- Ultra-low GPU temps sound impressive until you consider the power bill
- Cooling a GPU with an AC unit may work, but the size and risks make it impractical
- A 12,000 BTU AC for GPU cooling: it works, but at what cost?
A Chinese techtuber has integrated a 12,000 BTU air conditioning unit into the liquid cooling system of the RTX 4090 and an Intel Core i9-13900K processor.
ESC’s setup replaces a conventional PC-mounted radiator with a household air conditioning unit. The modified Xiaomi KFR-35GW air conditioner serves as the primary cooler component while the system directs chilled liquid through a loop connected to the PC.
ESC plans to pair a Intel Core i9-14900K processor paired with the incredibly elusive Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, but the lack of an available water block for the RTX 5090 has put a – ahem – dampener on that.
AC + CPU + GPU = R U OK?
In initial tests, the RTX 4090 maintained a temperature of just 20°C under stress testing. When the air conditioning unit was moved outdoors, GPU temperatures remained exceptionally low, reaching 2°C at idle and 20°C under load.
So, air-con cooling demonstrates impressive cooling performance, but there are several practical concerns.
First, integrating an HVAC system into a PC is an involved process, involving welding, refrigerant management, and custom piping. That’s just not suitable for the average user, and introduces risks related to handling refrigerant gases and electrical components. On the off chance you even want to try this at home; don’t.
Another concern is energy consumption. The air conditioning unit in this setup typically draws around 1.2 kW of power, which is significantly higher (and more expensive) than traditional PC cooling solutions.
Extreme cooling can lead to condensation, which poses a serious risk to the longevity of workstation components; without proper insulation and moisture control, the system could suffer from unintended damage due to a build-up of water in the chassis.
Consider, also, the size of the AC unit, which measures 765 x 268 x 550mm, significantly larger than a 360mm PC cooling radiator and even bigger than the PC tower it is cooling. It’s incredibly impractical, and so I can’t see this as anything other than a click-baiting hobby project.
Via Tom’s Hardware
