"Are Custom PCs with Liquid Cooling Still Worth It? Are We Nearing the End for Custom Cooling Systems?"
The competition for supremacy in processors has sidelined liquid cooling.
Since the early 2000s, the passionate world of PC building has been an integral part of my life, leading my interests to a career I have had the privilege to be involved in for the past decade. I nostalgically remember how in 2013 and 2014 I immersed myself in Jayztwocents' content about liquid cooling, yearning for those impressive systems he showcased. Over time, I ventured into building my own PCs with liquid cooling for both personal use and publications.
In 2015, as I entered the industry, one of my main goals was to create my own custom system with liquid cooling. It was a propitious time: SLI and Crossfire were popular, and high-performance components that generated a lot of heat demanded more efficient cooling solutions. Although AIO systems were beginning to become common, none could match the potential of a custom rig. I remember a PC I built in 2017, during the golden age of liquid cooling, equipped with Titan SLI cards and X-series CPUs, a true feast for the eyes.
However, today, the landscape has changed dramatically. Some cooling companies, like EKWB, are facing financial issues and challenging the status quo, leading me to question if liquid cooling is in decline. During the late 90s and early 2000s, liquid cooling was primarily introduced as a solution for overclocking attempts in an era where CPU cooling was just beginning.
Over the years, companies like EKWB and Alphacool emerged, developing products that enriched the market until the mid-2010s. With the rise of AMD processor architectures, a new war began between AMD and Intel, leading to significant advancements in technology and creating more powerful and, consequently, hotter chips. This caused cooling solutions to evolve to meet demand, increasing in size and cooling capacity.
Today, the context is different. While there was previously an argument for liquid cooling due to its ability to provide lower temperatures and less noise, it is not as crucial anymore. Intel and AMD chips operate at temperatures that, even with the best AIO systems or liquid cooling setups, remain considerably high. Furthermore, advancements in fans and BIOS software have made noise and cooling less decisive limiting factors.
Convenience is another factor to consider. While custom liquid cooling systems require considerable skill and can look impressive, their installation and maintenance can become complicated. Changing a CPU or graphics card in a hardline system involves draining and disassembling, a task that can be cumbersome.
From a cooling perspective, there are also diminishing returns due to inherent limitations. The CPU surface area for heat transfer is limited, and many modern 360mm AIOs are more than sufficient to handle the generated heat. With new AIOs increasingly designed to be aesthetically appealing and efficient, the allure of custom liquid cooling builds has diminished.
Unless there is a significant change in the market or in the cooling needs of CPUs, it seems challenging to justify the investment in fully custom liquid cooling systems. When asking any experienced PC builder about their next machine, it’s likely their responses regarding liquid cooling are not as enthusiastic as before.
Zak, a freelance journalist with extensive experience in technology, has written for numerous publications and held roles in the industry, providing a unique perspective on the changes in this exciting sector.
