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The cooling system remains to be one of the most underrated computer components in today’s time. It is responsible for removing heat from the rest of the computer’s hardware, ensuring a safe temperature range.
If your system runs at a safe temperature range, it provides high performance while keeping the system hardware safe from damage. The AIO Pump is an excellent cooling system that mediates your computer’s cooling. This article will discuss everything you need to know about AIO pumps and where to connect AIO pumps to your motherboard.
What is an AIO Pump?
All-in-one (AIO) pumps are liquid coolers that are shipped ready to use without requiring users to do manual setup work. You can simply plug them in and start using them. They are generally used in high-end computer systems to cool down CPUs and GPUs.
How do AIO Pumps work?
AIO pumps have three primary parts; the radiator, the cold plate, and the tube. The role of the tube is to receive heat from the cold copper plate attached to your system hardware (CPU and GPU). The heat received from the system is then taken into the radiator and eventually dissipated into the air.
The user gets to control AIO pumps through software. The software allows them to adjust the fan speed, which changes the pump’s performance per the system’s temperature. The pumps are also smartly designed as they automatically vary cooling performance based on how hot the components are.
Why choose AIO Pumps?
There are several reasons to choose AIO pumps as the cooling solution for your computers. Here are some of them:
1. Easy installation
AIO pumps are designed in a way that makes them easy to use. They can be directly plugged into your motherboard and connected to your GPU and CPU for cooling. Unlike traditional methods, you do not need to individually set up the cooling system hardware.
2. Quiet operation
Fan noise can be annoying for performance users. It can hinder your experience by interfering with tasks. A loud fan noise also indicates that your system is facing high-temperature issues, causing panic.
AIO pumps are one of the quietest cooling solutions out there. The sound-dampening properties of the liquid coolant in these pumps offset the fan noise, creating very little noise.
3. Reliable cooling performance
AIO pumps are known for their reliability as they offer an efficient cooling system that can control even the highest temperatures. With editing and gaming on the rise, you need a cooling system that offers exactly that.
4. Low maintenance
AIO pumps do not require much maintenance once installed. They are durable and can run for years without any hiccups. Though you will have to maintain them periodically, especially regarding the coolant.
Why Not To Choose AIO pumps?
AIO pumps are an efficient modern-day cooling solution that has very few flaws. The primary flaw when it comes to them is the price. They are more expensive compared to air coolers. Therefore, you might have to avoid them if you are on a tight budget or wish to use your computer with less load.
Though if you are a high-performance user, we recommend increasing the budget as the upgrade is worthwhile in the long run.
How to install an AIO pump on your computer motherboard?
Installing an AIO pump can be difficult for first-time users as it contains a lot of wiring. However, it is much easier to install compared to other cooling solutions. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to install AIO pumps on your computer’s motherboard:
1. Distinguish the wiring
The first action while connecting an AIO pump to the motherboard is to look at all the wiring provided to you for connection. Generally, AIO pumps are shipped with a 3-Pin Connector, 4-Pin Splitter Connector(s), SATA Connector, and a USB Connector.
2. Connect the 3-Pin connector
To connect AIO pumps to your motherboard, you need to use the 3-PIn connector. The connector goes into the CPU Fan Header in the motherboard. This area controls the pump and fan speeds. This connection also directly contacts with system software by indicating that a cooling system is connected.
3. Connect the 4-Pin Splitter Connector(s)
Look for a 4-Pin Splitter connector spot on the motherboard and connect the pump wiring to it. If there are multiple connectors, connect them. These connectors power the radiator fans and report temperature from the CPU fan header, allowing fan speed adjustment accordingly.
4. Connect the SATA Connector
You can connect the SATA connector to any free SATA ports on the motherboard. This connector powers the pump’s motor and additional features such as RGB lighting.
5. Connect the USB Connector
The USB connector of your AIO pump goes into a free USB 2.0 Header on the motherboard. Through software, users can control AIO pump fan speed and other features, such as RGB lighting thanks to this connection.
How to check whether the AIO pump is working?
Once installed, you can check your AIO pumps by powering on your system. If the system powers on properly, it has probably noticed that a cooling system is connected.
To confirm if the pump is working, touch the area where it is installed and see if it is vibrating. If it is, it is active. You can also check AIO pumps through software by going to BIOS or through temperature monitoring tools such as HWInfo.
Conclusion
AIO Pumps are the ideal choice for high-performance users due to their quiet operation, ability to handle high temperatures, and easy installation and maintenance process.
Despite its comparatively easy installation process, novice users can be overwhelmed with AIO pumps, especially once they enter the motherboard connection. These pumps come with multiple wiring that needs to be correctly connected for the cooling system to work. We discussed everything you need to know about AIO pumps and where to connect the AIO pump wiring to the motherboard in the article above.
