Advice and help on RGB and all-in-one coolers?

[Pob255]

I'm working on a new build atm, I've got the main parts down
Going with an AMD with paths to upgrade
budget was as little as possible so I went the Ebay root . . . the prices some of that goes for/asking price, well long story short I've picked up some AMD kit I'm happy with
A Ryzen 5 2600 , 2x8gb 3200 DDR4 and a Gigabyte Aorus M b450 and importantly a White Corsair Air 240

Now I find myself at the cooling and lighting stage . . . and yes I was thinking of going RGB

looking at the motherboard it comes with "RGB Fusion 2.0" 2x RGB headers, a 3rd cpu rgb header and I've no idea where to start other than having some fans I can control the light/colour on.
Any rgb guides people could point me at?

I was also thinking about an all-in-one liquid cooler, 240 rad based.
However 2nd hand? given that liquid cooler failure is a far bigger issue than air cooler failure. I'm not talking leaking but fluid break down and the mixed metals many use eg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HC1kzO_gIp4
So anyone experienced with 2nd hand all-in-one's?
are there any all-in-one's that use copper rads? or are they all aluminium?

[Jonj1611]

Your better off with an air cooler, I have found them quieter (quieter than the pump noise) and provides just as good cooling. I can only speak from my experience (Dark Rock Pro 4)

I have had 2nd hand all in ones before, they were ok, never had any leaks

[Ttaskmaster]

Please read this post in a Sean Connery voice, from around the time he played Ramirez in Highlander. It works better that way....

Now I find myself at the cooling and lighting stage . . . and yes I was thinking of going RGB

Welcome brother!!!!!

TBH, it's all much of a muchness, really. Every RGB system has its upsides... and its issues with software conflicts. Every one of them will have forum posts full of screaming kids whining that they bricked something because they mixed incompatible kit, or somesuch. The best RGB solution is a standalone one that does not use USB addressing and is not reliant on all your RGB kit being from Asus, or MSI, or Gigabyte, or any of that.

However... Corsair's iCUE system is pretty decent and while it's not always amazing (the others aren't amazing either), it's also far 'less bad' than all the others. I generally find there are fewer complaints and fewer critical issues when using Corsair's system compared to mobo manufacturers' own ones. ALso, while you'll have to keep within the Corsair iCUE ecosystem, it is a whole ecosystem and there are plenty of RGB things you can add to the build... including their own HydroX series.

The two main issues you'll have with RGB are:
1/. 16 million colours, combinations and patterns. Do NOT limit yourself to the "flashing unicorn rainbow puke" demo mode that all the sellers use. This one is why so many people hate 'everything' about* RGB!
2/. You're generally limited to lit fans, light strips and a few components that have either random LEDs and/or garish logos... unless you get something custom-built.

Additionally, if using standalones:
3/. Standalone systems will likely not control any of the motherboard or RAM LEDs. You'll have to use the dedicated manufacturer(s) software for that, and that's often where you get troublesome conflicts.
4/. Standalone systems like those from Corsair and Phanteks frequently use proprietary connectors, so will not play well with others. Some have adaptors, but then see 3/. above.

I wish I could help further, but for the past couple of years I've been watching from the wings and debating which system, if any, is good enough to get for my own rig.

I was also thinking about an all-in-one liquid cooler, 240 rad based.
However 2nd hand? given that liquid cooler failure is a far bigger issue than air cooler failure.

2nd hand....... your call.
Manufacturer refurbished, sure. Nice and cheap, but good as new and often with some semblance of warranty. Most of mine were refurbs.
Modern AIO kit (presuming you mean a closed loop cooler?) is usually all made by the same company (sorry, I forget the name... Asetek?) to the same standards anyway, so you're usually good.

Personally I've always found Corsair AIO coolers work the best, but ditch the fans it comes with - They're usually very good, but very very LOUD.








*Hands up those who are now singing some Ugly Kid Joe!!!
Yeh're welcome!!

[Pob255]

Your better off with an air cooler, I have found them quieter (quieter than the pump noise) and provides just as good cooling. I can only speak from my experience (Dark Rock Pro 4)

I have had 2nd hand all in ones before, they were ok, never had any leaks

Well atm I've got a stock wraith cooler on it (the one with the rgb ring) and that seems to be ok so far, although I've not put it under heavy stress yet.
Which model/make did you have?

[Jonj1611]

I have had 2, I have had the Corsair H60 and the Coolermaster Masterliquid ML240L RGB. Both did the job but the pump noise was noisier than my current air cooler and as has been mentioned the stock fans were quite noisy.

[Pob255]

TBH, it's all much of a muchness, really. Every RGB system has its upsides... and its issues with software conflicts. Every one of them will have forum posts full of screaming kids whining that they bricked something because they mixed incompatible kit, or somesuch. The best RGB solution is a standalone one that does not use USB addressing and is not reliant on all your RGB kit being from Asus, or MSI, or Gigabyte, or any of that.

However... Corsair's iCUE system is pretty decent and while it's not always amazing (the others aren't amazing either), it's also far 'less bad' than all the others. I generally find there are fewer complaints and fewer critical issues when using Corsair's system compared to mobo manufacturers' own ones. ALso, while you'll have to keep within the Corsair iCUE ecosystem, it is a whole ecosystem and there are plenty of RGB things you can add to the build... including their own HydroX series.

The two main issues you'll have with RGB are:
1/. 16 million colours, combinations and patterns. Do NOT limit yourself to the "flashing unicorn rainbow puke" demo mode that all the sellers use. This one is why so many people hate 'everything' about* RGB!
2/. You're generally limited to lit fans, light strips and a few components that have either random LEDs and/or garish logos... unless you get something custom-built.

Additionally, if using standalones:
3/. Standalone systems will likely not control any of the motherboard or RAM LEDs. You'll have to use the dedicated manufacturer(s) software for that, and that's often where you get troublesome conflicts.
4/. Standalone systems like those from Corsair and Phanteks frequently use proprietary connectors, so will not play well with others. Some have adaptors, but then see 3/. above.

I wish I could help further, but for the past couple of years I've been watching from the wings and debating which system, if any, is good enough to get for my own rig.

I've always stood on the sidelines feeling sick from the colour puke patterns and worked on the if I want lighting I'll just get all the led's of the colour I want.
yes rgb can change the colour so you don't need to buy new and replace just because you've got bored of red and want blue.
But that has never been an issue for me, I've built with one colour in mind and stuck with it.
Heck I still think my favourite ever fan, solely in terms of looks, was the ThermalTake Cyclo fans https://forums.hexus.net/pc-hardware...ttern-fan.html in terms of noise you might as well strap a weed wacker to your case.

Corsair iCUE is out because at ~£20 per fan 3 fans would cost more than I got the case for
so far I've shelled out about £250 for case+cpu+mb+ram I'm adding my old gtx560ti + 120gb ssd + 2tb hdd + 650w psu

I was just thinking that since this mb has these rgb headers on it I could make use of them, just don't know how to set it up.

[Pob255]

arrgh the more I look into this the bigger of a headache it is unless I want to shell out a big chunk of cash.

[Pob255]

I'll see if I can pick up a very cheap aio as I'm in no rush I can low bid

But RGB is still something I'd like to have a poke at.

Has anyone got experience with cheap rgb fans? or other lighting setup's?

EZDIY-FAB anyone? https://www.amazon.co.uk/EZDIY-FAB-A.../dp/B07KJZPZH3 £36 for 3 fans 2 led strips and a controller sounds nice . . .

upHere 3 pack for £25 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07HP21B6X

[Ttaskmaster]

But that has never been an issue for me, I've built with one colour in mind and stuck with it.

I've always done my case lights that way too. The problem has always been the limit on colours, though. You have to pick just one, at least per device/component. Plenty of my previous efforts would have been far better if I could've had them with a line of green, stepping into yellow and then red LEDs. I did do one where I re-soldered the LEDs, but it was not controllable, so the effect was disappointing.

The additional benefit is that you can keep the RGB kit from the first build and use it in your subsequent ones, which I would prefer since I only have one rig for myself at any given time.

Heck I still think my favourite ever fan, solely in terms of looks, was the ThermalTake Cyclo fans https://forums.hexus.net/pc-hardware...ttern-fan.html

That thing looks awesome!!!!
Make it ARGB, give it full pattern/program controls and build it on an actually decent fan, you'd be onto an absolute winner!
THAT is what RGB is meant for...

Corsair iCUE is out because at ~£20 per fan 3 fans would cost more than I got the case for

Well yeah, this guff ain't cheap.... You can get triple-packs of the QL120 and LL120 fans, which includes the lighting node controller and extension cables. Same for the ML120 RGB fans in triple, but they're not as pretty as the others.

I was just thinking that since this mb has these rgb headers on it I could make use of them, just don't know how to set it up.

In that case, you're looking at any generic RGB kit with the right connectors, so long as it's compatible with Gigabyte's Fusion 2.0 kit... and it will usually say so.

TBH, I've never been a fan of RGB fans, as they're quite limited and look a bit naff unless you get the top end ones with über-masses of pattern options.
Strip lighting can look good, but they essentially flood areas of your case with light and make it 'glow', or have diffusers over to create Tron™ style lines of light.
Personally, I'm more into point lights like you get on motherboards anyway, so my builds end up looking like 80s sci-fi computers!

Has anyone got experience with cheap rgb fans?

Nope.
If they're cheap, they will likely have utterly junk fan performance, which then renders the RGB pointless. Gotta be good as fans before they can be good as LED fans!

[cptwhite_uk]

If you're going RGB, make sure they match the headers on your motherboard. There's RGB (4 pin) and Addressable RGB (ARGB) which is 3 pin like this * | * * (where '|' is blanked)

ARGB is better, but make sure the fans support the sync standard of your board - eg. Asus' is 'Aura Sync'

You'll probably want to invest in an ARGB fan controller as well, as motherboards will typically have 1 header, so you can't plug all fans into it obviously.

I can recommend GameMax is a budget brand, you'll be looking at less than £10 per fan. Compared to Corsair's rediculous pricing.

ARGB Fan controller for upto 6 fans
https://www.cclonline.com/product/29...xoCVz8QAvD_BwE

Gamemax ARGB fans and kits
https://www.cclonline.com/category/4...urerslist/754/

[Pob255]

If you're going RGB, make sure they match the headers on your motherboard. There's RGB (4 pin) and Addressable RGB (ARGB) which is 3 pin like this * | * * (where '|' is blanked)

ARGB is better, but make sure the fans support the sync standard of your board - eg. Asus' is 'Aura Sync'

You'll probably want to invest in an ARGB fan controller as well, as motherboards will typically have 1 header, so you can't plug all fans into it obviously.

That's part of my confusion the Gigabyte Aorus M b450 has
1x 4pin 12v rgb cpu header
1x 5pin 12v rgbw header
2x 3pin 12v/5v argb headers (manual calls them DLED and has jumpers to set them for 12 or 5 volt)

I can recommend GameMax is a budget brand, you'll be looking at less than £10 per fan. Compared to Corsair's rediculous pricing.

ARGB Fan controller for upto 6 fans
https://www.cclonline.com/product/29...xoCVz8QAvD_BwE

Gamemax ARGB fans and kits
https://www.cclonline.com/category/4...urerslist/754/

I did look at these before, however the black fan blades seem like a bad choice as the don't pick up the light.
edit: there is a white bladed fan https://www.cclonline.com/product/27...n-M/B/CLR1897/ however the led ring however it seems the ring is only around the outside edge with the light case away from the blades

[Pob255]

looking round I like the look of the ezdiy-fab moonlight fans but they are £12 each or £42 for 5 with controller
What I like, pwm, argb standard headers, hub and ring led, translucent white blades

I just wish they had a 3 pack of this model

https://www.amazon.co.uk/EZDIY-FAB-M.../dp/B07XD13HHV

[Pob255]

Well I splashed out and bought the ezdiy-fab moonlight fan 5 pack and a single GamerMax Mirage fan to compare

And I've just noticed something, I ordered the white blade version and it even says that on the box, but the fan in the box is actually the black bladed version.

Anyway my initial impressions, good on both counts, I've watched some youtube videos on cheap rgb fans and some have very soft rubbery frames.
I can say that both of these fans have solid frames and after a quick initial test I'm impressed with the quality, not super high, but for the price they are very good.
the GamerMax Mirage isn't pwm but it's 1200rpm and quiet, outside of a case at least, but the rgb isn't as good, the ring is as bright as ezdiy-fab moonlight's ring but the colour is not as saturated.
the ezdiy-fab moonlight has a ring on the back and the hub led's put out a lot of light, they also seem to put out slightly more air when set to the same rpm