Source: GPUs are the most powerful components of a computer. Your computer can go out of control if this heat isn’t addressed. Water cooling is the solution. This might seem strange since we tend to keep liquids away from our machines most of the time. But water cooling is not only viable but also one of the most efficient cooling methods on the market.
Is GPU Water cooling Worth It? Water cooling can be an effective way to cool a desktop computer. It is especially useful if you want to stay on the cutting edge in gaming and video rendering or if you value quiet operation. But most users will not reach GPU temperatures high enough for it to be worth the expense of installation.
Water cooling is the best way to instantly cool down your computer hardware. Until a few years ago, liquid cooling was only meant to cool CPUs. Graphic cards are now powerful enough that they require reliable cooling. Manufacturers are now offering water cooling kits to improve the thermal management and performance of graphics cards. Is water cooling a GPU worthwhile? Let’s get into the details and discover the answer.
A liquid cooler is generally the best option for caring for high-end gaming computers or workstations. You’ll also find some of the most expensive gaming rigs with high-quality liquid CPU coolers in a case. Water-cooled GPUs are rare to find in the PC gaming industry.
What is Liquid or Water Cooling?
The use of the properties of liquids to cool electronic and mechanical devices is called liquid cooling. In many modern technologies, liquid cooling is a well-established cooling method. Water cooling has been used for years in automobiles, mainframes, and systems by computer enthusiasts.
Watercooling: The mechanics
Water cooling is more complex than air cooling. Instead of just plugging in a fan to set up, it’s much more complicated. These are the five components of a water-cooling system:
- Pump – cools the system with coolant.
- Reservoir – a holding tank for fluid that, when open to cooling, allows for the easy addition and removal of fluid.
- Radiator/Fan: A heat sink that radiates heat into the air from the fluid. This radiator is cooled by a fan that moves air.
- Waterblocks – small pieces of metal that have water channels and are placed on top of the GPU. This allows water to flow around your GPU without touching it directly, which prevents liquid damage. There are many types of GPU water blocks. It is important to choose the one that best fits your chip.
- Hoses – tubes that connect to the components before them.
These main components are not all you need. You will also need nuts to attach the cooling system and thermal paste to improve heat conduction between the water block and associated chips. We also got some helpful tips to cool a GPU.
The main purpose of water-cooled GPUs
We need to answer the question of whether GPU cooling is worthwhile. It is important to understand why liquid-cooling kits are attached to a GPU.
Let’s begin with the basics of thermal management. One or more fans are installed on the top of a graphics card to help dissipate heat from the metal fins. The fans can take a while to cool the GPU when it is under heavy load or overclocked. This could cause damage in the long term.
Water has a greater thermal capacity and can absorb a lot of heat more efficiently than other liquids. A water-cooled graphic card uses water blocks instead of copper or aluminum fins in air-cooled cards. They capture heat from the mainboard and transfer it to the liquid or water, which then transfers it to the radiator.
A liquid cooling kit makes it much quieter than an air-cooled graphic card. Liquid-cooled GPUs take up less space in a case than traditional air-cooled GPUs.
Pros and Cons of water cooling
Liquid cooling is worth the investment if money is not an issue. It is possible to prolong the life of your components by keeping their temperatures down.
Pros:
- Thermal performance
- Incredible aesthetics
- RAM has fewer clearance issues
- You can see more of your motherboard
- To customize your computer to the best
Cons:
- You can be louder
- Extremely costly
- Additional tools are required to complete this task
- You need a new skill
- Dangerous (leaks)
Components of GPU Liquid Cooling and How It Works
Although the mechanism of GPU liquid cooling is similar to that of CPU cooling, their design is quite different.
These are the main components.
- Radiator
- Waterblocks
- Pump
- Tubes and Hoses
- Reservoir
Use pairs of nuts and bolts or a combination to assemble the entire system
Work Cycle
The “Reservoir” contains a cooling solution or liquid. It is sucked into the “Pump” by the GPU and then thrown to the “Waterblocks” through a tube. The liquid absorbs heat from the water blocks once it reaches them. It then travels to the Radiator, which immediately dissipates it. To lower the temperature of a GPU, it repeats this cycle.
Is GPU Water Cooling Worth It?
Like CPUs, GPUs run at insane speeds. The best graphics cards also produce the most heat for a component of a computer. A GPU can be liquid-cooled to maximize performance and keep the internal temperatures of your whole build lower because there is less hot air.
If you want to overclock your card, the main factor that will determine whether liquid cooling is worth it would be your decision. As we all know, overclocking removes speed limits, which results in increased power and performance. This, in turn, produces more heat. Although the GPU’s fans can cool it down, they only work when the card’s speed is restricted.
The aesthetics of water cooling GPUs are similar to a CPU. There are amazing blocks made from different brands and vertical GPU mounting options.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
Does water cooling increase fps?
It all depends on the temperature right now. Watercooling won’t help you gain more fps if your load temperatures are between 75 and 79 celsius. The boost will shut off if they reach 80 degrees. You will therefore lose some fps.
Does a cooler GPU run faster?
It doesn’t. But it runs slower. Under load, GPUs produce a lot of heat. The heat is harmful to electronic components so your GPU will slow down when temperatures rise.
What GPU can be water-cooled?
Most Efficiently Liquid Cooled Graphics Card. The GTX1080 Ti is favored with the most advanced iCX technology to provide interactive cooling. This GPU can be paired with an award-winning hybrid cooling system.
Are GPU coolers worth it?
AIO, or liquid cooling for GPUs, is well worth the price. Without Liquid cooling, overclocking can cause components to throttle. It allows you to enjoy AAA titles at the highest graphics possible without overheating.
Things to Consider
Liquid cooling has two major drawbacks: it is more complicated to install and requires that all components within the case are leak-proof. Although the hardware costs more than air-cooling, it is better if you want the best theoretical performance possible for your graphics card. You can also buy liquid-cooling gear that simplifies the entire installation process.
Conclusion
Water cooling is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to cool a computer. Water cooling also offers a wide range of customization options for those who appreciate a well-designed computer. For most computer owners, however, water cooling is not an option or a necessity.
Your cooling system, like most options for PC building, is yours. Think about the future uses of your computer build. Think about how important aesthetics are for you. Consider your budget. These factors are important to consider when deciding if water cooling is the right option for you.
