this post was submitted on 02 Nov 2023
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And expensive. I just priced out a basic WC setup for a GPU using moderate quality parts and flex tubing and it’s $275, and I already have the waterblock for the GPU. For my gaming PC it was easily $500 in additional parts. Pumps, fans, radiators, reservoir, hard tube, and FML decent quality fittings are expensive.
I think that cost is more about it being niche and targeted toward high end gamers than material cost.
Oh for sure.
I do watercooling on a budget. It isn't as cheap as not doing watercooling but I need my parts to last and 95c temps just because "gpus put out lots of heat" is unacceptable.
Don't use that overpriced pc watercool tubing. Use that chemical resistant PVC braided tubing they sell at the hardware store. It's 1/4th the price and better anyway. The $30 universal gpu waterblocks are good enough just pay attention to vram temps. You may have to use something better than thermal glue and tiny heatsinks but on my rx 7700 it's fine.
For coolant I've been using distilled water with ethylene glycol antifreeze instead of overpriced pc watercooling corrosion inhibitor. Experiments I have done have shown it does an even better job and $15 gets you a 1 gallon bottle as opposed to $15 for a 15ml bottle of liquid utopia. 90% distilled water 10% antifreeze is what I use just don't spill it because when it dries it's sticky and smells like pancake syrup.
You still get screwed hard on the fittings. It's not as bad if you only use barbs and hose clamps with the occasional right angle fitting but it's still bad. Hose clamps are ugly but if you use them it's just one less potential leak point. Make sure to get the kind that are tightened via screw so you have complete control over how tight it is.
You still get screwed hard on the pump but a $20 will do the trick if you don't have a lot of radiators. Don't pay $200 for a reservoir just get one that doesn't have a pump built in.
You still get screwed hard on the radiators but try to get the ones that have only copper and no aluminum if you can. Green ethylene glycol antifreeze seems to eliminate problems of using aluminum far better than liquid utopia does but you should still avoid it.