Would the Thermalright Aqua Elite 240mm V3 be sufficient to cool a Ryzen 7 7800X3D, or would a different cooler be a better choice?
3 Answers
That cooler is more than enough, though an AIO isn’t necessary. A decent $35 air cooler can handle the 7800X3D even during demanding workloads like long 4K video renders.
Yes, a 240mm AIO will cool the 7800X3D without any trouble. It’s a relatively efficient chip, so you don’t need an especially powerful liquid cooler for it.
The main advantage of an AIO may be case airflow rather than lower CPU temperatures. With the radiator exhausting through the top, CPU heat leaves the case instead of being dumped around the motherboard, which can help keep the GPU and other components cooler.
That was my experience too. The CPU itself didn’t necessarily need liquid cooling, but moving its heat directly out of the case noticeably improved temperatures for the other components.