Modder keeps RTX 4090 and Core i9-13900K below 30C using an air conditioner

[Daniel Sims]

WTF?! Modders have used various means to take PC cooling to new lows. Liquid nitrogen is popular for overclocking benchmarks, but other notable tools include large amounts of copper, dozens of feet of water block tubing, and a blizzard. One tinkerer has decided that the next step is to use an air conditioner designed to cool an entire home.

A recent Bilibili video from modder "Electrolytic Sodium Carbonate" (ESC) demonstrates how an air conditioner can interface directly with a PC tower. Although the method is likely wildly inefficient, it keeps every component extremely cool.

Our review of the GeForce RTX 5090 shows it reaches noticeably higher temperatures than its predecessor despite the innovative cooling system Nvidia used for the new flagship's founders edition reference model. According to machine translation from Tom's Hardware, ESC wanted to prepare for the new GPU king with a new over-the-top cooling system, testing it on a 4090.

The modder has multiple ridiculous cooling apparatuses connected to PCs throughout her home, including a thick water block with several tubes. However, ESC purchased and modified a new Xiaomi KFR-35GW air conditioner, linking it to her test system with a liquid cooling reservoir. The 12,000 BTU AC unit draws over 1,000 watts and measures 765 x 268 x 550mm, towering over the rig it's connected to.

Although the custom setup goes beyond overkill, the results are impressive. Every test system component, including the RTX 4090 and Intel Core i9-13900K, stayed under 30 degrees Celsius during a 40-minute battery of benchmarks that included FurMark and AIDA System. The CPU core temperatures only rose by a couple of degrees. Later, outdoor testing saw the GPU rise to just 36C.

Image credit: Bilibili via Tom's Hardware

Benchmarks with the i9-14900K and RTX 5090 are forthcoming, but these early results outperform earlier unusual cooling solutions. For instance, installing generous amounts of copper, whether in bars or a giant block, only keeps CPU temperatures roughly within the 70s and 80s Celsius, but this method ensures total silence. Running 100 feet of tubing and a gallon of coolant can keep a GPU under 30C and a CPU around 40C under load.

One of the only things that might beat a kilowatt air conditioner is a historic blizzard, which another Bilibili modder, Baka, demonstrated in 2023. With passive cooling, an RTX 4090 exposed to a -63 Fahrenheit (-52C) winter storm ran at -40C while the accompanying i9-13900K maintained 15C at 6.18GHz.

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Modder keeps RTX 4090 and Core i9-13900K below 30C using an air conditioner

 

[yRaz]

I guess people forgot about phase change coolers. I remember my Antec 900 had holes in the back to run phaser cooling lines into it.

 

[Str8Shot]

Even “cooler” that it’s a chick doing it.

 

[MSIGamer]

That's hilarious. Now where is the photo of the gas powered generator that is powering everything

 

[Thatsdisgusting]

I guess people forgot about phase change coolers. I remember my Antec 900 had holes in the back to run phaser cooling lines into it.

I have a dream to build SFF nanoITX PC with top-notch parts and a custom loop - and a plug with monstrous cooling system with MORAs and chillers.
That tiny gaming nuke box with industrial cooler should look hilarious

 

[opckieran]

I guess people forgot about phase change coolers. I remember my Antec 900 had holes in the back to run phaser cooling lines into it.

Cases back then had those two holes intended for external liquid cooling setups, since AIOs hadn’t made it to market yet.

https://www.overclockers.com/build-your-own-phase-change-pc-cooling-system/

Of course, you could also theoretically run condenser pipes through them, but almost nobody did since that came with a plethora of challenges. It would have been 30x easier to just chill the liquid in an external system using an auxiliary chiller.

 

[Gezzer]

My only question is how does it deal with condensation? Other systems like phase change have to be very careful in this regard. So it'd be interesting to see a deep dive in regard to how they pulled it off while dodging the potential pitfalls.

 

[abdulhkeem]

Now that's what I call:
Bringing out the BIG GUNS!
NICE!

 

[Aus spot]

My only question is how does it deal with condensation?

The air out of this system is dry. The unit has a drain that can easily directed away from the pc.

 

[tp0d0]

Did anyone, including the author of this article, watch the video?

They gutted the minisplit's' compressor and only used the radiator and fan for the cooling loop. The fan uses a max of 100w. Looks like the modder works at or is connected to a minisplit factory

Also the comments worried about condensation, there is no phase change action here. Just water-air cooling.

just my 2c

-j

 

[toooooot]

I like the idea of 100 silent water-cooled PC with cooler being outside.
Or if not outside, being quit just because of having a large enough radiator.