Looking to overclock or simply cool your CPU? You're going to want to install a water cooling solution to handle the additional heat output. Going with a custom setup allows you to tailor the cooling to your requirements and adapt it to the best PC cases. Some of the best CPU water blocks, like the EKWB EK-Quantum Velocity, handle the transfer of heat between the CPU and water loop. We've done the research and put together a list with some of the finest choices on the market today.
Best Extreme Cooling
Corsair's Hydro X Series XC9 is perfect for an Intel X-series or AMD Threadripper CPU. It's easy to install and use, is well priced for what you get, has a high degree of customization with the integrated RGB lighting, and is supported by its iCUE software.
Choosing the right CPU water block
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We recommend EKWB's EK-Quantum Velocity series for both Intel and AMD. The company has been around for ages and knows a thing or two about water cooling. The CPU blocks really are top-class. See our PC water cooling beginner's guide for more details on everything else you'll need to build your own loop.
Mixing aluminum with copper, nickel, or silver should be avoided. Using copper parts with nickel or silver should be fine, but adding aluminum to the mix could encourage galvanic corrosion, which we do not want to deal with in a water cooling loop. Play it safe. Try and match the water blocks with your radiators (copper to copper, aluminum to aluminum).
