Original Post
Written by
Edited January 26, 2021
at 11:42 PM
by
https://www.newegg.com/enermax-li...835214104&
Enermax
LIQMAX III RGB 240 [newegg.com], All-in-one CPU Liquid Cooler $39.99AR
Enermax LIQMAX III
ARGB 240 [newegg.com], Addressable RGB All-in-one CPU Liquid Cooler $49.99AR
more
options [newegg.com]
55 Comments
Your comment cannot be blank.
Featured Comments
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
This is regarding the last gen of this product.
The package thermals of my 4770k hit around 135w when running prime95 (max heat) with my liqmax ii, and coretemp reports avg of each core hitting the high 70s at lowest fan speed, and mid 60s at the highest fan speed.
Similar to othe AIOs, It won't win any awards for the best cooling of all time, but leaving it at the lowest speed, I don't hear a thing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOSc3DT
I think this guy is running in a really cold ambient room if he's getting 70c CPU load temps on a 2600x on a stock spire cooler, but you can see just how much the version II of this 120mm cools it down at load, he lost about 13c (57c) on load going from the stock spire cooler to the 120mm Version II of this liqmax cooler.
For $30 it's really a good deal and big upgrade from stock cooling - assuming there's no issues with the corrosion guys like gamers nexus found in the threadripper versions of these coolers. If you can fit the 240mm for $10 more though, probably a worthwhile upgrade especially if you have an overclocked or simply more hot CPU.
Something like the 120mm version would be great for stock 3600/3700x type chips though, or say a 10400/9400 or something of the sort.
Didn't know that. I got a water cooler from a reputable brand that still runs fine over 7 years. But I will keep that in mind on my next build
CPUs also throttle these days. you'd only lose your rig if you didn't know what you were doing.
I have an AIO, and my case looks sloppier (but has a bit of a Wow factor) and temps aren't any different.
Since you may use a larger fan, noise levels might go down. I did not audibly notice it to be any quieter.
On my next setup, I wouldn't get an AIO cooler.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Heres a video that might help (Linus used zip ties): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L...IXT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9...el=
I have an AIO, and my case looks sloppier (but has a bit of a Wow factor) and temps aren't any different.
Since you may use a larger fan, noise levels might go down. I did not audibly notice it to be any quieter.
On my next setup, I wouldn't get an AIO cooler.
Sure some heat sinks could work better than some smaller AIO coolers but I would want to know how you have yours setup. With a push/pull fan combo on an AIO cooler, there really shouldn't be a reason it would not out perform a normal fan/heat sink combo. I would also recommend upgrading the fans on the AIO cooler to a higher rated one to see if more air will help keep temps down.
AIOs or water cooling is not magic. All coolers are limited by fin cooling area pretty much. Water coolers have the added benefit of higher thermal mass most of the time, but a large air-cooler with same mass and fin area, will have roughly the same perfromance.
At the end of the day, it is more practical to have a WC system with really large fin area (really big or multiple radiators) and multiple fans, simply because you can route them around the case instead of seating them just above the CPU, but most high-end air-coolers in the $90-150 with 2x120~140mm fans, have the performance 240mm AIOs have.
Now, both AIOs and PC WC pumps, just like air coolers and fans etc, have rpm control. If the pump or fans of the AIO doesn't run, the MoBo will know and warn you. If all goes south and the cooler - any cooler - doesn't work or doesn't work well enough, the CPU will heat up to its TD max and then throttle down to a lower power state, or shut off.
The only "risk" with WC is the chance there is a leak, and IF the is one, there MIGHT be damage to other parts. It is not a given that if there is one, things will burn or corrode or w/e.
No need to panic.
Most cases you mount the mobo vertically, so a leak wouldnt drip all over your hardware. Ive seen some wc disasters on datacenter servers, but as someone said in this thread, the fluid is usually not water, but a mineral that is not conductive and shouldnt cause corrosion. A real mess to clean maybe, but rubbing alcohol and some tlc and you'd be gtg if you did happen to have a leak on your gear
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
the liquid is supposed to be non-conductive so a small amount isn't fatal