You can spend a long time trying to nail down the exact parts required for a full custom loop build. In a way, that's a part of it. You really come to appreciate the PC you've built by the end of the process, as it's one you've created from the ground up.
But if you're less sentimental, you might just want someone else to put together a parts list for you. EZ PZ. That's what EK does with its 'Loop' builds, and right now everything on its store is 24% off, which makes such a build that little bit more affordable.
Alright, affordable these builds ain't, but every little helps when investing in something as expensive as a fully liquid-looped build. You're looking at spending anything from $1,284 for the cheapest all-inclusive kit to around $2,628 for the so-called "Golden Sample". Nice name, lovely build.
These kits include all the big bits, such as your CPU and GPU blocks, pump, radiators, and distro plate. Though it also includes the more finicky bits that can be admittedly the worst to track down when planning which ways your loop will go.
There is a degree of losing that 'custom' side of the loop here, as you're stuck with the pre-planned layout chosen by EK, but at least you don't have to leave your build half-done while you chase down the correct part.
- We're curating all the best Cyber Monday PC gaming deals right here.
I've used a pre-planned loop kit from EK before. I documented the entire affair in an article right here on PC Gamer, in fact.
These builds are a bit more expensive than the one I checked out all those years ago (2020), but they're made of more premium parts. Whereas the one I looked at was intended to be a cheaper option to get fresh faces involved.
Though many of the kits now on offer over at EK recommend using the same case as I did for my build that day: the Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic. It's a great case, but more importantly has wide support for many liquid cooling components, namely distro plates. I love a distro plate. They're just absolutely gorgeous in action, and offer a way to show off your PC's cooling even from the front-on.
Of course, since this Cyber Monday promotion is on everything in the EK store, you needn't stick with these kits. EK offer all-in-one liquid coolers, too, including the EK-Nucleus CR240 Lux D-RGB for $122, which should make a suitable stand-in for a properly custom loop in a pinch.
