Build a Better Liquid-Cooled Setup
YOU’LL NEED THIS
.A SYSTEM TO BUILD
Plus water-cooling parts, bending kit, hand tools, imagination, and perseverance.
WATER COOLING A PC can be a daunting task for those new to the scene, and at times, even for some seasoned professionals, but where do you start if you want to take your build to the next level? Running a custom water cooling solution does bring a number of benefits, extending the life of the hardware, being able to have a virtually silent system, allowing for higher overclocks, stable temperatures, and much more.
Now, builds usually fall into one of two use cases: those that purely focus on productivity, and enthusiast or gaming setups. Both situations are, of course, first and foremost, dictated by the hardware to be used, and the performance required for each scenario. Productivity builds can obviously take advantage of the benefits that water cooling can bring, but in most cases, aesthetics are not a factor in the decision-making process. Enthusiast or gaming systems are a different beast, though—people want to show off their systems, it’s part of the PC gaming journey. We are not talking about an AIO being slapped in a case; no, we are talking hard lines, pumps, reservoirs, and much, much more.
Here, we’re covering some of the little things you should know, what to look out for when building a water-cooled system, and the options available before embarking on an adventure into the world of PC hydration.