Why is Water Cooling Better?

Why does water tend to cool your PC better than air?

[danielromanczuk]

I like the conflict between this and the main channel video where you proved good air coolers are better...

[kevindam]

I'm a software engineer that got my degree in chemical engineering, where I worked very often with heat capacity and chemical interactions and other thermodynamic concepts. You did a great job explaining these concepts in layman's terms.

[nicksparrow]

Linus: Watercooling is not getting more performance than air.
Also Linus: Watercooling is better!

EDIT: Jesus it was just a joke, I know custom is better lol... 89 comments, djees whole internet is raging

[markusTegelane]

"But why is water special?
Well, there are a lot of things..."
Well, that basically sums up water in chemistry...

[welovfree]

This video should have started like this:

Heeey!
Techquickie.
Linus here.

[jamesh]

This video was made by a freesciencelessons and Linus bond at the molecule level

[ZRAGE]

Just remove the headphone jack.
Boom water proof system.

[aboodever]

After 3 months


*WHY YOU SHOULDN’T WATER COOL YOUR PC*

[DeyvsonMoutinhoCaliman]

A good thing about watercooling is that you don't need to change the thermal paste. I am using the same for 3 years and still my CPU never goes above 50ºC, while before the watercooler 50ºC was the normal on standby with a stock cooler.

[SomeTechGuy]

Water's thermal capacity isn't really what makes it a good cooling medium. It's thermal conductivity is what allows it to transfer heat from the CPU to the radiator fin. Thermal capacity just slows the temperature rise of the liquid between the CPU and the radiator.

[dumpsterdawg]

Seen these guys water cool almost everything you can think of except for the fans
Next up in our water cooling

[Fatty]

"...and now we're going to watercool Dennis."

[CaveyMoth]

Always remember to water cool your RAM, to tighten those timings.

[eden]

Honestly, I'd still go with air, even when OCing. Price to performance seems better, I don't have to worry about radiator mounting and I never have to worry about pump failures or my system getting flooded.

[Sett]

There are 3 parts to cooling a device:
1) removing the heat from the device
2) moving the heat carrying medium around
3) removing the heat from whatever takes care of 1) and 2)

Liquid coolers are very good at 2) and 3), being easily able to utilize several thick radiators they can easily keep the medium just a few degrees above ambient. But they suck balls at 1).

Air coolers, or more precisely high end heatpipe coolers, on the other hand, are awesome at 1), but with limited space to dissipate it in place, and prohibitive cost to move it around, they suck at 2) and 3).


The guy, who invents flexible enough, durable enough, cheap enough heatpipes to utilize case mounted radiators, is going to be rich (NOT the same radiators that we use for liquid, although that would be awesome too).

Also, the end result: It depends. As it is Water can graciously take care of much more heat than air, but air can be more effective for more down to earth use cases.

[Pienimusta]

NH-D15 still outperformes nearly every 240mm AIO for less cost.

[InauspiciousGamer]

linus: "long gone are the days where your beige box sounds like a jet engine when put through its paces" me: looks at my pc "so whats your excuse?"

[davislittlepage]

Now we need an updated and in depth custom water cooling loop vid. I'm gonna pull the trigger for my next build. Went from air to closed loop, now I need that custom perf goodness!

[AxmanTheGreat]

Fantastic quick episode, love how you guys are making the science behind technologies easier to understand, way to go!

[arturoreyes]

Linus can you do a video somehow showcasing how much better diamond is at conducting heat than copper or watter?

I find it very crazy and interesting to see the results of a diamond heatsink...