AIR OR LIQUID? HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT COOLER FOR A GAMING PC
The paradox of having a huge amount of options at our disposal often leads us to not understand what we really need. This is all the more true when it comes to choosing the ideal cooling system for our PC . In fact, in a market that is essentially saturated with options, this choice is never taken for granted .
Finding yourself with an underpowered product, spending more
than necessary sacrificing techiescity performance in spite of ourselves or even worse,
buying incompatible systems, are just some of the problems that anyone who has
assembled a computer at least once in their life has faced.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THERMALLY CONDUCTIVE PASTE
Before venturing into the analysis of the main cooling
systems in circulation, it is essential to deepen the concept of thermal paste,
a compound capable of allowing a homogeneous and constant transfer of heat from
one surface to another, making the exchange of heat as efficient as possible.
heat between the CPU and the heatsink. Whether it is air or liquid, every
cooling system will need this to work properly.
The presence of air, a bad conductor of heat, will
inevitably form a veil at the interface between the two surfaces, causing
harmful temperature peaks in a very short time . The direct consequence of any
temperature rises is throttling, a phenomenon that leads the CPU to limit
itself, greatly reducing its performance, to avoid physical damage.
There are different types of thermally conductive paste and
they differ from each other according to the composition. The most common are
ceramic-based compounds, with or without silver particles. In both cases, these
are materials that are hardly or not at all conductive from an electrical point
of view .
A third type of through Thermally is the liquid metal, but
its use is highly recommended for the less experienced. In fact, these are
extremely conductive materials and a possible leak would cause irrecoverable
damage. Its use is mainly limited to the practice of delid , an advanced method
that involves opening the aluminum lid, or heatspreader, from the CPU to apply
it on the Die, the real semiconductor. Although there is a substantial
difference in terms of temperature between the use and the omission of this
compound, the same cannot be said about the use of either of the other type of
thermal paste. There are numerous studies and comparative studies that have now
made it clear that even the best performing compound does not lead to benefits
higher than 3-5 degrees centigrade compared to low-cost products. The only real
difference is the times of use. In fact, high-end compounds will tend to stand
the test of time more and thus reduce the need for new applications.
To know how to apply thermal paste or for any other
curiosity about PC assembly, we recommend that you follow our dedicated guide .
THE DISSIPATION SYSTEMS
There are three main types of cooling for the consumer
market:
- air cooling;
- All-In-One liquid cooling ;
- Custom Loop liquid cooling .
The latter in particular, although fascinating and
aesthetically satisfying, is a sector worthy of dedicated insights, as building
a liquid cooling circuit from scratch requires considerable preparation , as
well as an advanced level of expertise in the assembly phase.
THE AIR COOLERS
Simple, reliable and require very little maintenance. In
many cases they are even already bundled with the CPUs. The heatsinks of the
Wraith line, for example, sold together with the AMD Ryzen processors, have
very satisfactory performance.
The mechanism that allows a heatsink to work is relatively
simple. The heat generated by the CPU is transferred to a strip , usually of
Nickel or Copper, from which a variable number of heatpipes , Copper or
Aluminum tubes with an internal hollow structure covered by an intertwining of
metal fibers or a dusty texture . Inside the heatpipesa fluid is arranged which,
following the acquisition of heat, undergoes a rapid transformation into gas.
The gas by its nature expands and therefore spreads towards the most peripheral
areas, i.e. in the body of the actual heat sink, that is, the complex of blades
on which the fan acts. Once cooled it will undergo another change of state and
the internal mesh structure of the heatpipe will allow it to return to the base
to restart the cycle.
Another interesting air dissipation system uses the Vapor
Chamber , or closed metal structures, containing a fluid, whose operation is
similar to that of the heatpipes, only with a larger surface and with fewer
blades. To learn more about this technology, we refer you toto our special
dedicated to air coolers .
Often the two systems are found in combination, especially
in low profile configurations for particularly compact builds . Air coolers
are, in the vast majority of cases, extremely simple to assemble, they do not
require particular maintenance except for periodic cleaning of everything. the
system.
The only component that is really subject to wear is the fan
and the efficiency of these systems is minimally guaranteed even in passive
mode so, should the latter fail, you will have time to notice it before running
the computer. overheating, throttling and possibly damaging components.
On the balance sheet, however, there cannot be only
advantages . The efficiency of air cooling is closely linked to its structure,
but also to its size.
Fluid and gas share the same path, which effectively makes the
system less efficient than liquid cooling. Precisely for this reason we will
never be completely safe from spikesCPU temperature, a phenomenon that is not
always worrying, but that liquid cooling methods are able to stem much more
efficiently .
The most "bulky" negative aspect of air coolers is
the size. Although clearance is always indicated among the specifications of
the main manufacturers on the market , i.e. the space available for placing the
air cooler, this represents an obvious limitation in the choice of the case or
the cooler itself .
A further causes for concern when it comes to the volume of
air coolers is the presence of RAM. A particularly compact heatsink could in
fact collide with the memory banks. Don't worry though! The main producers of
heatsinks will not fail to point out any limitations, so it is worth
concentrating the choiceonly on products on which information and feedback is
available in abundance .
THE AIO HEATSINKS
All-In-One liquid dissipation systems, or Closed Loop , are
spreading like wildfire due to a pricing policy that aims lower and lower
without sacrificing build quality for this.
The operating principles are totally different as the liquid
present in the AIO heatsinks, although it is always the vehicle of the heat
produced by the system, will not undergo any change of state.
The main advantage of this type of heatsink lies in the fact
that the liquid travels one way , so it will have an entrance and an exit from
the waterblock., that is the block placed on the processor. This means that,
inside this structure, there will always be liquid previously cooled and ready
for heat exchange at the inlet.
The waterblock can be in Copper, Nickel or Aluminum. The
structure responsible for cooling the liquid, on the other hand, is the
radiator, an easily recognizable monolith usually made of aluminum. Although
apparently bulky, finding a place for them inside any case is extremely simple,
since they will always occupy the place of one or more fans.Most of the AIO
heatsinks on the market are present in several variants that differ from each other
due to the size radiator and the number of fans, usually from one to three. It
goes without saying thatthe size of the radiator will affect the performance of
the cooling system , but even single systems have been shown to be able to
withstand quite heavy loads.
The water block placed on the CPU also integrates a pump
that allows the liquid to circulate. And this is where the list of negatives
begins. The pump is a moving mechanical part and as such will inevitably be
subject to wear . As difficult as it is to make a precise and reliable
estimate, the lifespan of an AIO pump is around 3-5 years.
Another cause for concern is galvanic corrosion. It is a
natural process that leads to the erosion of different metallic materials
placed in contact with each other. In the case of liquid heat sinks this
process is conveyed by the presence of a fluid inside the circuit, which acts
as a connection between the metals present inside the system. Usually the
radiator and the water block are of the same material but other components can
trigger this process, which can be slowed down but not entirely avoidable.
Although conceptually this may scare users, it is a very
slow process and it is rare that it is decisive.for the compromise of the
heatsink.The most worrying negative aspect when it comes to liquid is the risk
of leakage, although it is a problem linked above all to Custom Loops . A rare
risk, but it exists. If it does occur, it is unlikely to be associated with
component damage, mainly because the liquids contained within the All-In-One
heatsink are treated to be as conductive as possible . It is worth remembering
that some new generation top-of-the-range systems also have anti-leak
technologies .
WHICH ONE TO CHOOSE?
The most useful advice that can be given to those who enter
this world for the first time is to evaluate the efficiency of the stock
dissipation system , if it was included.
Making an upgrade, in any case, is more common and simple
than imagined and the main reasons behind this choice can be many:
- Damage to the system in use;
- Need for overclocking ;
- Too high temperatures;
- Reduction of fan noise.
In particular, this latter aspect is the front on which the
greatest benefit will be gainedby an upgrade of the dissipation system. In
fact, lowering the temperatures will allow the CPU and system fans to run at
lower speeds. From this point of view, if the budget is limited, AIO systems
represent an excellent alternative, but it is also true that the cost of an
inexpensive liquid cooler is close to that of a mid-range air cooler, with many
performances. vaults that can be stacked but which require adequate volumes to
enter the case.
Is there therefore an absolute truth? Again, the answer is
no. Due to the enormous heterogeneity that characterizes the world of gaming
PCs , no machine will ever be identical to another and therefore each system
will have different needs, just as each user will have different needs.
