Hey everyone! My friend and I are tackling a PC upgrade because we've encountered some overheating issues recently. To give you some background, this is a used PC, and when we got it, we replaced the thermal paste since the previous owner hadn't done it in years. This helped bring down the temperatures by about 5-10°, but unfortunately, the situation has worsened. We weren't fans of the case that came with it and have planned to replace it for a while. The fans are super loud too, so new ones will definitely help out.
We've been discussing options like delidding to apply new thermal interface material, swapping out the AIO cooler, and obviously getting a new case. One question I have is, does the motherboard type affect the case choice? I noticed that the case seems to limit what AIOs or coolers people recommend. I want to make sure there won't be any compatibility issues when we change stuff out.
Initially, we thought just replacing the cooling system would fix things, but since we're also switching cases, I'd love some advice on how to proceed or if I'm overthinking it! Here are the specs we're working with:
- i7 6700k
- Corsair AIO
- 3060 ti
Thanks in advance for the help!
1 Answer
If your AIO was part of the original system, it’s probably getting close to 9 years old and due for a replacement. I’d suggest considering a good air cooler like the Thermalright Phantom Spirit. This way, you won’t have to worry about mounting issues with a new case.
I see a lot of people saying to stay away from AIOs due to noise and value, which can make air cooling sound like a downgrade. But doesn’t going to air cooling limit overclocking potential? Just curious! Thanks for the insight!