Safety
We don’t need to tell you that having water and liquid coolant running through your expensive gaming PC can be a nerve-wracking prospect. It’s what drove most people away from liquid cooling years ago. Fortunately, AIO liquid coolers have been perfected by reputable companies and are extremely safe to use. No leaks, no worries. It goes without saying that buying a product from a manufacturer you’ve never heard of is probably not a good idea. Companies like Corsair, EVGA, and Cooler Master make high-quality AIO water cooling products that are guaranteed not to leak.
Ease of Installation
In the past, liquid cooling required that you bought all the necessary parts separately in order to fit into your setup. This type of water cooling solution still exists but it can be expensive and also a hassle to get right. AIO (or all-in-one) solutions take all of that stress and hassle away by giving you everything you need in one neat little package. Thermaltake and Corsair have some of the easier water cooler products to install into any setup. But don’t let this “noob friendly” design fool you. It doesn’t sacrifice the performance and efficiency you’re aiming to get out of liquid cooling.
Noise Generation
AIO water coolers may primarily cool through water and liquid coolant but they’re not completely devoid of fans. These units typically have a couple of fans to help keep the liquid cool. Cooler Master’s offerings have some of the most powerful fans out there that can generate great airflow that will keep your liquid at the right temperature at all times. Naturally, though, these fans are like air cooling fans. They can generate noise if they aren’t of high quality. Corsair’s Hydro series of liquid coolers specifically has some of the lowest noise generation in its class while also maintaining good airflow and enough pressure to keep your liquid nice and cool.
Software Control
One of the big benefits of getting an AIO liquid cooling solution, especially a reputable one, is that it’ll likely come with its own control app. This software will allow you to control a variety of aspects of your liquid cooling, from fan speed to pump efficiency. If you’ve picked up any of the multitudes of RGB options available from Cooler Master, Corsair, and Thermaltake, you’ll also get to jazz up your setup’s internals with a light show of your preference. Corsair’s software also offers the option on some of its models to reduce fan RPM to 0 so completely eliminate any noise, which is perfect for streamers and content creators.
Pump and Radiator Plate Materials
The key to making anything cooler in a gaming PC setup are the contact materials used. A typically good choice for pump and radiator plates is using cold copper for reliably high performance. Corsair’s key offerings feature high-quality copper plates to achieve efficient cooling that will keep your chipsets nice and breezy without the need for intense fanning.
RGB Lighting
Let’s face it. One of the real reasons gamers want liquid cooling in their setups is for the badass-looking RGB lights. The way the colors look as they travel through the tubes and fans looks really cool and epic. The majority of offerings by Corsair and Cooler Master come with this coveted feature and best of all; the level of RGB goodness they offer doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. High performance is great and all but if you’re going to go the water cooling route, you’ve got to have the RGBs as well.
This is pretty much the gist of what you need to look out for when selecting an AIO liquid cooling solution for your gaming setup. By going with a reputable and well-established player in the PC parts domain, you are guaranteed to have a product that will not leak and keep your expensive components safe from water damage.