Lots of WC Questions from a Newbie

[thetoad30]

Hello all,

I've been lurking around these SPCR forums and especially the WC forum for a while.

I have lots of questions for you if you would be kind enough to answer!

First off system specs:

Asus P5AD2-E Premium
P4 3.4 GHz Prescott (first version)
Sapphire X800GTO^2 OC'ed to 575/600
AC ATI Silencer 5 Rev 2
S12-500W PSU
3 WD 320 GB Sata
1 Seagate 120 GB Sata
Antec P180
2 Nexus and 2 Tricools on Low
Scythe Ninja

Here's the catch: I move my computer around a fair amount. I bring it to and from school on breaks of a week or more. Usually move this thing 2-4 times a year or a little more.

I was looking at the Reserator Plus, but I am concerned since I know NOTHING about how much cooling power watercooling actually has.

I *want* a GPU, CPU, and Northbridge block. I feel that this is important since I know with no airflow this thing gets rather hot.

I was considering a DIY option with a drive bay res. However, I don't want the water mixture to spill out.

I also don't know why people say that a single radiator won't be enough for my system and that I need a 3 * 120. Seems kind of like trading one source of noise for another since I already have 4 fans in my system.

Anyone have any ideas for me to consider? Is the Plus enough for me or will I kill the thing? How well is this made to transport a computer with? I don't take this thing to lan parties but I do travel with it several times a year.

Thank you very much for your time!

[Aris]

first let me say ive done watercooling before, but have since gone back to aircooling.

watercooling isnt automatically "quieter" than air cooling. if done correctly both can be very quiet. although with water cooling you will always have one extra noise source that you wont have with air (the pump).

if you want really good temps, your gunna need alot of air movement with either choice, and its gunna produce alot of noise.

with watercooling you will always have the risk of leaks. even if you dont have leaks theirs alot of upkeep that goes along with watercooling. you cant just fill it up turn it on and forget about it. at least once every 6months you need to fully drain the entire system of liquid, clean it out, and refill it with new liquid. the same is with air cooling except with air cooling all you goto do is blow it out with a vacume or can of air. its alot easier to maintain an air system than a water system.

[frankgehry]

I found this post/work log to be most helpful. - FG

http://forums.silentpcreview.com/viewto ... highlight=

I'm sure Aris is working on something new, but a quiet watercooled system would be much more interesting than another p150 build. How to package and ship a pc is a new topic however.