The PC water cooling vs air cooling debate has raged on for decades. If you’re a first-time PC builder and you’re looking to find the right PC cooling solution for your new rig, then you’ll want to consider the benefits and drawbacks of each type of cooling carefully.

Air cooling for PCs is standard; you can’t get much simpler than a heat sink and fan. Plug the case fans in, mount the heat sink on the CPU with a few screws, and then your heat and sink fan is complete. If you don’t plan on overclocking your PC, then an air-cooled CPU heatsink will be sufficient.

If you like to push the limits by overclocking your components, we recommend water cooling your customized PC. Pre-built water cooling kits (called All-in-Ones or AiO water cooling) are the best option for beginners because you only need to mount them. There are no worries about filling and building. Simply mount the radiator and block inside your PC, and you’re on your way.

For experienced builders, a DIY water cooling kit with individual parts offers more flexibility. A typical DIY water cooling kit consists of a radiator, hoses, pump, water block, reservoir, and fan. When these pieces are installed and working together, they are called a loop and are very similar to what you would find under the hood of your car.

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