Spec-Chum

Idle temps don't really tell you much. The background tasks are likely running on a single core and due to the 7nm node means the heat is so localised the IHS can't really do much with it, so it doesn't really transfer into your loop.

As mentioned, your water temp is rising, which is good as it means your blocks are transferring heat from your gear, however the radiator is struggling to dissipate the heat - you mentioned "while gaming" and that single 360mm rad is good for around 300W/10 Dt (water will increase 10C for each 300W load) at a reasonable 1300RPM with decent fans, and your CPU and GFX card will most likely be putting more than that into it during gaming. A 2080Ti alone can pull 250W at full tilt. Zen 2 chips have a 40 to 50C over water delta, so 80C seems about right for your water temp. In summary, your temps are fine for the load you're asking it to cope with, and the only way round it is to either add more rad space or increase fan RPM, if you're not maxed out already.

Don't forget also, the fans and pump are standard PWM which most motherboards can control direct, often 3 or 4 of them, and you can use splitters, so you might not need anything else if you can connect them to your board. Obviously won't be able to use iCUE to control fan speed tho - it was just with everyone saying you *need* a commander pro to control them - you don't, I don't have one and I control my ML120 fans and pump via the motherboard headers.

Quick update on this, I think it's the LEDs, or related to them anyway. If you starting playing with the LED's, turning them on and off etc, the cracking sounds become more frequent, here at least. Overall, I'm not overly concerned, but I'll keep an eye on it.

Just to add what I think it is, as well. My guess is it's static friction between the black plastic cover and the clear plastic which is expending under pressure/heat. Once the threshold is met it "clicks" as the surfaces move ever so slightly against each other in one "jump" instead of gradually, due to static friction. This would also explain how loosening the fittings helped someone on here too, as that would reduce the friction between the 2 surfaces. Corsair's version of tectonic plates lol

Bit late to the party but I installed my new XC7 last week and I've got the clicking too. They are quite few and far between, and usually happens on shutdown, but it's there - I do have 3 x 360mm rads tho, so my water temp doesn't change too much. I didn't use the stock paste however, I wiped it off and put Kryonaut on, so it's not that. No sign of any leaks or physical cracks, but I'm sure it's from the CPU block.