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ikellensbro
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2004
- Messages
- 1,410
If that's the case, then you're looking at those top 3 options. Another option that is actually cheaper than the NV68 is the EK-FC78, and there was some discussion of their x1900 series block recently. Out of the 3 (4 with the EK) blocks, the DangerDen and EK are the least restrictive, so if you're planning on a 1/2" or high performance 3/8" loop, those are your best bets. The other 2 are mainly for smaller (1/4"-3/8" tubing) loops, and one of their selling points is their visual appearance, but the same can be said of the DangerDen (DD) and EK blocks.|Leviathan| said:
All of the blocks you listed will cool your Venice just fine, although if you pick a powerful pump (D5), the Storm and Cuplex XT will likely cool somewhat better than the TDX. The TDX is the cheapest however, and the XT's price is considering that you do indeed like its appearance (for pure performance, the Storm beats the XT). Another option (sorry) are the highly underrated MP series blocks from D-Tek Customs.|Leviathan| said:
|Leviathan| said:
The ncie thing about the D5 is if it is too loud for you, it gives you the option of reducing the pump's sound, at the cost of reducing its power. Volume levels are highly subjective though, as some find the D5 at max to be silent, while others can definately hear it. The 120VAC pumps aren't needed anymore, as there are 12VDC pumps that fit the noise levels and performance of them. Systemcooling has a good review of the Mag (including using two) that can probably help you decide some more (remember, two Mags would be over $100, while the D5 is $75).
Black Ice Pro (BIP) radiators are meant to be used with quiter, lower CFM fans (not quite Nexus, but those will work fine with them). Black Ice Extremes (BIX) can perform better than a BIP, but they need higher cfm, louder fans to accomplish this. The X Flow rads are single pass, so they should be slightly less restrictive than regular Black Ice radiators. Thermochill radiators are more expansive, but generally regarded as very high performing and efficient.|Leviathan| said:Radiator
Black Ice Xtreme X-Flow Rad
Black Ice Pro X-Fow Rad
Black Ice Xtreme Rad
Black Ice Pro Rad
ThermoChill HE120.1
I have seen that most users go for the pro version rather than the xtreme version, but i still cant find a reason + can anyone explain to me also the difference between the normal rad and the so tagged X Flow rads? i dont imagine a great lot of a differnece since price difference is only a couple of dollars, except of course the Thermochill which well i honestly dont know whats the difference from a radiator so if anyone is so gentle to explain
Reservoir choice doesn't really matter, as long as it doesn't restrict flow and does its job by quickly getting rid of air bubbles in a loop. The two you mentioned are known to meet both of those criteria, so either should work for you. If you want to choose a reservoir over a T-line (only $1), your decision will likely be based on which design you like the best. If you plan on using dye and/or UV, there are 5 1/4" and 3 1/2" bay reservoirs that are made of clear acryllic, for example. Swiftech had some quality control issues with their blocks a while back, but they should be back to producing high quality products by now. You may want to ask around still to see if a lot of people have received cracked reservoirs or ones that started leaking after a while.|Leviathan| said:
Other stuff you'll need:
- Distilled water (a gallon should be plenty)
- Anti-corrosion (if your loop has any aluminum in it), anti-growth additive(s)
- Hose clamps (you'll need at least 12 for your loop)
- Thermal paste (AS5 for cpu/gpu core, some other non-conductive paste for your 6800gt's ram chips)
- Time (do a leak test for at least 24 hours), patience, and a camera (why make a loop and not show it to us?)
The things I do for people during my Spring Break...
