When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Time for some liquid cooling!!! Real liquid cooling, not those all in one kits. I've done 3 builds with XSPC kits, and have gotten some good overclocks with a ton of temp head room.
For my situation, it's a maxed out (i7/16gb/500Gb SSD) computer running in very conservative configuration (no overclocking, supposedly high-end maglev fans in Fractal case). Looking deeper at HWMonitor stats, the CPU fan is running max RPM and the still CPU heats up even with almost zero load, so I think the CPU Paste is failing. Also, the iRacing spotter occasionally shouts out "Your CPU paste is toast" .
My goal is maximum reliability and really nothing else because the image stuttering or 2-second blackouts blackouts from overtemp during a race (both experienced, infrequently, though inevitably at the worst time possible ) are not good. 10% more performance for overlocking is not worth incurring any risk for me. I've intentionally avoided water cooling for same reason -- keep it simple. However, now that I need to do CPU paste, I'm going to do water cooling also because overtemp concerns in back of mind while racing are very distracting. I also suspect if I keep the CPU cooler all the time, the paste won't dry out so fast (the current paste is less than 2 years old). Cooling-wise, I think an all-in-one water cooler will be more than enough for my conservative setup. MicroCenter suggests NZXT Kraken X62 over Corsair's comparable unit for reliability, so that's probably what I'm going to use unless there is a better suggestion (when I read reviews, it seems like all brands have issues at times).
I'm using Artic MX-4 49 Thermal Compound, which MicroCenter says is better than the compound included with the water cooling unit. I'm also going to upgrade graphics from a GTX1070 to RTX2080 at same time. Both will be installed tomorrow (Monday) morning by Micro Center -- if there are better suggestions for reliability, please let me know.
Separately, I saw the Samsung LC49HG90 at MicroCenter yesterday for $899. This is a 49" "ultra" ultra-wide in the sense that it is 32:9 instead of 21:9 for the BenQ model that is popular for iRacing. It is also 144hz, freesync. The screen is the exact same height as 27" 16:9's used in triple, but the display is a lot wider. It still can't match the FOV of triples, but it's a lot better than singles, it eliminates the individual monitor frames between joined triples, and there is less processing required on the graphics card than triple monitors. It's also a lot easier to deploy than triples. I haven't been able to use triples in our room because of logistics, but this ultrawide will work, so I think I will pick it up to evaluate when I drop off the computer for service. Here is a youtube of this monitor in use with iRacing:
If you're on stock clock and your overheating you most likely have bad thermal paste. I didn't know microcenter did PC mods/installs, so none of my advice will really help. I have installed 2 different brands of AIO and both machines have had no issues over the last 5 years for the older build and 2 years for the newer one. I have always used the paste that comes on the block with them and on air cooled ones, no point in cleaning it off in hopes of getting lower temps with a different type of paste. I think that all AIOs have gotten better over time, Fractal design even has one you can add a GPU to the loop with... Which i7 do you have? Depending on the model there is more than 10% improvement available if you have a K series processor. Once you get your cooler/GPU upgrade done take a look at your temps and FPS, that'll give you an idea on if it's worth doing it. If you want to test your CPU temps before going in game download Prime95 and run a stress test. In the end, on stock clocks the AIO will work and you can probably still lock all your cores to your turbo frequency and be safe so you get true turbo clock speed when running multi thread applications. Make sure you post your 1070 up on here for sale, there are always guys that need to upgrade!
That monitor is way better than running triples in my opinion, my friend has a similar Dell and it's amazing.
Seems like the Samsung has the AMD syncing tech and not the nvidia, which is what I need. I can’t seem to find what vesa mount it has? I ordered the sim labs stand with the smaller adapters assuming I was going with triples. If I go with one big curved screen, I am sure I can adapt and gusset somehow .
Peter-check our the extensive discussion regarding 49 in here over in the hardware forums on iRacing. Something to consider, but your own testing is probably best.
If you're on stock clock and your overheating you most likely have bad thermal paste. I didn't know microcenter did PC mods/installs, so none of my advice will really help. I have installed 2 different brands of AIO and both machines have had no issues over the last 5 years for the older build and 2 years for the newer one. I have always used the paste that comes on the block with them and on air cooled ones, no point in cleaning it off in hopes of getting lower temps with a different type of paste. I think that all AIOs have gotten better over time, Fractal design even has one you can add a GPU to the loop with... Which i7 do you have? Depending on the model there is more than 10% improvement available if you have a K series processor. Once you get your cooler/GPU upgrade done take a look at your temps and FPS, that'll give you an idea on if it's worth doing it. If you want to test your CPU temps before going in game download Prime95 and run a stress test. In the end, on stock clocks the AIO will work and you can probably still lock all your cores to your turbo frequency and be safe so you get true turbo clock speed when running multi thread applications. Make sure you post your 1070 up on here for sale, there are always guys that need to upgrade!
That monitor is way better than running triples in my opinion, my friend has a similar Dell and it's amazing.
Very good to hear that the AIO water coolers are reliable -- that was my major concern. MicroCenter is pretty awesome -- they will build anything you want to spec and they give pretty good advice to help you pick the right parts -- far from perfect, but light years ahead of Geek Squad. And their attitude in the store is pretty great also -- not everybody knew everything, but they will find out -- it's a bit like the Apple Store without the smugness. Something new they added since last time I was there is that you can text their main phone number with a question and they will text you back, fairly quickly. They built this PC a couple of years ago and installed the cooler and graphics card last night. Temps went down from 100C to between 30C and 40C. The PC seems a lot happier. My I7 is a 6700K.
Originally Posted by Gator_86_951
Seems like the Samsung has the AMD syncing tech and not the nvidia, which is what I need. I can’t seem to find what vesa mount it has? I ordered the sim labs stand with the smaller adapters assuming I was going with triples. If I go with one big curved screen, I am sure I can adapt and gusset somehow .
Originally Posted by Gator_86_951
Peter-check our the extensive discussion regarding 49 in here over in the hardware forums on iRacing. Something to consider, but your own testing is probably best.
I read about the sync concern -- I don't know anything about it technically, but some of the comments seemed to imply that if you have a high-end graphics card with fast refresh, it doesn't matter. I don't know if that is true, but I think that's what I read when I skimmed it. I have the Samsung 49" in-house, though I'm not sure when I will be able to find time to test it. Your Sprint pedals look awesome by the way.
I read about the sync concern -- I don't know anything about it technically, but some of the comments seemed to imply that if you have a high-end graphics card with fast refresh, it doesn't matter. I don't know if that is true, but I think that's what I read when I skimmed it. I have the Samsung 49" in-house, though I'm not sure when I will be able to find time to test it.
Sweet. They did not have this Samsung at Microcenter last night. What VESA connector does it have for mounting?
Pop technology quiz: What do you think was wrong with the old original "Cooler Master" unit below that was in it for the past year and a half?
JFC.
I have thsi mechanical cooler. The instructions are outrageous. They have you putting on the thermal paste BEFORE mounting some poles with nuts on the bottom to the board. Resulted in thermal paste everywhere. Seems to work for me for now.
Sweet. They did not have this Samsung at Microcenter last night. What VESA connector does it have for mounting?
Don't know -- it's still in the box. Samsung's specs (https://www.samsung.com/us/computing...0dmnxza/#specs) seem to suggest 100mm x 100mm. It's pretty heavy for a monitor -- 46 lbs in box, 33 lbs with stand, 26 lbs monitor only.
Originally Posted by Gator_86_951
JFC.
I have thsi mechanical cooler. The instructions are outrageous. They have you putting on the thermal paste BEFORE mounting some poles with nuts on the bottom to the board. Resulted in thermal paste everywhere. Seems to work for me for now.
My guess is yours should work fine. Mine didn't, but I know why. The pic above is exactly as it came out of my PC.
03-31-2019, 01:17 PM
.
) are not good. 10% more performance for overlocking is not worth incurring any risk for me. I've intentionally avoided water cooling for same reason -- keep it simple. However, now that I need to do CPU paste, I'm going to do water cooling also because overtemp concerns in back of mind while racing are very distracting. I also suspect if I keep the CPU cooler all the time, the paste won't dry out so fast (the current paste is less than 2 years old). Cooling-wise, I think an all-in-one water cooler will be more than enough for my conservative setup. MicroCenter suggests NZXT Kraken X62 over Corsair's comparable unit for reliability, so that's probably what I'm going to use unless there is a better suggestion (when I read reviews, it seems like all brands have issues at times).
