Looking for a recommendation

[drogyn1701]

I'm putting together a new system. My first time trying to do this so there's a lot to learn. I'm looking for a recommendation on a cpu cooler to go with my case and processor.

 

I have a Crystal 460X Compact Mid-Tower Case, and I plan on getting a Core i7-9700K and was told I should invest in a CPU cooler. I'm happy to stick with Corsair but there's a lot of options. I need one that works with my case, and I also would like to know where the best place to mount it would be.

[DevBiker]

Your best option for that case is the H150i PRO - it's a 360mm radiator - and mount it in the front.

One caveat - the fans that come with that case are DC-controlled - the cooler won't be able to control them. The fans that come with the cooler don't have RGB. Many folks get the LL-RGB or ML-RGB fans for that case and cooler.

[c-attack]

As above. In general, you want the largest cooler you can fit in your case without needing to make additional compromises in regard to hardware or mounting options. On the 460, your choices are either a 240mm (H100i Pro or Platinum) or a 360mm (H150i) cooler. The H150i (360mm) is front mount only. Technically, the 240 can fit up top with some caveats, but if you google up a few case shots with a radiator on top, it tends to look fairly top heavy and this make things tight and require low profile RAM. Additionally, in that size case, you may take a heat penalty with a lot of GPU load.

 

So if you need to mount it on the front rail (and that is my recommendation), you might as well go for the 360mm H150i. The "extra" 120mm fan at the bottom won't do much for airflow, whereas the extra 120mm of radiator will allow you to let those front fans run a nice easy speed. On a 9700K, the 240mm will require higher fan speeds to make up for 50% less radiator surface area. Before the H150i came into being, a lot of 460 owners were clambering for a 360mm AIO cooler. We got one. It is a good fit for the case and your CPU.

 

There may still be some "non-X" versions of the 460 that do not come with those front SP-RGB fans. As mentioned, they will not be controllable from the H150's internal fan controller. They can be re-purposed to the top and rear as case fans, but to be honest the SP-RGB fans do not fit very well into the overall RGB control scheme. Given the option, I would want to get it without and use the extra money for the HD, ML, or LL fans that have more upside... or anything else you already have.