Is 360mm better than 240mm?

A 360mm radiator has a much larger surface area than a 240mm radiator so is more effective at dissipating heat. This means the fans pulling cool air over the radiator fins don't need to be working as hard and can run at a lower RPM leading to less noise from your system.

Is 360mm AIO better than air cooling?

Large AIOs tend to keep the CPU a few degrees cooler than Air Coolers under sustained workloads. If you're looking to install a CPU cooler in a rendering workstation, then a large 360mm or 420mm liquid AIO cooler is the way to go. It can keep your CPU chilled during long and sustained workloads.

What is better 360mm or 280mm?

Firstly, the 360mm has an overall 10% larger radiator which puts it at advantage over the 280mm. With a larger radiator, you have a better heatsink and liquid flowing area which is helpful with cooling. That said, the 280mm is at a disadvantage in the liquid cooling department because of its smaller radiator.

Do bigger AIOs cool better?

Besides the price, radiator size is the most important factor you need to consider when purchasing an AIO liquid cooler. The radiator's length should give a rough idea of the AIO's cooling performance. The bigger the radiator, the more air it can push through, allowing it to dissipate heat quickly.

Is a 240mm radiator enough for i9?

Intel recommends that you use a 240mm AIO cooler or greater (or air equivalent) for the Core i9-13900K.

Is Bigger Better? 120mm 240mm 280mm 360mm 420mm Watercoolers Tested - Arctic Liquid Freezer II

Does a bigger radiator cool CPU better?

Thicker radiators cool better if they have enough air flow. Between a thick and thin radiator with low to moderate but equal air flow the thinner radiator will very likely perform better.

Is 360mm radiator enough?

A single 360mm radiator will be enough. Get 3xPhanteks T30's and they'll be enough whether the radiator is slim or thick. Yes. I would recommending either doing: • 6x 120mm fans on a slim 360 rad • 3x 120 High airflow fans on a Thick 360 rad!

Is a 360mm AIO overkill?

You need at least a 280mm rad to exceed what air cooling can achieve. However, for a 3600, a 240mm AIO would be just fine, if you just want liquid. 360mm would be extreme overkill.

Do AIOs lose liquid over time?

It can certainly dissipate (if it's water, and mostly just on custom solutions, but it can happen to some AIOs as well) and need to be topped up, but it will never go “bad” out of nowhere unless some sort of outside contaminants (mold, bacteria, corrosion, etc.)

Is A liquid cooler overkill?

Cost-effective – Air cooling is the most cost-efficient way to cool a CPU. The money you save by choosing air cooling can be spent elsewhere on your build. Sufficient most users – For most gamers, liquid cooling is overkill.

Is 1 360mm radiator enough for CPU and GPU?

The rule of thumb is to use at least one 120mm radiator (section) per each water cooled component plus one additional section. For example, if you're liquid-cooling a CPU and a single high-performance graphics card, we recommend using at least one 360mm (3x 120mm) radiator for the best results.

How much does a 360mm radiator hold?

A slim 360mm radiator can take ~150 ml and a thick 360mm can take ~300 ml of coolant.

Is a 360mm AIO enough for 12900K?

While it would certainly make the most sense to go with an extremely beefy 360mm AIO liquid cooler, a few air coolers will work quite well with the 12900K. Of course, most people would prefer to go the AIO route either way, since a lot of people prefer the looks of them as well.

Is it better to top or front mount a AIO cooler?

One good mounting position is to place the radiator at the top of the case with the tubes pointing downwards. This ensures the pump is below the radiator and that air will sit at the top of the loop and not be sucked into the tubes.

Is AIO cooler better as intake or exhaust?

Both work just fine. To prioritize the GPU cooling, you'd place the CPU AIO on top of the case as an exhaust. This will make the CPU slightly warmer, but your GPU will stay cooler.

Do I really need an AIO cooler?

Not everyone needs an AIO cooler. Most computers will be served fine by a tower air cooler—most of them will give you vast thermal headroom for even some high-end chips. However, once you reach a certain TDP or are planning to overclock, water cooling becomes necessary—and that's where AIOs come in.

Can AIO last 10 years?

AIO coolers are one of the most reliable options in this regard. They can last anywhere between 5 to 10 years, given that you take good care of them, clean the dust off of them and monitor their performance regularly.

How risky are AIOs?

Minimal risk when using an AIO! We do default to air cooling on most builds, but also use AIOs when it works better overall for the customer. From our experience, there isn't much risk when using an AIO in your computer.

What is the lifespan of a CPU cooler?

On average, you should expect a good quality AIO to last somewhere from 3-5 years—though because of the above, it's recommended to simply replace the entire thing once it reaches the end of its lifespan.

Should AIO always run at 100%?

It really doesn't matter. Sometimes the pump/aio headers default to running at 100% all the time but you can always change that behavior.

What are the cons to an AIO?

Why are aios so loud?

If a PC with AIO liquid cooler got moved via long distance, there is a chance that the air bubbles, which is already there in the AIO liquid cooler before move, will get trapped in the liquid cooler head. When we got the delivered PC and turn it on, there would be extremely noisy rattling or bubbling noise.

Do bigger radiators mean more heat?

Yes. The heat output provided by a radiator depends on several different design aspects, including construction material and size. Generally, larger radiators will deliver a greater BTU output as they feature a bigger heat emitting surface area.

What is the best size CPU radiator?

The rule of thumb is to use at least one 120mm radiator (section) per each water cooled component plus one additional section. For example, if you're liquid-cooling a CPU and a single high-performance graphics card, we recommend using at least one 360mm (3x 120mm) radiator for the best results.

Is a 360mm radiator enough for 3090?

That should be plenty for quite respectable results. You need to dissipate the heat from a GPU that has 350W of power consumption. That and your CPU will need at least a 360mm.