Working principle of air cooling

Air cooling of the processor is represented by classic box coolers (Top Flow) with or without heat pipes, as well as more efficient tower coolers. Their structure is slightly different, but the general principle of operation is the same. Both types structurally consist of the following elements:

  • Fan
  • Heatsink
  • Heat pipes (optional)
  • Substrate
  • Mounting

During operation, heat from the processor is transferred through the substrate and heat pipes to the heatsink, where it is dissipated by a fan. Air cooling is still the most popular and quite effective in most cases, as it has important advantages:

  • Affordable price
  • Simple installation
  • Does not require regular maintenance
  • Large range of models

But there are negative aspects that make the user think about the advisability of installing a particular cooling system:

  • Limited effectiveness
  • Increased noise level
  • Large size and weight (for tower coolers)

Indeed, air cooling systems are presented on the market with hundreds of options in different price categories. The cheapest Top Flow coolers can be purchased for $10 or less, while the most expensive tower coolers will cost $100 or more. They easily cope with cooling low- and medium-power processors with 4 to 6 cores, for example, AMD Ryzen 5 Vermeer 5600, and more advanced chips from Intel and AMD. No special skills are required for installation, and manufacturers provide compatibility with all popular sockets through an extensive set of mounts. Regardless of the intensity of operation, air cooling can operate stably for many years and does not require specialized maintenance. It is enough to replace the thermal paste 1 – 2 times a year and clean the heatsink from dust, which may not exist if the system unit has filters. But the efficiency of the air cooling system is not unlimited, so when a certain limit is reached, it makes sense to consider the option of installing a liquid cooling system.

Tower coolers

Working principle of liquid cooling

Many experts claim that liquid cooling systems are the future, but is it really better than air one? This question can be answered only after a detailed acquaintance with its features. The structure and operating principle of the liquid cooling system is much more complex, as it includes advanced components:

  • Water block
  • Pump
  • Heatsink
  • Fan
  • Reservoir (optional)
  • Fittings
  • Tubes
  • Coolant
  • Mounting

Such an impressive list makes it clear at first glance that the liquid cooling system is something high-tech and efficient. And this is true, because with the correct selection and assembly of the liquid cooling system it guarantees the following advantages:

  • High performance
  • Optimal noise level
  • Stylish design

There are both ready kits on sale and custom options that need to be assembled and set up manually. In general, liquid cooling systems are significantly superior to air coolers in efficiency, as water has better thermal conductivity and transfers and dissipates heat faster by default. The pump pumps the liquid through the system, ensuring stable temperatures and no trotting under prolonged CPU loads. Liquid cooling system can easily cope with the high TDP of top-end CPUs such as AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX or Intel Core i9 Skylake-X i9-7900X. But this type of cooling has its significant disadvantages:

  • High price
  • Difficulty in installation and maintenance
  • Possibility of leaks (poor quality materials, improper assembly)
  • Limited compatibility with components

It will be extremely difficult for a person without experience to independently select and install a liquid system, and the risk of damaging the structure is very high. Moreover, even minor miscalculations and errors can lead to fatal consequences — overheating of the processor, failure of the motherboard or graphics card due to a leak. It is necessary to regularly conduct a visual inspection of the entire system, monitor the liquid level, keep the tubes clean, and clean the heatsink and fans. Simply put, it will take time and additional funds for consumables. The system itself will also not be cheap. The cost of an entry-level liquid cooling system starts at $50 and ends around $1000.

Liquid cooling for PC

Which type of cooling is better to choose?

After understanding the operation specifics, advantages and disadvantages of both types, it is possible to determine which cooling system will be better for a particular PC.

For undemanding tasks (working with a browser, office programs, watching movies, online learning, social networks, messengers), a box cooler is quite enough. In case of short-term increased loads (specialized software M.E.DOC, 1C, Photoshop, semi-professional video editors, online browser games), compact tower coolers are suitable. For advanced bloggers and fans of running modern games, the best option is a good tower cooler.

Advanced PCs based on Ryzen 7, Core i7 or i9 processors are more demanding for cooling, although even here everything depends on the purpose, intensity of loads. For a professional gamer, installing a cooler is rarely considered. Any air cooling will have to work at the limit of its capabilities, generating a noise level that is far from comfortable. Constant loads can cause a slight drop in performance (up to 20%) from time to time, and the fans will wear out much faster. Here, the optimal solution is liquid cooling based on 240 mm heatsinks (ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240 A-RGB), which can be easily placed in both a spacious Full Tower case and a compact Midi Tower.

If a sufficiently powerful computer is needed to work with graphics, multimedia and similar tasks where the main load goes to the graphics card, then the air cooling system will cope with its tasks. However, it is worth considering that its size will be large, so you will need an appropriate computer case. Among the popular models is the double-tower Noctua NH-D15 with six heat pipes and a nickel-plated copper substrate. A compact, inexpensive liquid cooling system with 120 mm heatsink can also be installed (be quiet! Silent Loop 2).

For designer builds, the potential of cooling systems is almost limitless, although liquid cooling have its advantages. Air coolers can complement the overall concept of the system unit with different fan colors, ARGB lighting, and a brutal black heatsink, but the bulky design often becomes a problem, blocks the view and creates an increased noise level.

In terms of style, liquid cooling is a more advantageous solution, regardless of the purpose of the PC and the TDP of the processor. The liquid in the connecting tubes can be painted in different colors with a transparent or matte texture. A cooling heatsink with fans is often complemented by ARGB lighting and improves the appearance of the front or top panel. The water block can also be equipped with lighting effects, and in some cases, a mini-display to display a personalized logo or basic information about the operation of the CPU.

Some enthusiasts prefer PC builds tailored to specific themes. A popular option is a white PC, where both a liquid cooling system (Deepcool LT520 WH) and a cooler (ID-COOLING SE-224-XTS ARGB White) will fit well. Certain brands make it possible to build a designer PC exclusively from their products. Asus is a good example.

Box coolers

What could go wrong?

When choosing the type of cooling system, it is necessary to take into account important nuances and avoid making commonplace mistakes that will prevent you from building or effectively using your PC. Be guided by the purpose of the computer. This is the first and most important step that will determine whether air or liquid cooling is the best option for you.

Choosing a system without a TDP reserve will lead to rapid wear and high noise levels due to the maximum speed of the fan and pump under load on the processor.

You can choose the most advanced and efficient cooling of any type, but you need to take into account its sizes and compatibility with other components — motherboard, case, RAM.

Check the kit for compatibility with your socket. Most models are universal now, but there are still options, including branded ones from AMD and Intel, that are suitable only for a certain interface.

Don't trust the safety of your PC to the lowest-priced components. The quality of pressure testing and soldering, fans, heatsinks and other functional parts of cooling systems is highly questionable. It will lead to inefficiency and trotting at best, and at worst — short-circuiting and computer failure due to a leaky liquid cooling system.