Cooling
Air or liquid — the decision is simpler than online debate suggests. What matters is CPU power draw and case dimensions.
Step 1 of 2
Look up the TDP or peak power figure for your CPU and add roughly 15 per cent of headroom. A cooler permanently running at its limit is a loud cooler.
Up to about 150 W, a good single tower is enough. Between 150 and 250 W, a dual tower or a 240 mm radiator makes sense. Above 250 W, a 360 mm radiator is worth considering.
That single figure settles most cases. The rest comes down to dimensions and preference.
Step 2 of 2
For air cooling, check two numbers: the maximum cooler height the case allows and the height of your memory heat spreaders. Dual towers often overhang the first memory slot.
For liquid cooling, check where the case supports a radiator and at what size. A claim of "supports 360 mm" is sometimes true for one mounting position only.
Account for radiator thickness including fans — usually 52 to 60 mm. In narrow cases a radiator can foul the memory or the board power section.
A complete walkthrough from unboxing to first boot. Order matters — the sequence here saves a lot of backtracking.
A topic surrounded by myths. In practice the application method matters marginally, and the quantity moderately.
Assistant:
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