Keep your pc cool with the best water cooling kit
To get your hands on one of the best water cooling kits in 2021 you need to make sure you know exactly what you need to look for. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you do that.
How Does a Water Cooling Kit Work?
Your computer is performing multiple tasks in the background even when you’re just watching a video on YouTube. And just like other electronic devices, it requires sufficient energy consumption to keep up with the system’s processing needs.
As the energy that your computer consumes increases, it generates more heat especially in graphic cards or processors and other such components. In order to avoid damage to such components due to the constant heat and temperature fluctuations, a simple system is adopted to keep it all cool.
This system incorporates fans that dissipate the heat that travels through the system in the form of hot air. Oftentimes, this system is not enough all on its own to tackle the heat. A water cooling kit can offer a much higher dissipation level. The kit includes a pump that drives and circulates water from a closed circuit to absorb heat. The water then ends up in the radiator where it gets cooled down from the fans to continue its journey on another cycle.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Water Cooling Kit
You must keep these things in mind before getting a new water cooling kit for your computer.
Size
When you’re comparing two cooling kits with each other, the size of the fan is one of the major determining factors. A small fan will move the same amount of air as a large one while it spins more revolutions. And as the number of revolutions increases, so does the noise.
While on the other hand, the larger your radiator is, the better it is at maintaining a lower temperature. However, the larger the size of the fan and radiator, the more space the kit is going to occupy in your computer.
You need to take into account the amount of space your system has while selecting the liquid cooling kit. It’s all about finding a balance between the two.
Power
Power indicates the capacity of cooling a liquid cooling kit possesses. Cooling ability is determined mainly by the size of the fan and the radiator, as mentioned before.
The more power the fan has, the better it will be at maintaining the temperature. So when buying a water cooling kit, make sure that the number of revolutions per minute is high for effective results.
Noise
One setback that comes with installing a cooling system might be the noise it creates to keep your system cool. Water cooling kits are however much less noisy than the traditional ones.
The noise level on these cooling kits for pcs is usually mentioned in decibels (dB). You can find water cooling kits that are extremely quiet and don’t make noise above 8dBs. While others can range from 17 dB to 30dBs.
You must take into account the amount of noise you can tolerate. Every model and manufacturer is different you need to carefully evaluate noise with other characteristics.
Is Water Cooling Better Than Air Cooling?
Water cooling is significantly more efficient and quieter than air cooling. The fan radiators rotate slower than the ones that are connected to heatsinks in air coolers. This is the best option for users who like to overclock often. Moreover, many liquid cooling systems feature LED lights and screens or RGB elements that sync with the radiator for impressive aesthetics.
Whereas air cooling is much more cost-effective and relatively easy to install into the computer. You don’t have to stretch hoses or fill in liquids in this case. But this system is not effective if you’re going to render detail-heavy things or 4k gaming on your computer.
Air is a poor conductor of temperature when compared to liquids. Heatsinks can lose their efficiency over time as the dust builds up, thus getting a water cooling kit installed is your best bet. You get a quieter, prettier, and much more efficient process to elongate the life of your powerful device.
Tips to Use Water Cooling Kits
Generally, water cooling kits for pcs do not require a lot of maintenance in the first place but it’s always better to keep a check. Some manufacturers suggest that you regularly change the water or coolant in your liquid computer cooling kits. The frequency and need may vary for different manufacturers and also on the ease of assembly and disassembly the kit has.
You should always try to keep your system clear of any dust and debris. Dust particles can seriously affect the performance and functionality of your system over time. Take care of the hot air outlet section and clean it regularly. This will enhance the air circulation in the kit as well.
Check regularly for any leaks in the duct where the water circulates. Moreover, you can always refer to the manual to learn about any specific maintenance methods or requirements the kit has.
Conclusion
Water cooling kits are a great way to save your computers from overheating and causing other unwanted issues. Especially if you take highly intensive jobs done on your system or play 4K games.
Not only do they improve your computer’s performance, but they also make it look more aesthetic. This guide tells you other considerations and tips for getting the best water cooling kit out there.
Water Cooling Kits FAQs
Some frequently asked questions are:
Are water cooling kits safe?
Yes, water cooling kits are totally safe if you’re periodically checking in them for leaks or issues.
What are the components of a water cooling kit?
Key components include a water circuit, hydraulic pump, fans, and radiator.
What devices can you install a water cooling kit on?
Water cooling kits are mainly designed for stationary computers like desktop pcs. This is mainly because they are the only systems that have sufficient space to occupy a kit.