Watercooling Setups - Advice and pics here

[ryanrich]

Haha, yup! It's a really great review, and has some great tips for spreading the paste depending on your heatsink and other factors...

[Mystical_Titan]

Wow... I see it took them 16 months to do this! Insane!

[Mystical_Titan]

Man, this is insanely interesting! Many thanks for this article!

[Mystical_Titan]

Phew... finally done reading!

Very much interesting!

[Mystical_Titan]

@ ryanrich - Where did you get your Danger Den supplies?

[ryanrich]

Haha glad you liked the article, that site is really cool, some good stuff!

Got all my DD stuff from their online store (www.dangerden.com). Prices were all good except for the damned R700 I had to pay for customs when collecting...

[Mystical_Titan]

Ah... yeah, that's always a bummer. Thanks for the info. Read an article on Guru 3D where they water-cooled the GTX 480 with a Danger Den cooler. The load temps went from 95 to 49!

http://www.guru3d.com/article/geforce-g ... en-review/

Then they OCed the crap out of it. Water-cooling makes the 480 worthwhile, but then it becomes very pricey...

[ryanrich]

Yeah that's one of the reasons I didn't WC my GPU at this stage, the water blocks for GPU's are insanely expensive. I will definitely do my next GPU though, which will probably be the next series after the 400's.

[Mystical_Titan]

How much did your Danger Den stuff cost you?

[ryanrich]

The pump, radiator, tubing, clamps, barbs, reservoir and some other odds and ends game to R2300 (+ R700 for customs %&%^&^@#$%#) and my Swiftech CPU block was around R1100.

[Mystical_Titan]

Dang... pricey...

[Mystical_Titan]

Why was the customs amount so much? Don't they work it at a certain percentage of the package's value?

[DAE_JA_VOO]

Why was the customs amount so much? Don't they work it at a certain percentage of the package's value?

Customs is 15.4% on that stuff, so Ryan must've ordered a fair amount of stuff

[Mystical_Titan]

Yeah, but 15.4 % on R 2,300 works out to about R 350.

[DAE_JA_VOO]

Aah, I didn't see that total. my bad. Hmmm... interesting. I've never had to pay a percentage like that for customs. Always paid either nothing, or 15.4%.

[Mystical_Titan]

If you add the Swiftech block, the amount should have been N$ 525. Like you said, strange...

[ryanrich]

I bought the Swiftech block locally from Landmark, so it was only for the DD stuff, which totaled:

Subtotal: $232.29
Reward Points Discount: $0.00
Shipping cost: $75.50

Total: $307.79

[ryanrich]

On another note, I'm not getting the kind of airflow I want out of my current chassis which is going to cause isues if (when?) I upgrade to a Fermi card or the next gen release, so I'll be using it for another system and transferring my main WC rig to a Cooler Master HAF X as soon as it's available locally...

[Mystical_Titan]

Man, the HAF X is one UGLY case...

You paid import duties on the shipping? Man, what a load of CRAP!

[ryanrich]

UGLY?! Are you MAD sir?!

That's one of the nicest cases I've seen in ages. I initially looked at the Lian-Li case that Ett is using for the NAG build, and while it's a case with fantastic build quality, I won't spend the money they want considering it gives you nothing out of the ordinary... HAF X is the only case that really stand out to me. I'm still considering the Storm Series - Sniper case, but the X has just about won it.

Yeah I'm not sure what they charged me for exactly, but I was already gatvol that day and just wanted my kit without arguing so I paid it and moved on.

All I know is that I'm happy I went with a proper custom built solution. Apart from the satisfaction you get from building your own proper WC rig, you know it's quality stuff and will perform extremely well. I initially considered just going with a Corsair H50 or some such prebuilt solution, but after following and asking for advice from the old school watercooling guys (Ett being one), I decided the best way was a proper kit, and now I can't see myself building another system without it. The performance of a well built WC solution is really astonishing compared to high end air cooling or pre-built WC options... I first started WC in about 2004/5 with some Koolance stuff, when WC was still new in SA. Ett will remember Arthur, who helped me get started. Since then though you just build and build and see the potential of the stuff. It does get expensive though, but once you're hooked, heaven help you because you'll want to WC everything...

[DAE_JA_VOO]

UGLY?! Are you MAD sir?!

That's one of the nicest cases I've seen in ages.

Sorry Ryan, I'm with MT on this one Those HAF cases are... an acquired taste If that's the nicest case you've seen in ages, you need to start following Lian-Li on twitter or something Put a permanent "Lian-Li" search column in Tweetdeck

Hahahah, just yanking your chain dude Many people love those HAF cases. Me... not so much. They provide amazing performance, but aesthetically, I think they're pretty much rock bottom. Just my opinion though

I'm still considering the Storm Series - Sniper case,

Ugly, UGLY case. I have one. In fact, I'm using it right now. Certainly the ugliest case I've ever had in my life.

EDIT: It's that freaking knob on the top. What were they thinking?! This case would be a million times nicer if it just didn't have that knob.

I initially considered just going with a Corsair H50 or some such prebuilt solution, but after following and asking for advice from the old school watercooling guys (Ett being one), I decided the best way was a proper kit, and now I can't see myself building another system without it.

That's just how it is. Once you've experienced the high-end side of WC, nothing else compares. Honestly, I'd rather go for STOCK air before I go for something pre-built. I've got a Zalman system on my current rig, and the only reason it's still here is because I don't have a stock cooler (and because the raddy sits at my feet and keeps them warm )

I initially looked at the Lian-Li case that Ett is using for the NAG build, and while it's a case with fantastic build quality, I won't spend the money they want considering it gives you nothing out of the ordinary

This is much like the previous point of yours that I quoted. Once you've used Lian Li, it's over for you. I bought my first one a few years ago, and man, it's still the hottest case on the planet IMO (V2000). The quality, the style, the perfection of Lian Li is just not something you can get away from. So many people would LOVE to use the CM Sniper I'm using now, but I've been spoiled by Lian Li. This CM feels like a piece of crap in comparison. It's like comparing your awesome custom built WC system to a pre-built thermaltake system.

Do yourself a favour Ryan, as your next upgrade, drop a few grand on a Lian Li case. Trust me, you wont regret it. I was so lucky with my V2000, I got it for R1100. Best R1100 I ever spent

The way I see it, the only competition to Lian Li is Silverstone. Man, they have amazing quality as well. That TJ07.... *drool*.

[Prime]

The way I see it, the only competition to Lian Li is Silverstone. Man, they have amazing quality as well. That TJ07.... *drool*.

I fully agree, although I'll add Antec in for their P series chassis which are rock solid with good airflow and have simplistic styling.

[ryanrich]

You daaaaamn bastich, now you're gonna go and make me get the Lian-Li A77F, and just after I'd convinced myself otherwise. Swiiiine!

How can I go against what the Godfather (of modding anyway) has said...

[ryanrich]

The way I see it, the only competition to Lian Li is Silverstone. Man, they have amazing quality as well. That TJ07.... *drool*.

I fully agree, although I'll add Antec in for their P series chassis which are rock solid with good airflow and have simplistic styling.

Yeah Antec is good, I have a Koolance WC Antec case that is fantastic quality, but Lian-Li is something else. It's a pity here in SA we have to pay such a premium though. That A77F case I'm looking at is R3700 on average. I mean damn.

[ryanrich]

The way I see it, the only competition to Lian Li is Silverstone. Man, they have amazing quality as well. That TJ07.... *drool*.

Tell me more of this Silverstone. I'd like something unique, so that may be worth a look...

Edit: Aaw you damn bugger, you daaaamn bugger, now you have me looking at even higher end stuff... On the Silverstone site now, and wow, they have some nice cases.

I think I might stick with that A77F though, the more I read up on it the more I like it... Going to purchase the case next month or at the latest June, so have some time to think and drive myself crazy at least.

I have to also thank Firestrm you bugger, or else I would've never though, can I actually do so much better with this system...