JSHamlet234
Gawd
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2021
- Messages
- 943
In a previous thread, I was wondering exactly what the difference in performance is between an AIO and a custom loop if the radiator is the same size and the same fans are used. I said I would build a custom loop just to answer that question, and that's what I did. I pulled the AIO from my favorite test rig and replaced it with a custom loop using top-shelf components. I spent some time trying different mounting pressures and orientations on the blocks for both setups, and I think these results represent the best performance both cooling systems are capable of.
Test Rig:
Case: Coolermaster HAF XB EVO
Motherboard: ASUS X99-A USB 3.1
CPU: Intel i7 5960X. Cores at 4.2GHz at 1.175V, Cache at 4.0GHz at 1.1V
Memory: 8x8GB G.Skill Trident-Z at 3200 14-14-14-28, 1.35V
VGA: 2 GTX 980TI reference cards
Storage: Samsung 950 Pro NVMe, Crucial MX500 1TB SATA, Seagate 4TB HDD, 2 optical drives
Case Fans: Noctua A20 200mm (intake), Coolermaster SF120 120mm (exhaust), 2X Arctic P8 80mm (exhaust)
PSU: Corsair RM1000x
EVGA CLC 280 with better fans:
Radiator: 280mm x 27mm aluminium, 20fpi
Fans: Arctic P14 PWM in push/pull (exhaust)
Pump: The sticker on the rad says it's 12V, 250mA. 100% speed (2800RPM)
Reservoir: LOL
Block: Copper, 132 micro-fins
Tubing: Some kind of rubber sleeved with nylon
Coolant: AIO mixed-metal magic potion
TIM: Arctic MX-5
Custom 280mm Water:
Radiator: Koolance HX-CU1402V, 280mm x 30mm copper, 30fpi split-fin
Fans: Arctic P14 PWM in push/pull (exhaust)
Pump: Alphacool VPP755 V3 at 60% PWM (3500RPM - zero gain from running it any faster)
Reservoir: Alphacool Eisstation VPP, 240mL
Block: Alphacool Eisblock XPX, Nickel-plated copper, 84 micro-fins
Tubing: 10mm ID EPDM rubber
Coolant: 99.9975% distilled water, 0.0025% dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (biocide)
TIM: Arctic MX-5
Test Software:
AIDA64 Extreme stability test, FPU only mode
15 minute warm-up, followed by 3-minute log in HWiNFO64 of min/max/average
Results:
*The method for measuring coolant temp was not the same. I'm using an Alphacool inline temp sensor to measure coolant temp after the radiator and before the CPU in the custom loop. For the AIO, the coolant temp is from the built-in sensor, and I have no idea whether it's before the CPU, after the CPU, or somewhere in between.
It looks to me like the AIO performed very well for what it costs. $70 plus a $40 fan upgrade and it only lost by 2C. Of course, the custom loop would totally bury it with more rad space, but that wasn't the point of this test. In terms of noise, there's not much to report. For some reason, the fans sounded slightly less annoying to me at full-speed on the custom loop's radiator, but that's probably just an idiosyncrasy of these Arctic fans. The pumps on both systems were very quiet and were a non-factor.
Raw Data:
Test Rig:
Case: Coolermaster HAF XB EVO
Motherboard: ASUS X99-A USB 3.1
CPU: Intel i7 5960X. Cores at 4.2GHz at 1.175V, Cache at 4.0GHz at 1.1V
Memory: 8x8GB G.Skill Trident-Z at 3200 14-14-14-28, 1.35V
VGA: 2 GTX 980TI reference cards
Storage: Samsung 950 Pro NVMe, Crucial MX500 1TB SATA, Seagate 4TB HDD, 2 optical drives
Case Fans: Noctua A20 200mm (intake), Coolermaster SF120 120mm (exhaust), 2X Arctic P8 80mm (exhaust)
PSU: Corsair RM1000x
EVGA CLC 280 with better fans:
Radiator: 280mm x 27mm aluminium, 20fpi
Fans: Arctic P14 PWM in push/pull (exhaust)
Pump: The sticker on the rad says it's 12V, 250mA. 100% speed (2800RPM)
Reservoir: LOL
Block: Copper, 132 micro-fins
Tubing: Some kind of rubber sleeved with nylon
Coolant: AIO mixed-metal magic potion
TIM: Arctic MX-5
Custom 280mm Water:
Radiator: Koolance HX-CU1402V, 280mm x 30mm copper, 30fpi split-fin
Fans: Arctic P14 PWM in push/pull (exhaust)
Pump: Alphacool VPP755 V3 at 60% PWM (3500RPM - zero gain from running it any faster)
Reservoir: Alphacool Eisstation VPP, 240mL
Block: Alphacool Eisblock XPX, Nickel-plated copper, 84 micro-fins
Tubing: 10mm ID EPDM rubber
Coolant: 99.9975% distilled water, 0.0025% dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride (biocide)
TIM: Arctic MX-5
Test Software:
AIDA64 Extreme stability test, FPU only mode
15 minute warm-up, followed by 3-minute log in HWiNFO64 of min/max/average
Results:
280mm AIO | 280mm Custom | Difference | |
Ambient Temp | 23.1 | 23.1 | 0 |
Coolant Temp* | 32.0* | 30.0* | -2.0C* |
Core 0 | 58.3 | 57.5 | -0.8C |
Core 1 | 59.9 | 57.9 | -1.0C |
Core 2 | 66.6 | 64.6 | -2.0C |
Core 3 | 63.4 | 60.4 | -3.0C |
Core 4 | 65.1 | 63.0 | -2.1C |
Core 5 | 62.5 | 60.9 | -1.6C |
Core 6 | 64.3 | 61.9 | -2.6C |
Core 7 | 61.0 | 58.4 | -2.6C |
Core Average | 62.7 | 60.6 | -2.1C |
*The method for measuring coolant temp was not the same. I'm using an Alphacool inline temp sensor to measure coolant temp after the radiator and before the CPU in the custom loop. For the AIO, the coolant temp is from the built-in sensor, and I have no idea whether it's before the CPU, after the CPU, or somewhere in between.
It looks to me like the AIO performed very well for what it costs. $70 plus a $40 fan upgrade and it only lost by 2C. Of course, the custom loop would totally bury it with more rad space, but that wasn't the point of this test. In terms of noise, there's not much to report. For some reason, the fans sounded slightly less annoying to me at full-speed on the custom loop's radiator, but that's probably just an idiosyncrasy of these Arctic fans. The pumps on both systems were very quiet and were a non-factor.
Raw Data:
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