CPU Cooler
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So I do a lot of video transcoding via Handbrake, converting my DVD collection to Plex media. My CPU temp always spikes during the transcode, which makes me want to investigate a new CPU cooler for my Intel i7 4790. Right now, I'm using the stock cooler. Has anyone here gone to liquid cooling for home rigs? If so, can you recommend a specific make/model? I've been reading about the corsair coolers, and they are pretty inexpensive at about $60.
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I have but not for over a decade so any info I have is ridiculously out of date.
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All liquid coolers at some point use a fan to cool everything down. You're going to want something that has a tank that is separate to your system and then from there you will actually be able to refill it up with distilled water. That will give you the best ability to make sure that they needed to school and working
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A $60 look cooler isn't going to do a lot for you you're probably going to want to spend somewhere in the 120 to 160 range
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The reason you're going to want something with the external tank is it's going to give the fans most distance to be able to actually cool the liquid down and extract the Heat, anything that's built in is going to be maybe a foot long on each tube which isn't going to give you a ton of room in order to cool down the system.
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@DustinB3403 So you wouldn't recommend something like this? https://m.newegg.com/products/35-181-010
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@fuznutz04 yeah skip it. Think about the design, it's a 120mm fan with only a few ounces of fluid.
With an external unit you get more fluid, higher pressure, longer tubes and usually more fans
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@DustinB3403 True, I was just going off of the reviews on newegg.
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So during a transcode, my CPU goes to 100c. Yikes... I need to find something.
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@fuznutz04 that's rather hot.
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Right. So I'm thinking either the heat sink may need some new paste and a reseat of the heat sink, or just a new heat sink all together.
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@fuznutz04 you can clean and apply some new heatsink gel, and would likely be fine. I personally don't like dealing with the gel.
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Yeah, an i7 should be able to handle that workload. I'm surprised that it's getting so hot. Water cooling might be too much, fixing or just upgrading the conventional cooler is probably fine.
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@DustinB3403 Yeah, me neither. I wonder if the paste wasn't applied correctly when it was built.
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@scottalanmiller said in CPU Cooler:
Yeah, an i7 should be able to handle that workload. I'm surprised that it's getting so hot.
Right, the only reason I built the rig with an i7 was because I do a lot of video stuff (both DVD, as well as home movie creation,etc.) The i7s are perfect for that. If it was only going to be a gaming rig, I would have just went with an i5.
I'm going to get some new paste and see if it fixes it first.
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@fuznutz04 said in CPU Cooler:
@DustinB3403 Yeah, me neither. I wonder if the paste wasn't applied correctly when it was built.
That's very easy to have happened.
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The Corsair closed loop coolers offer some amazing performance for a very inexpensive price. Definitely something to consider before going to a full water cooling solution.
That being said it really sounds like you need to look at why it's spiking like that, my assumption is that the old paste is used up or the cooler got jostled at some point and there is an air bubble. Get some thermal paste, not the most expensive but also not the cheapest, and reapply.
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@coliver said in CPU Cooler:
The Corsair closed loop coolers offer some amazing performance for a very inexpensive price. Definitely something to consider before going to a full water cooling solution.
That being said it really sounds like you need to look at why it's spiking like that, my assumption is that the old paste is used up or the cooler got jostled at some point and there is an air bubble. Get some thermal paste, not the most expensive but also not the cheapest, and reapply.
Yeah, I know a few people that speak highly of those units. Mainly they like them because of the low noise.
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@fuznutz04 said in CPU Cooler:
@coliver said in CPU Cooler:
The Corsair closed loop coolers offer some amazing performance for a very inexpensive price. Definitely something to consider before going to a full water cooling solution.
That being said it really sounds like you need to look at why it's spiking like that, my assumption is that the old paste is used up or the cooler got jostled at some point and there is an air bubble. Get some thermal paste, not the most expensive but also not the cheapest, and reapply.
Yeah, I know a few people that speak highly of those units. Mainly they like them because of the low noise.
Low noise is nice, they also do a remarkable job at cooling.
