Video Analysis: Upgrading Cooling in Zen 5 Ryzen System

Objective

• Upgrade the cooling system from an air cooler to an All-In-One (AIO) water cooler to improve the performance and temperatures of the Zen 5 Ryzen CPU.

Previous Attempt

• A retention frame was used to improve temperatures but with minimal success.
• The bottleneck was identified as the stock AMD cooler.

Introduction to AIO

• Considered as a reasonable performance improvement over air coolers, specifically when comparing to high-end air solutions like KNACT TOA that are similarly priced.
• Today's focus is on installing the Corsair H100x RGB Elite AIO for better performance.

AIO System Components

• The package includes two Corsair RGB fans, a 240 mm radiator with pump and CPU block, pre-applied thermal paste, and various brackets and wiring harnesses.

Installation Steps

1. Preparation:

   • Clean the old thermal compound from the CPU.
   • Analyze the case for fitting the 240 mm AIO.

2. Case Modifications:

   • Remove the GPU for front mounting space.
   • Rearrange wires and components for optimal fitment.

3. AIO Installation:

   • Mount the radiator to the front panel.
   • Attach the AMD-compatible bracket to the water block.
   • Secure the water block to the CPU with supplied hardware.

4. Cable Management:

   • Route RGB and pump cables for clean installation.

5. Testing:

   • Reinstall the GPU and test the system functionality.

Performance Results

• Temperature tests conducted using Cinebench R23.
• AIO significantly reduced CPU temperatures compared to the stock cooler, with a 10-degree cooling improvement.
• Despite improved cooling, the CPU did not reach the advertised peak boost clock of 5.1 GHz.

Analysis

• The CPU's power usage was consistent at 90 watts, implying a power limitation rather than a temperature bottleneck.
• Suspected that AMD's boost clock claims might be optimistic without additional configuration or tuning.

Next Steps

• Explore Ryzen Master for further fine-tuning and power adjustments.
• Consider options for custom water loops for superior cooling solutions.

Conclusion

• AIO provides a noticeable improvement in cooling compared to stock coolers.
• Challenges remain in achieving maximum boost clocks under normal configurations.
• Future content will focus on exploring additional cooling and power solutions.

Additional Content

• Mentioned video on installing a custom water cooling loop using a Corsair kit for those needing more than an AIO solution.