What is better? Air Cooling Versus Liquid Cooling

Air Cooling VS Water Cooling

A cooling solution for your CPU is important to the operation of your system and is a heavily debated topic by casual or hardcore PC Gamers. This article will educate you on how these coolers work to help you with deciding your system’s performance.

How does an Air Cooler work?

An air cooler can cool your processor with only a few simple components.

• A mounting system
• Heat Pipes
• Heatsink
• Cooling Fan(s)

Most air coolers will have the integrated heat pipes mounted directly to the CPU. These heat pipes have a liquid inside that evaporation will transmit heat to the heatsink of the cooler through the process of evaporation. The heatsink will retain the heat until it is then cooled down by the cooling fan(s). This is a very watered-down explanation of how an air cooler functions, if you want in-depth info please read this article here. (Example of an air cooler shown below)

How does a Liquid Cooler work?

Technically, a Liquid Cooler works in a very similar way to the air cooler. A Liquid cooler uses a liquid to transfer heat to a radiator that efficiently retains the heat until it receives airflow by one or more cooling fans. A Liquid Cooler consists of a few simple components.

• Liquid (typically a Glycol and Water mixture)
• Cold plate
• Liquid pump
• Tubing for liquid transfer.
• Liquid Radiator
• Cooling Fan(s)

Heat is received by the cold plate from the CPU, the cold plate helps evenly transfer heat to the liquid passing through it. This liquid can move through the cold plate via the integrated pump. This pump can either be on the processor or in the radiator (typically). The liquid that has retained heat from the cold plate will then flow its way through the tubing to your radiator. The radiator's fins will help retain the heat until it is cooled by the installed cooling fan(s). (Example of a Liquid Cooler Below)

So is what is better? A liquid cooler or an air cooler?

Both liquid coolers and air coolers can cool your CPU safely no matter what. Most processors are designed to run safely at 80-90 celsius while doing an intensive task. With this being said, going with either an air cooler or liquid cooler will still result in your PC running properly.

If you are on a budget and trying to save as much money as you can with a build it’s usually best to get an air cooler. In terms of performance, our liquid coolers do allow your CPU to remain at lower temperatures for longer periods than the air coolers we have offered. Lower temps are always better for the lifespan of your processor.

The liquid coolers we offer also have a major impact on the aesthetics of your computer but will cost more partly due to this (given that they are more mechanically complex). If budget is not your concern then a liquid cooler is a great option to add some flare to your system.

Why do liquid coolers come in different sizes?

Liquid coolers only come in different sizes to allow for enhanced cooling of your processor. The larger the radiator on a liquid cooler the more cooling it can provide (up to a point dependent on a few different factors such as airflow and surface area) factors. If you are looking for the best cooling and overall sound performance at a reasonable price, our 280mm radiator coolers such as the X63 and Z63 will do the job.

There is a lot of factors that go into making a decision like this, if you need help though don't be afraid to ask our team for assistance!