AIOs and Custom loops are both liquid cooling systems that help cool down your processor. They use a coolant to transfer heat away from the CPU to the radiator, where it cools down with the help of fans before circulating to the CPU again.
While they both work with the same principle and offer high cooling efficiency, they come with certain differences. Serious high-end PC builders opt for custom loop setups, but it doesn’t mean that such coolers are better in every way.
Custom loops have higher cooling capability, produce less noise and look more pleasing to the eyes. On the other end of the spectrum, AIO coolers are much cheaper as well as easier to install and maintain.
What are AIO Liquid Coolers?
All-in-One (AIO) Liquid Coolers are pre-manufactured liquid cooling loops that you may directlyinstall on your PC.
It comes with anintegrated pumpand aCPU water block, aradiatorand two soft tubes that connect the pump to the radiator. The CPU block absorbs heat from the CPU and circulates the heated liquid through one of the tubes to the radiator.
The radiator uses its channels to disperse the fluid over a large surface so that the fan can cool it down. The cooled liquid is then sent back to the pump through another tube.
What are Custom Loop Liquid Coolers?
As the name suggests, a custom loop is a liquid cooling loop that you set up yourself. You pick all the parts individually and fit them as per your setup.
The main components of the custom loop include:
You need to research all the components carefully along with your PC case andmotherboard layoutto design and install a proper cooling system for your setup.
Differences Between AIO and Custom Loop Liquid Coolers
Now that you know what both these coolers are as well as how they work, let’s get into the individual differences.
CPU Cooling Efficiency
Custom loops use a larger volume of liquid coolant than AIO coolers. So it has alarger volume to spread over all the heatfrom the CPU. This additional headroom for dissipating heat makes these coolers significantly more efficient.
