Wednesday, September 26, 2012

The Complete Guide to Solid-State Drives



The Complete Guide to Solid-State Drives
Adding a solid-state drive (SSD) to your computer is simply the best upgrade at your disposal, capable of speeding up your computer in ways you hadn't thought possible. The even better news: A good SSD is now cheaper than ever. But as with any new technology, there's plenty to learn. Here's everything you should know about your SSD, whether you're interested in upgrading or just like to know the ins and outs of your hardware.

What Is a Solid-State Drive (SSD)?

The Complete Guide to Solid-State DrivesA solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device for your computer. In everyday use, it provides the same functionality as a traditional hard disk drive (HDD)—the standard for computer storage for many years. In fact, you wouldn't even know whether you're using an SSD or HDD if it wasn't for the differences in how they operate. HDDs store their data on spinning metal platters, and whenever your computer wants to access some of that data a little needle-like component (called the "head") moves to the data's position and provides it to the computer. Writing data to a HDD works in a similar fashion, where parts are constantly moving. SSDs, on the other hand, don't move at all. They store their data in blocks. When the computer wants some of that data, the SSD just says "okay, here it is." This is a simplified explanation, of course, but you might have noticed that the SSD's process seems a bit more direct and efficient. It is, and speed is the primary advantage of an SSD over a traditional HDD. This makes an SSD the single best upgrade for your computer if you're looking for a way to make it operate faster.
A new SSD can speed up your computer in several ways:
  • Boot times will be significantly reduced.
  • Launching applications will occur in a near-instant.
  • Saving and opening documents won't lag.
  • File copying and duplication speeds will improve.
  • Overall, your system will feel much snappier.
SSDs have their downsides, however. For starters, an SSD won't hold as much data per dollar as an HDD. For the same $100, you could buy either a 120GB SSD or a 2TB HDD. That means you're paying about 83 cents for every gigabyte on an SSD versus five cents for every gigabyte on your HDD. That's a huge difference in cost, and the gap only grows as you compare larger drives. Luckily, it's not an all or nothing proposition. In the days of cloud storage and streaming media, SSDs provide plenty of space for most people. For those who need more storage than is affordable with an SSD, SSDs and HDDs can coexist on the same system (and we'll discuss those in depth a bit later), so you can enjoy the speed benefits of an SSD without sacrificing on storage.
In this post, we're going to walk you through everything you need to know about getting started with your first solid-state drive, from buying the one that suits you best to getting it set up and running most efficiently in your computer. We'll even take a look at a few advanced techniques for those of you who are ready to do even more with your super-fast storage device.

Choosing the Right SSD to Buy

Choosing the right solid-state drive for you isn't difficult, but the process can be a little overwhelming with so many brands available. In this section, we'll show you what you want to look for when choosing a drive and offer up a few recommendations that have worked well for us.
All SSDs are fast, and will feel like a great upgrade from a HDD, but when you're spending significantly more money on a drive that provides less storage you want it to be one of the best. You also want a reliably piece of hardware, and these are both fairly hard to gauge if you have little experience with the technology. Here are the qualities you want to look for in an SSD when you're shopping around:
The Complete Guide to Solid-State Drives
  • High maximum speeds: Max read speeds are around 400MB/second, and max write speeds are around 300MB/sec (note: that's megabytes per second). These numbers do not have to be exact. A little faster or slower won't make a significant difference.
  • Good real-world speeds: The SSD manufacturers generally will not provide real-world read and write speeds, as they're guaranteed to be slower than the maximums. Fortunately, many online reviews contain speed test results. On Amazon, you can often find users who've posted screenshots of their test results (here's an example). Seeing this data can often be discouraging because the real-world rates are quite a bit lower. If the test results reveal read and write speeds of about 2/3 of the maximum (in the sequential and 512KB block tests) you're good to go. If you apply this to our maximum speeds above, that comes out to read speeds of about 265MB/sec and write speeds of about 200MB/sec. If you want to figure out if a more expensive SSD is worth the money, its real-world test speeds will be higher than 2/3 of its reported maximum capabilities.
  • Multi-Level Cell (MLC) NAND flash memory: When shopping for SSDs, you'll run into two kind of memory: multi-level cell (MLC) and single-level cell (SLC). The primary difference is that MLC memory can store more information on each cell. The advantage here is that it is cheaper to produce, and SLC is often cost-prohibitive for the average consumer. The downside is a higher rate of error, but an SSD with error-correcting code (we'll discuss this momentarily) can help prevent these problems. (You can read more about MLChere.)
  • SATA III Support: Most SSDs use the Serial ATA (SATA) interface, but not all use the latest version and this can limit the performance of your SSD. This is because SATA I can transfer data at 1.5 Gbps, SATA II at 3.0 Gbps, and SATA III at 6 Gbps. To ensure your SSD has enough bandwidth to transfer data as quickly as possible, you want it to be compatible with SATA III. You'll also want to make sure your computer is SATA III compatible as well. If not, SATA III-capable drives will still work as all versions of SATA are backwards-compatible. Just know that you may not get the most out of your SSD if your computer doesn't support the most recent SATA specification.
  • ECC memory: Error-correcting code (ECC) memory does what the name implies: it provides your SSD with the ability to detect and correct common types of data corruption so you don't end up with unusable data on your drive. An SSD with ECC memory is more reliable. (You can read more about ECC memory here.)
  • A history of reliability: Reliability is a very hard thing to gauge, but there are a few tricks you can employ to get a good idea. First, look for an SSD that is made by a manufacturer who has been in the business for a while (I like OCZ and Crucial). The technology is fairly new, so you don't want to go with just any company who has recently decided to jump on the solid-state bandwagon. Additionally, look at the rating each SSD receives in online shopping reviews. If it is rated a 3.5 out of 5.0 or higher, this is often points to a reliable drive. When the ratings are lower, you may want to look elsewhere. Even reliable companies make unreliable SSDs sometimes, so keep an eye on reviews to avoid buying a lemon.
The Complete Guide to Solid-State DrivesWhich SSDs meet these criteria? We've had a positive experience with the OCZ Vertex and Agility series of SSDs. Currently, you can find a OCZ 120GB SSD for $100 and a 240GB SSD for $180. But OCZ isn't the only company who makes fast and affordable drives. Crucial recently released a more budget-conscious set of SSDs in its m4 series, offering a128GB SSD for $105 and a 256GB SSD for $210. You'll pay a few dollars more, but you'll also get a few gigabytes as well. Going above 256GB on an SSD used to be a very expensive endeavor. While certainly not cheap, prices have dropped dramatically. OCZ now offers a 512GB SSD for $322. Even earlier this year you'd be lucky to find an SSD of that capacity for twice the cost.
These are the drives we can recommend from our own experience, but there are many other brands of SSDs available. If you want to shop around and weigh your options, keeping the criteria mentioned in this section in mind will help you find a good, reliable drive.

Dealing with the Limitations of Your SSD

One of the most common problems new SSD owners face is adapting their current systems to run on a much smaller drive. Most HDD owners are accustomed to having at least 500GB of storage, if not upwards of 2TB. Downsizing to 120GB or 240GB—the most affordable and popular SSD sizes—can be a tough job. Sacrifices will be necessary, but there are a ways you can make the process a little easier. Often times, you can even use a HDD as your secondary drive for additional storage. Let's take a look at your options.

Option One: Start Fresh and Copy the Essentials

The Complete Guide to Solid-State DrivesWhen upgrading to an SSD, the most obvious option is starting fresh with a new install of your operating system. While this might require a little more of your time, you'll have everything configured perfectly when you're done. Here are the steps you need to follow:
  1. Install your operating system of choice on the new SSD.
  2. Copy the contents of your home folder from your previous HDD to your new SSD. If you can't fit everything, start with the essential system files and settings, then migrate the media you have room for.
  3. Go through the list of applications on your old HDD and install them on your new SSD. Run any updates, or save yourself some time by downloading the latest versions from their respective sources. Windows and Linux users can employ Ninite to get the latest versions of popular free software titles for their machines. OS X users can head to the Mac App Store to download the latest versions of their previous purchases.
  4. Copy any important documents (or other files) you have room for on your SSD.
  5. Put the old HDD in an external enclosure (like these), if you haven't already, and keep it handy for a month or two. This will help you see what files you use often and which ones you don't. If you find you're using something often, copy it to the SSD. If not, leave it on the external HDD for occasional access.
Again, this method requires more work but also handles the task of cleaning up your system at the same time. It may be more tedious, but it is an efficient way to solve two problems at once.

Option Two: Migrate Your Data from Your Old Hard Drive

The Complete Guide to Solid-State DrivesIf you don't want to start with a fresh installation of your operating system, you can always migrate your OS (and other data) to your new SSD. Chances are, however, that you're not going to be able to fit everything. That means you're going to have to start deleting files on your main drive until it is small enough to fit on your SSD. Because you don't want to lose that data forever, start by making a backup of your drive. Once you have a complete backup, you're ready to get started.
Windows users can follow our SSD migration guidefor the complete instructions. It comes across as a complex process, but shouldn't take too much time. You also won't have to reinstall Windows. Mac users can follow our MacBook SSD installation guide. While the guide focuses on installing an SSD in a MacBook Pro's optical disc drive bay, if you skip to the second half you'll find instructions on performing a data migration as well.

Bonus: Use an External Drive and the Cloud to Combat Storage Constraints

The Complete Guide to Solid-State DrivesRegardless of the size of your SSD, it's never going to beat the storage capacity of a HDD. If you don't have a secondary hard drive installed in your computer, you're going to need to store your excess data elsewhere. An external HDD and the cloud are two of the best ways to get around the storage limitations of your SSD.
Unless you have enormous collections, an SSD with a 240GB (or higher) capacity should be able house your operating system, documents, music, and photos without issue. It's when you get into the business of music creation, video editing, professional photography, and other work that produces large files will you regularly run into a storage ceiling. An external drive is often the easiest solution, so you'll want to pick up one with a large-enough capacity to suit your needs. If you're looking for a portable drive, the Seagate GoFlex series is worth a look as it not only works with USB 3.0, but can be connected to other ports like Firewire 800 and Thunderbolt by way of adapter. This also provides you with some assurance of compatibility with future technology.
When an external drive won't do the trick, and you really need to downsize your space-hungry media collection, the cloud can come to the rescue. Most of the best solutions come from Google because they're both simple and free. Google Play Music allows you to upload your entire audio collection, and doing so will allow you to delete any songs you rarely listen to (or at least move them to an archival hard drive) while still maintaining direct access to them from anywhere you have an internet connection. Picasa can do the same thing for your photos. (Personally, I preferFlickr, but it isn't free.) When it comes to other data, you have plenty of options. Google Drive is great for various files, Simplenote for text, and Evernote for rich text and PDFs. It doesn't matter so much which services you use, but rather that you start making regular use of the cloud if you have heavy data needs that can't be adequately served by an external or secondary internal drive.

Optimize Your SSD for Optimal Performance

For the most part, there isn't much you have to do to optimize your SSD. It's already really fast and should do it's job without any adjustment. That said, you can achieve better performance and longevity with a few adjustments.

Enable TRIM

The Complete Guide to Solid-State DrivesThe very first thing you should do after installing and setting up your SSD is enable TRIM. What is TRIM, exactly? Wikipedia offers a concise explanation:
TRIM is a command [that] allows an operating system to inform a solid-state drive (SSD) which blocks of data are no longer considered in use and can be wiped internally.
Basically, it prevents your SSD from being overused. Just like any component, SSDs have limited lifespans. TRIM helps keep your solid-state disk alive a bit longer, so you want to have it enabled if your drive supports it. Here are instructions on how to find out and enable TRIM in Windows and OS X.

Enable or Disable Hibernation Mode

The Complete Guide to Solid-State DrivesMac users can skip this section, but Windows users will want to decide between enabling or disabling hibernation. Both choices offer distinct advantages and disadvantages. When enabled, your computer will resume from hibernation almost as fast as it does from sleep thanks to the speediness of your SSD. On top of that, you won't use any power when in hibernation mode (which is especially useful for laptop users). The downside is that hibernating will eat up some of your SSD's limited space and require additional writes to the drive (which shortens its lifespan a tiny bit). If you favor power savings, turn it on. If you want a little extra longevity and storage, turn it off.

Don't Defragment Your SSD

When data is stored on a drive, it often ends up in various parts that aren't all in the same place. This is called data fragmentation. It slows down HDDs because the drive's head needs to move from place to place to read all the little bits of information. This can be fixed using a process called defragmentation, which is built into recent versions of Windows (7 and higher) and OS X. Because the location of data on an SSD is pretty much irrelevant, as it can quickly access any of it regardless of where it is, defragging a SSD is not only unnecessary but bad for the drive as well. SSDs have a limited lifespan that's determined by how much they're used. While most will last as long as you'd ever need, defragmenting the disk involves reading and writing data unnecessarily and those actions will shorten your SSD's lifespan. OS X and Windows should know when you're using an SSD and turn off defragmenation automatically. That said, it's important to remember not to defragment your solid-state drive. It provides no real benefit and can shorten its life.

You should now be well on your way to a better, faster computer with your solid-state drive. Most of us here at Lifehacker have been enjoying the benefits of SSDs for a few years now and can't imagine going back to a traditional hard drive. Despite the limitations and the cost, they're one of the best investments you can make. We hope you enjoy your SSD as much as we're enjoying ours!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your Computer

A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerClick to view I used to think a truly high
I used to think a truly high performance computer meant lots of fans and lots of noise. Then I discovered water cooling. If you really want to overclock your PC and push it to the brink of its power, water cooling is the best way to make that happen, while keeping the entire thing whisper quiet.
Music by Eric Skiff.

Why Water Cooling?

Water has a high thermal conductivity, meaning it absorbs heat very easily—even moreso than air. As such, it's a great candidate for cooling your system. Water cooling works by running water over each of your components, transferring heat from each part to a radiator that dissipates the heat and keeps the water cool—almost exactly like your car's radiator does. This lets you cool your processor, graphics card, and other hardware more effectively.
We've talked a bit about water cooling before, but prebuilt systems like the Corsair Hyrdo Series can only take you so far. They're certainly quieter than most air coolers, and they'll definitely give you lower temperatures than your PC's stock fan, but if you really want silence and low temperatures, a homebrew water loop is the best way to do it.
Water cooling is particularly useful for those that perform resource-intensive tasks like video editing and gaming. Not only will it keep your hardware cooler during heavy loads (my temperatures went down by nearly 10 degrees), but it gives you a ton of headroom if you decide to overclock your system, giving you the most power possible out of your components.
Water cooling isn't without downsides, however. Water cooling has long been an enthusiast-only endeavor, mostly because of its high cost and complexity. However, you can buy all-in-one kits that cut your cost in half, and eliminate the hours of research you'd otherwise have to do finding compatible parts. Below, we'll show you all the parts you need for a water cooling setup as well as how to put it all together. Check out the video above if you want to see it in action, then head to the how-to below for more detailed instructions.

What You'll Need

We're using this XSPC Raystorm RS240 all-in-one kit, which costs about $150. You can buy your parts separately if you choose, but know that the cost can jump up to $300 or more. The parts you'll need include:
  • A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerA Waterblock: This is the block that you mount on the hardware to be cooled. In this guide, we'll just be cooling our processor, but you can also find waterblocks for your graphics card, chipset, and other components. Note that while waterblocks for RAM and hard drives exist, they're not really necessary and won't give them much of a performance boost—water cooling is most useful for the processor and graphics card.
  • A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerA Radiator and Fans: The radiator, coupled with its attached fans, is what actually keeps the water cool as it flows through your loop. Radiators come in multiple sizes, usually designed for a certain number of fans. The larger and thicker the radiator, the more effectively it will be able to dissipate heat. Our radiator is a 240mm fan (meaning you can attach two 120mm fans to it), but you can get smaller one-fan radiators or large 4-fan radiators. If you have a large enough case, you can mount them inside your computer, but smaller cases will usually require you to mount them externally.
  • A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerA Reservoir: Your reservoir is what holds the liquid in the loop, and makes bleeding out bubbles easy. Most reservoirs require you to mount them inside your case using provided hardware, though some (like the one we're using) are designed to mount inside your 5.25" external drive bays.
  • A Pump: Your pump is, obviously, what pumps the water in your loop. You can buy an external pump or a pump that attaches to certain reservoirs. In our case, we're using a pump that's built-in to our reservoir.
  • A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerFittings: You'll need two fittings for each component in your loop—the waterblock(s), the radiator(s), and the reservoir. These are what actually allow you to connect them to one another with tubing. You can use barb fittings, which are just a spout, or compression fittings, which contain a second piece you screw on for a super tight fit. They're better looking, but more expensive.
  • A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerTubing: Your tubing is what connects each component together, and it comes in multiple shapes and colors. When you buy tubing, make sure its inner diameter (ID) and outer diameter (OD) are compatible with the inner diameter and outer diameter of your fittings. Usually this means they should be the same size, but in some cases your tubing can be slightly smaller than your fittings if you want a tight fit.
  • A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerCoolant and Additives: Lastly, you'll need a coolant, and you'll have to buy this separately even if you get a kit like the one mentioned above. You can buy all sorts of coolants with different properties, but we're partial to distilled water. It's just as effective as anything else, but it's super cheap, available at any grocery store, and has less of a chance of causing problems. You'll also want some additives for your coolant, which can include but are not limited to:
    • A biocide, which keeps algae and other gunk from growing in your loop. PT Nuke is a popular brand. Alternatively, you can use a small piece of silver called a kill coil, since silver acts as a natural biocide. This is nice because it doesn't require you to add extra liquid to your coolant.
    • An anti-corrosive, which is only necessary if you have multiple metals in your loop. Our loop contains a copper waterblock and a copper radiator, so we don't need this. But, if you used a copper block with an aluminum radiator, for example, you'd want an anti-corrosive like Fesser Base in your coolant.
    • A drop or two of dish soap, which acts as a surfactant and can help you get rid of bubbles in your loop.
    • Coloring, which we don't recommend using. Color additives have a tendency to gum up the works, so if you want color, we recommend getting some colored tubing instead.
If you're buying all your parts separately, make sure to triple check that everything is compatible. If you're unsure, ask around on forums like Tom's Hardware or Overclock.net. I also highly recommend checking out DazMode's complete guide to water cooling on YouTube, as its incredibly informative on the finer points of each component.

How to Put It All Together

Once you've decided on all your parts, it's time to put everything together. The process is a little involved, and can be pretty scary at first—but as long as you go slow and follow the instructions, you should have a safe water loop running in no time. Again, to see the process in action, check out the video at the top of this post.

Step One: Plan Out Your Loop

A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerBefore you do anything, look inside your case and plan out how your loop is going to work. Figure out where you can mount your reservoir and pump using the included hardware, decide where your radiator is going to sit, and in what order you'll connect all the parts.
Your reservoir should sit right before your pump in the loop, so the pump never runs dry. If your reservoir isn't built for a drive bay like ours is, you'll need to either mount it on your case with the included hardware, or find a spot to velcro it in place. The hard drive cage is often a good candidate for this.
Once you've figured out where all the parts go, decide how you're going to run your tubing. From the pump, you can go to your radiator, then your waterblock, then back to the reservoir. Alternatively, you can go to the waterblock first, then to your radiator and back. Neither provides a clear performance improvement over the other, so do whatever looks good to you and fits easily.
Keep in mind you may have to tweak this setup once you actually start connecting your tubing, but at least get a good idea of where you expect everything to go.

Step Two: Rinse Out Each Component

A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerNext, collect all your hardware and rinse it out. For your waterblock, tubing, and reservoir, this is as simple as just running some distilled water through it and dumping it out. Your radiator, however, is a bit more complicated. Radiators can often come with a bit of debris left over from manufacturing inside, so you'll want to give it a very thorough rinse before you hook it up.
To do this, heat up some distilled water and pour it into your radiator, filling it up about two thirds of the way. Plug up the holes, and then shake it vigorously for a minute or two. Dump the water back out into a bowl, and you may find that a lot of debris comes out with the water. Repeat this process until the water comes out clear.

Step Three: Install Your Hardware

A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerNow that everything's clean and ready to go, install your main components. The waterblock will mount to your CPU the same way any other cooler would: Add a small dab of thermal paste to the CPU, set the cooler on top, attach the backplate to the back of your motherboard, and screw it into place. When you screw it in, make sure to only give each screw a few twists at a time, moving in a star pattern so that pressure is applied evenly to your processor.
If you have a big enough case, you can mount the radiator just by mounting it on the vent your fans usually go, then screwing the fan to the radiator itself. If you have a larger case, you'll likely mount it in the bottom. If neither of those are an option, you'll need to mount it externally using the brackets that come with it.
Mount your reservoir and pump using velcro or the mounting hardware that come with them. If you have a bay reservoir like the one we're using, just slide it into place and screw it into the sides like you would a DVD drive.

Step Four: Connect Your Tubing

A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerNow that everything's in place, it's time to connect it all with your tubing. Screw your fittings into each component, making sure they're good and tight before you continue so you don't spring a leak. I like to screw them in finger tight, then give them a small turn with a wrench or pair of pliers to make sure they're snug.
Now, start connecting your tubing. Slide one end of your tubing over a fitting, then measure how much tubing you'll need to connect it to the subsequent component in the loop. Mark it with your finger, and cut the tubing with a pair of scissors. Cut it as straight as you can. Connect that end of the tubing to the next component, and repeat this process with each piece of hardware. Make sure you're connecting the tubing to the correct fitting each time—your blocks, pump, and reservoir should each have a designated inlet and outlet. It won't matter which holes you use on your radiator.
You may find during this step that the tubing makes too sharp a turn, and kinks. This is bad for your water flow, so you need to return to the planning stage and see if there's a way to make that bend without a kink—sometimes giving yourself some extra tubing solves the problem, but other times you'll need to connect your components in a different order. To disconnect tubing from your fitting, you may need to slice it with a razor blade where the two connect—pulling them off is often very hard to do.

Step Five: Fill Up Your Loop

Once everything's connected, it's time to fill up the loop. Some people recommend removing the loop from your case and testing it on its own, but I prefer to just test it inside the case. If you test it outside the case, you can still spring leaks by moving it back in, so it doesn't give you a ton of extra security against leaks. As long as you do everything slowly and correctly, you shouldn't have a problem—just make sure to put some paper towel down inside your computer, and if you do spring a leak, plug it up, empty out your loop, and give your computer 24 hours to dry off. Most of your hardware will be fine, even if you get a little water on it.
A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerBefore you fill up, you'll need to jump your power supply. This lets you test the pump and the fans without actually turning on the computer itself. Disconnect the 24-pin cable from your motherboard, and connect the green wire to the black wire using a paper clip, as shown above. Some kits also come with a small adapter to serve this purpose.
Next, add your liquid additives to your water, if applicable. Grab a funnel and put it in the reservoir's fill port. Carefully pour your water in, filling the reservoir almost to the top. Some may empty into the tubing, which is okay. Once the reservoir is filled up, flip the power switch on the back of your computer and let it run for a second. When your reservoir gets about halfway down (1/3 of the way if you're using the XSPC pump/reservoir combo), turn the computer off before the pump runs dry. It's very important to make sure your pump never runs dry, as this can permanently damage your pump in a matter of seconds. Once you've let a little water out of the reservoir, fill it up to the top again. Repeat this process until the water level in your reservoir stays constant. Double check your loop for any leaks, and if everything's okay, you have yourself a working water loop!

Step Six: Test for Leaks and Bleed Out Air Bubbles

A Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your ComputerThe last step is to let the entire loop leak test for 24 hours. Let it run and check back frequently to make sure it isn't leaking anywhere. During these 24 hours, you should also find that a lot of the bubbles in your loop will bleed out. You may need to tip, shake, or jiggle the case to help this process along, as well as tap or pinch the tubing. Don't worry if you have a few small bubbles left over, they'll go away in time. Again, a drop or two of dish soap can help bleed out the bubbles as well.
Once the system proves to be leak-free, you can turn it off, reconnect your 24-pin motherboard cable, close everything up, and start using your computer. You should find that your computer's temperatures are much lower, and that you can run the fans at much lower speeds, keeping everything much quieter. You'll need to empty out the loop and rinse out the hardware about every 6 months, but for now, you're ready to overclock your processor, do some serious gaming, or just bask in the silent hum of your computer's new cooling system.

Further Reading

If you're ready to give water cooling a try, that's great! I highly recommend doing a bit of extra research, so you know everything backwards and forwards before you start. Here are some other great guides that should help you learn more about the process:
I also high recommend these two video guides:
And, of course, we have a few water cooling gurus around here that know their stuff, so feel free to ask questions in the comments below.

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