Quick and Actionable Guide to Building a Water Cooled PC

Building a water cooled PC can be a fun and rewarding project. You’ll get yourself a powerful and aesthetically mind-blowing machine while having a blast in the process. However, it’s also important to be careful and do your research before getting started, as novice-level users may end up with water blocks that don’t match their hardware, missing loop components, or even purchasing redundant water cooling parts causing unnecessary costs.  

This is why it is critical to have sufficient familiarity with all the aspects of the process, choose the right liquid cooled PC parts for your needs, know how to tackle liquid cooled PC maintenance (which is much less complicated than one might assume), and so on.  

That said, let’s delve into some of the main steps you should follow when building a water cooled PC.  

Find the Best Case for Your Water Cooling Needs 

When choosing a PC case for water cooling, there are a few key things to consider: 

• Compatibility – Ensure the case is compatible with your water-cooling hardware, such as the radiator and pump. This includes checking for sufficient clearance and mounting points.
• Cooling Performance – Look for a case with good airflow to help cool your water-cooled components. This can include features such as mesh panels, fan placements, and airflow channels.
• Quality and Durability – Water cooling can be hard on a case, so it’s important to choose one that is well-made and able to withstand the added pressure. Look for a case with high-quality materials and a solid build.
• Ease of Installation – If you’re new to water cooling, you may want to choose a case that is easy to work with and has clear instructions for installation. This also includes deciding whether you’ll go with a distribution plate. Opting for a distro plate makes creating custom loops easier as it determines specific points that coolant lines connect, which are typically directly in line with major liquid cooled PC components (CPU/GPU water blocks), making it easier to create clean-looking parallel tubing runs with fewer bends.
• Aesthetics – Finally, consider the aesthetics of the case and choose one that matches your personal style.

Choose the Right Components

Among the first steps in building a water-cooled PC is to choose the components you want to use. This includes selecting a CPU, GPU, motherboard, and any other components you want to include in your system. It’s important to choose components compatible with your chosen water blocks, as these will be responsible for transferring heat from the components to the water in your loop.  

We highly recommend using a Custom Loop Configurator, so you’re always on the safe side when choosing your liquid cooled PC parts. 

For the GPU, make sure you go with one that has a water block released and is available on the market. We suggest going with RE (Reference Edition) or FE (Founders Edition) models, as these are typically the first versions to get their water blocks and offer the widest GPU compatibility.  

If you plan to use a monoblock (a water block that cools both the CPU and motherboard VRM) in your water-cooled PC build, you will want to choose a motherboard that is compatible with the monoblock. Most monoblocks are designed to fit specific motherboard models, so you will need to select a motherboard compatible with your chosen monoblock. Some water cooling gear brands, like EK, even offer motherboard and monoblock combo deals, which are quite a handy solution when building a water cooled PC.  

You also need to select the right radiator, pump, fittings and tubing (will you go with soft or hard tubing, and why), and reservoir. The radiator will be responsible for dissipating the heat generated by your components, so it’s important to choose one that is appropriately sized for your system. The pump needs to be powerful enough to circulate the water through your loop, and the tubing and reservoir are used to complete the loop and hold the coolant. 

Plan The Loop

Once you have chosen all your components, you’ll need to plan the route the water will take through your system. This is known as the water cooling loop. Consider the placement of your components and the orientation of your case when planning your loop. You’ll want to ensure that the water has enough time to dissipate the heat from your components, so be sure to include enough radiator surface area for your system. During this stage, make sure you also focus on which angled fittings, adapters, extenders, and all other fittings your loop might require in order to be assembled properly.  

Assemble Your System

Once you have all your components and cooling gear, you can start assembling your water-cooled PC. Be sure to follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer, and be careful not to overtighten any fittings. You’ll also need to leak test your system before filling it up with the coolant liquid. As for which coolant to use, you can refer to our guide. 

Fill and Bleed Your System

After your system is assembled, you’ll need to fill it with coolant and bleed any air pockets out of the system. This is an important step to ensure that your system is adequately cooled. To fill the system, pour the coolant into the reservoir and let it circulate through the loop until it is fully filled. To air bleed the system, you’ll need to have the pump operating at the maximum setting and tilt the case in all directions. At the same time, you must make sure the pump doesn’t suck in the air. When the air reaches the reservoir, top up the coolant. 

Test Your System

Once you’ve finished building your water-cooled PC, test it thoroughly to ensure everything is working correctly. This includes running stress tests to push your system to its limits and ensure it is stable and cooled properly. This will help you catch any problems before they become major issues. 

Summing up: Perform Regular Maintenance   

Take care of your liquid cooled PC maintenance tasks and do them regularly. Maintaining a water-cooled PC requires a bit more care and attention than a traditional air-cooled setup, but it is not overly difficult. Here’s an article that can provide more detailed info: How To Maintain a Liquid Cooled PC. 

The only thing left to do is to enjoy your new water cooled PC!