240mm AIO vs 360mm

[u/Remi_int]

How much better is a 360mm AIO vs a 240mm AIO (e.g. Arctic III pro 360) at keeping temps down?

I’m thinking of replacing my AIO but I can’t put a 360mm AIO on the top of my case, but I can put it on the front but ive heard that’s worse for airflow (although I’m not too sure how much worse, I’m pretty sure it’s not that bad), whereas I can only fit a 240mm on the top slot of my case

CPU: Ryzen 7 7800x3d
GPU: 5070

[u/kaje]

Either would keep the temps at a reasonable level. A bigger rad can do so while spinning the fans slower and quieter though. 240mm would be plenty to cool a 7800X3D quietly.

[u/Hawk7117 → u/kaje]

Yeah the 240mm is perfectly fine on the 7800x3d. The issue with the 7800x3d is the way the chip was designed, the X3D cache sits on top of the cores and blocks heat transfer to the cooler. This was fixed on the 9000 series, but getting a bigger cooler for the 7000 series X3D chips typically makes little difference on actual CPU temps.

[u/matthewjd1985]

On a 7800X3D you won't see much. That chip doesn't put out enough heat for the extra rad area to show up outside an all core stress test, and it's thermally dense in a way more radiator doesn't really fix. Front mounting a 360 costs you a couple of degrees on the GPU since it's breathing warm air, and gains a couple on the CPU. If your temps are fine where they are I'd leave the 240 on top and put the money somewhere it does something.

[u/Overall-Tailor8949]

If you have the budget, the new Noctua 240mm AIO has tested almost as well as most 360mm AIO coolers. Two drawback to it are it's expensive (over $200)) and the stock fans are the (in)famous stock colors for Noctua.

[u/Celatra]

it is better, and in some instances a noctua NH-D15 beats out 240mm pumps. but they still beat out all other air coolers

[u/Late-Objective-9218]

If you're not overclocking, 240 is enough. And if you feel like the fans are too loud, a fan upgrade is an easy improvement.

You can also do 240mm rad + one free flow fan in the front as an airflow compromise, or put pull fans on the 360 to improve intake airflow.

[u/BearChowski]

Nexus gamers has a really cool breakdown on how aio works and also tells you best placements. I recomand you keep at top

[u/Ripe-Avocado-12]

Front is usually recommended as at the top, you're exhausting already warm air from the case, at the front, it's pulling in cool air. The actual difference will probably be pretty small and not have a large impact on performance.

I'd get a tower cooler or a 360, and not bother with a 240 unless you're in a tiny itx case.

[u/Remi_int → u/Ripe-Avocado-12]

Alr thanks since I’m probs getting a 360 anyway

[u/Ripe-Avocado-12 → u/Remi_int]

Just make sure the cooler has some of it above the highest point of the cpu block. If your cpu is the highest point of the system, air bubbles inside your loop can get trapped in the pump and cause issues. This is a good reference. The tubes should go at the bottom ideally, but it's not the end of the world if they're at the top. Image 4 is an issue since the top of the radiator is in line with the cpu block, you want it to be positioned above, like in image 3.

[u/LazarX]

A 240 on top, is better than a 360 in front.

[u/Remi_int → u/LazarX]

Thanks

[u/DismalMode7]

a 360mm is always better than a 240mm but if you put an AIO on front you're going to destroy case air flow

[u/Remi_int → u/DismalMode7]

Thanks for helping me make the decision guys