Windows 7 - CPU Cooling Question

If I am going to spend $60-$80 for a CPU cooling solution, are there any reasons to use anything other than a liquid cooling solution?

Yes.

Leaks leading to destruction of other components.

If your overclocking plans are such that you KNOW air cooling won't be enough, then by all means use liquid.

But I don't know how you would know that without experimentation.

For all I know, you have no intention of overclocking.

Without a doubt, liquid cooling solutions are far more complex, often take more space due to radiators, and have potential for leaks. I've never even considered going liquid cooling.

Do you know what the failure rate is for liquid cooling?

I have read and have experience, with one solution I am using, that liquid provides best cooling even if not OCed.

If heat kills then liquid seems to give the best life expectancy.

the corsair range of liquid coolers Cheap Laptops, Computers and Cheap LCD TVs | Ebuyer.com

are maintenance free and full garenteed. for the money you pay for one of them youd be silly to chose a passive cooler.

id personally go for the twin 120mm rad, but its obviously the more expensive of the range

Correct, liquid cooling can cool better than air.

Excessive heat kills equipment. Higher levels of heat, as long as they are within spec, might only have a very small impact on expected life.

For example, if you run a machine 24x7x365...(and difference between heat is 52C at load versus 65C at load between liquid and air)it's possible with air that it might run for 6 years and 5 days. With liquid cooling, it might run for 6 years and 9 days.

Suppose an air cooler leads to average temperatures of 38 Celsius.

Suppose liquid cooling leads to average temperatures of 18 Celsius or lower.

What conclusions do you draw from that?

If you are just a hobbyist playing with components, then go ahead with liquid or whatever else you can conjure up.

If, on the other hand, you are trying to keep uptime and reliability to a maximum, then you would be escorted to the state line for considering liquid.

I'd conclude that the system with a liquid cooler is running in a rather cold room. (Water coolers don't go below ambient - that would require a phase change or thermoelectric cooler.)

Ignatz,

Then I assume you always use the stock heatsink if temp doesn't matter?

Why are you against liquid? Have you had bad experience?

the range i suggested are the best of both worlds, the power of water cooling, but with the simplicity of all in one. you dont have a mish mash of pipes and pumps, and as its factory assembled chances of a problem are very low.

plus i see it as far less stress on the mobo, without having a massive pile of metal and plastic hanging off it