How To Water Cool CPU and GPU?

Are you wondering how you can overclock and take the maximum performance out of your computer using water cooling AKA liquid cooling? Then, this post is for you, containing information regarding increasing performance using water cooling. Especially during the season of summer Water cooling can save you from experiencing a drop in performance.

Usually, our hardwares doesn’t function well enough all times of the year and there is temperature that affects the performance as well. Overheated CPU and GPU can start giving you disappointing performance. These things don’t happen in winter but in summer everyone can experience a drop in performance, although few of us notice it and few don’t.

First we used to think that CPUs are the hottest part of our PCs but since we have started using high performance GPUs, they have now taken the spot of hottest PC part. Doesn’t mean you can just let go of your CPU and only have to take care of GPU heating issues, both are important, just high performing GPUs get more heated as compared to high-end CPUs.

What is Water Cooling?

Water cooling also known as liquid cooling is an efficient method of lowering the temperature of your GPUs and CPUs, in this method water is being used instead of air because liquid (water) has a higher capacity to organize heat as compared to air. Lowered temperature makes components run better and smoother without much resistance, and usually disorder occurs in performance due to heated competents in your PCs.

Water cooling

Although, all electronics work using electricity that results in heating a particular equipment. When electric equipment is faster and smaller, the area and volume to vent out the heat becomes unsuitable for releasing trapped temperature because of smaller volume that clogs the excessive amount of temperature.

How Water Works in Cooling Temperature of CPU & GPU?

With most of these water cooling Setups the water moves at a certain speed and when water passes through the CPU block it absorbs the temperature and becomes 1 degree hotter than its previous temperature. So, it also helps the pre-warmed air in the GPU to not get mixed up with the heat produced by the CPU and make your PC even more hotter and start losing its original performance. But there are various ways of looking at water cooling methods and we will discuss them in the best possible ways for you.

Components & Types

Water cooling set-up are made up from components such as pump, a water block, radiator, pipelines, and a liquid reservoir that is not compulsory in a few setups. Although it’s a great extensional choice to have, if you don’t like missing out anything.

Functions of Components

Pump: First the pump starts thrusting the water through the setup and the water (liquid) starts moving from the Water block which is basically attached to your CPU or GPU. Thereby the heat present in these components is absorbed by water. One or more water blocks can be added to the system as per requirements.

Radiator: The hot water with absorbed heat passes through the radiator where the fan blows the cold air to the pipelines that helps in reducing heat. Well organized setups have reservoirs that hold some more liquid to allow more thermal mass and water storage capacity.

There are two ways in which water cooling is being performed, custom open loop and closed loop setup that are also known as factory-assembled liquid cooling devices. 

Custom Open Loop Vs  Closed Loop

In custom open loop setups you create and design the water cooling system using individual components.

  • Provides more flexibility and adjustment options
  • Possibility of additional changes remain available
  • Requires management (Not so frequently, that’s just optional)

Closed loop setups All-in-one also known as system cooling component is being purchased and placed that does not require any kind of assemblance.

  • They can only help cooling one component
  • Closed loops are simple and easy to place
  • Provides good reliability

You might be wondering how much a custom liquid cooling loop setup may cost? There is no specific answer to this because it depends on your budget if you want high grade material to put in or if you want to just get your work done at your fixed budget.

In order to achieve better results to cool your CPU and GPU, you will need to purchase two radiators that will be the best choice to add up with your stock GPU cooler and CPU heatsink.

Although without hardware information no one can guide on topics like water cooling. But, just to make you a little bit aware, here are a few basic points you need to keep in mind before you end-up wasting your valuable money.

CPU Coolers

This is the list based on research done by one of our team member. Latest CPUs in current trend and best available coolers are mentioned below:

List of the Latest & Best CPU Coolers

CPUCoolers
Ryzen 9 5900XDark Rock Pro 4 ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 280Corsair H115i RGB PlatinumDeepCool Assassin III
AMD Ryzen 5 3600XNoctua NH-D15Corsair iCUE H100ibequiet! Shadow Rock 3
AMD Ryzen 7 5800XNZXT Kraken Z63NZXT Kraken M22beQuiet! Dark Rock Pro 4Enermax Liqmax III 240 RGB
Intel Core i5-11400NZXT Kraken X53EK AIO 240mm D-RGBCooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB V2
Intel Core i7-11700KNoctua NH-D15Scythe Fuma 2Scythe Mugen 5 Rev B
Intel Core i9-11900KNZXT Kraken Z73EK-AIO EliteCorsair H150i Elite CapellixASUS ROG Ryujin 360 RGB
Intel Core i3-10100 (10th Gen)AURAFLOW X 240Cooler Master LC120EMSI MAG CORE LIQUID 360R

Graphics Card Coolers

Another research based on best available graphic card liquid coolers, done by the same medium author. That indicates same formula for using water cooling in the graphic card which is to find best and most simple graphic card cooler for your card.

lisa shroff
About Lisa Shroff

I am a Tech Enthusiast who is Obsessed with Graphics Cards or GPU. I have been building Gaming PC since last 6 years and got super experience in this field.

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