Gaming → Re: [Tech] Looking for input on watercooling

Mine hovers around 800w at the kill-a-watt with everything on and maxed out. I have a total fan count of 17, 5 of them are 140mm Phanteks (came with case) and 12 corsair sp120 high performance fans. Other components are 1 mcp655 pump, 1 ssd, 1 HDD 7200rpm, about 50 LEDs and a 6" UV cathode with inverter.

That's certainly better than I thought. I guess the pump doesn't take as much as I thought. What do you think of this as a roadmap for my transition:

Now:
• Thor V2 case to NZXT Switch 810 case

Near Future:
• Add complete loop for CPU + GPU

Later:
• Upgrade psu from Corsair AX860i to TBD PSU
• Add second 290X to rig and loop + associated extra hardware (block/backplate, etc.)

If your power draw is 800w at the wall, odds are mine won't be too much more than that, as the 290 and 290X allegedly have similar TDPs. If that's the case, I could probably use a 1000w PSU and have ample room left over.

I still haven't made sense of the different WC companies, so it will be at least a couple of weeks until I decide which exact hardware I am going with. For instance, I have no idea XSPC, EK, Alphacool, Swiftech, Koolance, or what? How do the different pumps on the market match up--what brand is considered best-of-the-best, and who holds the bang-for-buck crown?

I understand how everything works conceptually, but knowing the industry is a separate issue.