The Most Shockingly Affordable Upgrade I've Seen in YEARS

The Allure of Affordable Custom Loops [0:00]

• Custom water cooling is often perceived as expensive, but high-end AIO coolers are also costly.
• Affordable Chinese brands like Bixki make custom loops accessible, offering benefits like upgradability, better performance, superior aesthetics, and a perfect system fit for less than a premium AIO.
• Bixki aims to remove the guesswork by configuring custom setups tailored to a user's build.

  "As a first-timer, how do you ensure that you have the right connectors, for instance? Well, as it turns out, Bixki has the answer."

Initial Cost and Value Proposition [0:57]

• A Bixki custom water cooling kit was found for $230 earlier in the year, though prices have increased due to parts, shipping, and tariffs.
• This price is considered a steal, especially since it includes components for a full hardline build, covering both CPU and GPU water blocks.
• While good AIOs exist for $50-$60, a GPU water block is crucial for significant performance gains.

  "But if you wanna cool your GPU, which is the one that's more likely to give you a real performance difference, then this is where the party's at."

Beginner Kit Challenges [1:38]

• Even Bixki's beginner kit includes addressable RGB, complicating wiring, and uses hardline tubing, requiring extra tools.
• Essential tools not included are a silicone insert, deburring tool, heat gun, and tube cutting tools.
• A bandsaw is recommended for faster tube cutting, though a fine-toothed saw suffices.

  "This is a little overkill for most people. Any fine toothed saw will do, but a band saw can be a real time saver."

System Configuration and GPU Block Installation [3:01]

• The build uses a Ryzen 9 9800X3D CPU, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and an RTX 4070 Ti Super GPU.
• This configuration illustrates easier water cooling for obscure GPUs with custom loops and breathes new life into older systems.
• The RTX 40 series was chosen for its ability to read hotspot temperature, crucial for longevity and thermal throttling, which water cooling significantly aids.

  "First, keep track of where you take screws out of. You can see that I'm using the built-in magnetic parts tray in our Precision Pro screwdriver set, and I'm putting the screws in the same physical locations that they're coming out of on the back of my GPU."

GPU Water Block Assembly and Thermal Pads [4:45]

• Removing the stock GPU cooler requires care, especially with warranty stickers, which are often unenforceable.
• Thermal pads from the stock cooler must be carefully transferred or replaced.
• Bixki's GPU block requires careful placement of thermal pads, with some guess-and-check needed for grooves and raised areas.

  "Now for the least pleasant thing about using a Bixki water block. There's a bunch of thermal pads. Good luck!"

CPU Block Installation and Loop Planning [7:43]

• CPU block installation involves applying thermal paste and orienting the block correctly based on fluid path.
• The Bixki kit lacks labels for the CPU block fittings, requiring users to deduce the inlet and outlet based on internal fluid paths.
• Loop order planning considers the orientation of the GPU block and the components like a triple radiator and reservoir pump.

  "Here we can see that it's gonna need to go in here, because that's gonna go right down to the middle of the block and get accelerated right over the center of our CPU die."

Radiator, Pump, and Reservoir Mounting [9:06]

• The kit includes a triple 120mm radiator and a reservoir pump with an unknown quality (CT60).
• Mounting options for the pump include clamps or a 120mm fan adapter, but the 140mm front fans necessitate a more creative solution.
• The pump's inlet and outlet positions offer limited flexibility, and concerns are raised about exposed fittings.

  "I'm gonna say the same thing about what I'm doing. I ended up having to put a nut on these because the screws were a bit too long, so..."

Tubing Bends and Leak Testing [12:03]

• The build uses Bixki's included RGB fans in a push configuration for aesthetics and easier tubing runs.
• Right-angle fittings are used, and Bixki provides ample tubing, allowing for mistakes.
• Hardline tubing requires careful heating and bending, with overbending and subsequent relaxation to achieve the desired angle.

  "The key here is to go slow. Be willing to take like a blade's width off at a time in order to make sure you get the length right because you can always cut off more. You can never uncut."

Final Assembly and Leak Resolution [15:25]

• A double-bend tube run to the GPU and reservoir proves challenging, with one tube cracking due to improper marking.
• Despite initial leaks, traced to an undertightened fitting and a Bixki reservoir issue requiring a third-party replacement fitting, the system is ultimately leak-free.
• The final result is visually impressive, offering excellent value and upgradability, with the CPU maintaining mid-60s°C and GPU sub-50°C temperatures.

  "As it turns out, damn. It turns out that on Bixki's own reservoir, there's not enough clearance to tighten this outer collar down enough to compress the seal."

Performance and Conclusion [17:06]

• The custom loop provides stable clock speeds, reducing gaming stutters.
• A full system stress test confirms the triple radiator is adequate for both CPU and GPU.
• The Bixki kit, despite its challenges, offers outstanding value, especially with its reusable components for future upgrades.

  "Still, this is more than cool enough for it to operate not only very well, but very quietly."