-h80-review/1/).

Now (and here come the NOOB questions....) what is better to get with the above (i.e. focus on quiet) on mind?
Is it just the 'water ring' (which really is the same as the Corsair H80 I have now, but with a bigger radiator): https://www.thermaltake.com/Cooling/...360/design.htm
or a pump like here, which also has a radiator and fans: https://www.thermaltake.com/Cooling/...it/design.htm?

What's the advantage of one over the other? What are the basic characteristics? (e.g. 'never get a pump because it's just too loud and really there only for visual effect' or 'get the pump as does better cooling'
Also, what is an AIO (all in one) pump? Should I be insisting on getting a Z390 motherboard with an AIO header therefore?

Have been reading around and also understand that, for example, corrosion is an issue - am not interested in a system that I may have to fix in say three years as don't have the time to mess around, just want it to work.

Many thanks in advance!

If you're looking for cheaper kits to dip your toes in the waters of custom loops then I recommend checking out XSPC's RayStorm D5 kits. They are actually fairly price competitive with a decent AIO cooler setup, but instead of AIO you get everything you need to make a functional custom loop.

Comes with a D5 pump + reservoir combo, tubing, compression fittings, CPU waterblock + mounting hardware and thermal paste, fans, and a thick radiator. If you can't fit the thick radiators in your case, they offer standard size rads as well. Honestly those kits are the best bang for the buck I have seen in the custom loop world and XSPC makes some very high performing waterblocks.

https://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...ead_Water.html

I also highly recommend Koolance LIQ-702 coolant. 1 700ml bottle should fill the entire system but I always get two to be sure. That coolant is a corrosion and bio inhibitor. My last custom loop system ran it for over 5 years without ever changing the coolant. Never had any buildup or performance degradation.


As far as custom loop vs AIO... As others have already stated: AIO's have weak pumps and are very prone to corrosion because of mixed metals and cheap junk coolant that doesn't properly inhibit corrosion or biological growth. The D5 is a proven reliable pump that will handle small to large loops, you can adjust the speed of the pump and it will run pretty quiet. fans you can dial down with a speed controller, or switch out with noctua fans + a speed controller to make the system as silent as possible. The rest will come down to sound deadening inside the case.