Hi everyone.
This is my first water cooling build.
I want to start ""simple"" and expand it as time goes by. [UPDATE: "Simple" ..... HAHAHAHAHAH!]
I am still doing research, reading, looking at videos etc. Learning as quickly as I can.
BUT I am excited and just wanted to get some recommendations / advice on parts.
The Build:
**Parts**
CASE: Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL
Monitor: Alienware 34 Monitor - AW3420DW (GSync unfortunately. Bought this long before I thought about building a PC)
CPU: AMD 5900
GPU: Radeon 6800 XT or 6900 XT
MOBO: ASUS Tuff Gaming X570 PRO (WiFi)
PSU: Corsair HX850i High Performance Power Supply
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3200 (PC4-25600) C16
nVMe:
- XPG GAMMIX 2TB S11 Pro 3D NAND PCIe NVMe Gen3x4 M.2
- Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB NVMe M.2
Other Storage: TBD
**Watercooling**
CPU: EK-Velocity D-RGB – AMD Nickel + Plexi
TIM: Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut
GPU: TBD
Loop: Only CPU planned for now.
Radiator: 2x 360 Heatkiller (new one coming in November?)
Radiator Placement: Bottom and Top
Pump: EK-D5 PWM G2 Motor
Resevoir: HEATKILLER® Tube 150 D5 (Glass Reservoir with D5 Pump Mount) - Multi-Port Top Upgraded
Tubing: 16mm Glass tubes
Fittings: Bought a few different brands to test on the glass tubes
Exhaust Fans (3): EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120S PWM 120mm (subject to change to Lian Li Unifan)
Intake Fans (6): EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120S PWM 120mm (subject to change to Lian Li Unifan)
**Style and Colour Scheme (VERY Unfinished)**
Colour Scheme: UV Black/Black, Silver/Grey, Red
Lighting: D-RGB: plan to keep the RGB stuff single colour. One of the colours in the scheme or white.
- D-RGB: Fans, CPU Block, GPU Block, Flow/Temp Sensor, RAM
- TBD: Other UV or white light LEDS
Case: Glass with Black and Silver
Power Wiring: Tentative Cable Mode Cables. Not sure on the colours
Coolant: UV black? or Silver/Grey. Not sure
Radiator: Silver/Aluminum
Pump Cover: Black/Matte Black
Resevoir: Black and Silver/Aluminum OR Black and Blue? Black and Red?
nVME Heatsinks: Blue / Silver / Red
Fittings: Black or Silver or Black Nickel
Fans: Black with D-RGB
**Mods/Additional Touches**
360 Radiator gaskets
Control: Aquaero 6 LT USB
Sensors: Aquacomputer high flow NEXT (temp and flow)
Monitoring: Corsair (Power); AquaSuite? (Fans, temp, flow); ?? (D-RGB control, OLED Display control)
Fan & miscellaneous Wiring: TBD. Planning to get a sleeving kit
Small Transparent OLED display for monitoring stats (very long term)
AIDA software to program stats to display on transparent OLED. (very long term)
My experience:
- First time water cooling
- I know I should start with a kit or AIO but I wanted to just jump into a custom loop.
- I am fairly handy. Plumbing, soldering (electronics), aquarium plumbing etc are things I am fairly comfortable with.
Goals:
- I am building this because it's been 9 years since I have had a proper machine.
- This is more about tinkering/fun than actual practicality.
- The system is a bit overkill. I know. It's really about the build.
- I still have a lot of time but I would like to buy as many parts in advance as I can.
- I want to start with just the CPU and will later add the GPU when a waterblock is released.
- I will probably overclock in the future.
- I am getting some RGB parts but probably will not go too flashy.
- I think I can add up to 3 rads in the case but only want to do 1 for now.
Questions (links to articles/videos are welcome):
1) What size of tubing should I use? I want to go with hard tubing.
Is it just based on the parts I get or is there some math involved?
2) Any other suggestions on a case that it well suited to water cooling? I really don't know what to look for in this.
I chose the Lian Li case because I liked the "aquarium" look and I have never done a "showcased" setup before. I know it is good for water cooling but I would not mind other suggestions.
3) What pump to get? I want to get pump, rad and piping that will handle CPU and GPU ahead of time but I will only be running the CPU for now.
Will such a pump have too much flow? i.e. I want to get a pump now that will handle any additions I will make in the future.
4) What Rad is recommended? At first I think just get a 360 or 280 rad? I don't know much about the various brands either.
5) CPU Block:
Should I go with "EK-Quantum Velocity D-RGB" OR "EK-Quantum Magnitude D-RGB – AM4 Nickel + Plexi" ?
I am not sure how to compare water blocks to see the differences.
6) Fittings: Still don't know much here but my preference is anything that is a quick connect style.
Thank you for any input you have the time to give.
This is my first water cooling build.
I want to start ""simple"" and expand it as time goes by. [UPDATE: "Simple" ..... HAHAHAHAHAH!]
I am still doing research, reading, looking at videos etc. Learning as quickly as I can.
BUT I am excited and just wanted to get some recommendations / advice on parts.
The Build:
**Parts**
CASE: Lian Li O11 Dynamic XL
Monitor: Alienware 34 Monitor - AW3420DW (GSync unfortunately. Bought this long before I thought about building a PC)
CPU: AMD 5900
GPU: Radeon 6800 XT or 6900 XT
MOBO: ASUS Tuff Gaming X570 PRO (WiFi)
PSU: Corsair HX850i High Performance Power Supply
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 3200 (PC4-25600) C16
nVMe:
- XPG GAMMIX 2TB S11 Pro 3D NAND PCIe NVMe Gen3x4 M.2
- Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB NVMe M.2
Other Storage: TBD
**Watercooling**
CPU: EK-Velocity D-RGB – AMD Nickel + Plexi
TIM: Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut
GPU: TBD
Loop: Only CPU planned for now.
Radiator: 2x 360 Heatkiller (new one coming in November?)
Radiator Placement: Bottom and Top
Pump: EK-D5 PWM G2 Motor
Resevoir: HEATKILLER® Tube 150 D5 (Glass Reservoir with D5 Pump Mount) - Multi-Port Top Upgraded
Tubing: 16mm Glass tubes
Fittings: Bought a few different brands to test on the glass tubes
Exhaust Fans (3): EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120S PWM 120mm (subject to change to Lian Li Unifan)
Intake Fans (6): EKWB EK-Vardar EVO 120S PWM 120mm (subject to change to Lian Li Unifan)
**Style and Colour Scheme (VERY Unfinished)**
Colour Scheme: UV Black/Black, Silver/Grey, Red
Lighting: D-RGB: plan to keep the RGB stuff single colour. One of the colours in the scheme or white.
- D-RGB: Fans, CPU Block, GPU Block, Flow/Temp Sensor, RAM
- TBD: Other UV or white light LEDS
Case: Glass with Black and Silver
Power Wiring: Tentative Cable Mode Cables. Not sure on the colours
Coolant: UV black? or Silver/Grey. Not sure
Radiator: Silver/Aluminum
Pump Cover: Black/Matte Black
Resevoir: Black and Silver/Aluminum OR Black and Blue? Black and Red?
nVME Heatsinks: Blue / Silver / Red
Fittings: Black or Silver or Black Nickel
Fans: Black with D-RGB
**Mods/Additional Touches**
360 Radiator gaskets
Control: Aquaero 6 LT USB
Sensors: Aquacomputer high flow NEXT (temp and flow)
Monitoring: Corsair (Power); AquaSuite? (Fans, temp, flow); ?? (D-RGB control, OLED Display control)
Fan & miscellaneous Wiring: TBD. Planning to get a sleeving kit
Small Transparent OLED display for monitoring stats (very long term)
AIDA software to program stats to display on transparent OLED. (very long term)
My experience:
- First time water cooling
- I know I should start with a kit or AIO but I wanted to just jump into a custom loop.
- I am fairly handy. Plumbing, soldering (electronics), aquarium plumbing etc are things I am fairly comfortable with.
Goals:
- I am building this because it's been 9 years since I have had a proper machine.
- This is more about tinkering/fun than actual practicality.
- The system is a bit overkill. I know. It's really about the build.
- I still have a lot of time but I would like to buy as many parts in advance as I can.
- I want to start with just the CPU and will later add the GPU when a waterblock is released.
- I will probably overclock in the future.
- I am getting some RGB parts but probably will not go too flashy.
- I think I can add up to 3 rads in the case but only want to do 1 for now.
Questions (links to articles/videos are welcome):
1) What size of tubing should I use? I want to go with hard tubing.
Is it just based on the parts I get or is there some math involved?
2) Any other suggestions on a case that it well suited to water cooling? I really don't know what to look for in this.
I chose the Lian Li case because I liked the "aquarium" look and I have never done a "showcased" setup before. I know it is good for water cooling but I would not mind other suggestions.
3) What pump to get? I want to get pump, rad and piping that will handle CPU and GPU ahead of time but I will only be running the CPU for now.
Will such a pump have too much flow? i.e. I want to get a pump now that will handle any additions I will make in the future.
4) What Rad is recommended? At first I think just get a 360 or 280 rad? I don't know much about the various brands either.
5) CPU Block:
Should I go with "EK-Quantum Velocity D-RGB" OR "EK-Quantum Magnitude D-RGB – AM4 Nickel + Plexi" ?
I am not sure how to compare water blocks to see the differences.
6) Fittings: Still don't know much here but my preference is anything that is a quick connect style.
Thank you for any input you have the time to give.
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