edit 2: He has bought the air cooler!
He will be running the 9800X3D, which I don’t think gets hot enough to require an AIO. We are choosing between Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 (AIO) and the Peerless Assassin 120 (air cooler)
Benefits of choosing an AIO (Arctic Liquid Freezer III) is better temperatures, nicer aesthetic. Downside of going with AIO is the possibility that it will leak/wear out over time, shorter lifespan compared to air cooler (which can pretty much last forever)
He will be getting a Lian Li case (the O11 Vision Compact) with the RGB fans set, meaning he could go with the cheaper 5 fan set instead of 8 if he decides on AIO. Combined with a decent sale on the AIO in my region, the price difference isn’t that large.
What do you guys think?
edit: Mmm the internet people seem to disagree with each other
Air, water, AIO, whatever. If it cools well, use it. I just prefer AIOs and there really isn’t any maintenance, was my main point. There are always tradeoffs between AIO, air or a proper water rig, so there is that. (Fans are crazy quiet these days, but when I made the switch, it was mainly for noise. I always run an overclock, so my fans were always hauling ass which probably isn’t needed now.)
Ultimately, I prefer AIOs for the way airflow is managed. It’s not better or worse than air in many instances, but I like working with a radiator rather than a chonky heatsink.
I cannot disagree though: zero maintenance is better than maybe-maintenance. Like I said, it’s about tradeoffs. (I can still make my PC sound like a fucking jet engine, though. Noctua server fans kick ass.)