A good liquid cooler can offer better somewhat performance than an air cooler. But since price is a consideration for many people, and that’s money you can put into other parts which make more of a difference, it’s not recommended for the majority of people.
Pros of Liquid Cooling (compared to air coolers made for performance)
- Makes less noise at very high loads.
- Does not block RAM slots
- Is more space efficient for Mini ITX builds with narrow width.
- Allows more room for the hands to work in while repairing/upgrading the PC.
- Can choose which side of the case you want to exhaust the hot air from.
- Certain liquid coolers can be used on your GPU in addition to your CPU.
- Aesthetic appeal of having a luxurious and futuristic looking machine.
- Generally offers more superior clock speeds and better performance.
Cons of Liquid Cooling
- If you are not overclocking, it’s absolutely pointless.
- If you aren’t gaming at 4K or above 60 frames per second, you probably don’t need it.
- The performance boost is meaningful, but not significant.
- Liquid cooling generally costs about twice as much as air cooling.
- In the $50-75 price range, air coolers are generally superior.
Who is liquid cooling for? Hardcore PC enthusiasts who already have a great CPU/GPU/RAM/Storage/other parts and want to max out their PC. Consumers with a high budget. Everyone else – not really worth it.