Applying Thermal paste, Line or dot? That is the question

franco_22 · 14 Jan 2011 at 09:00

AMD 555

Applying CPU paste, Line or Dot?

To spread, I heard somewhere that with i5 and i7 a line is recommended since the cores are on each side, should I squeeze a line or a dot with the 555? I know it’s only a dual core but what’s more efficient in your honest opinion?

Btw OcUK crossing my fingers mx4 and thermal cleaner will arrive today 

Thanks

Frozennova · 14 Jan 2011 at 09:02

Ive always used the grain of rice method on my AMD chips, always had good temps

littlepuppy · 14 Jan 2011 at 09:05

rice +1

Philtor · 14 Jan 2011 at 09:12

I have always applied a small blob (slightly smaller than a pea) on to the centre of the heat spreader and never had any problems. There's no exact method really but the main thing is not to apply too much.

mrfil13 · 14 Jan 2011 at 09:27

AMD the cores are in the centre, ive found putting a pea sized blob in the centre, then wrap some clingfilm around your finger and just rub it around the centre so that its flat. Means the centre part gets good coverage.

Also when using a heatsink with heat pipes put some past on the base and use a card to spread it so that paste gets in the groves of the pipe but the rest is clear.

Stryda09 · 14 Jan 2011 at 09:44

Used the method IC Diamond website says to use and it is running fine. Blob in middle about 5-5.5mm in diameter. Let pressure do the work, if you start spreading yourself you are more likely to get air pockets.

Tomcat825 · 14 Jan 2011 at 09:52

Can imagine that not fully covering the chip in all honesty.... but will maybe give it a try if the actual TP company says to do it.

Cookeh · 14 Jan 2011 at 09:54

Stryda09 said:
Used the method IC Diamond website says to use and it is running fine. Blob in middle about 5-5.5mm in diameter. Let pressure do the work, if you start spreading yourself you are more likely to get air pockets.

+1

Let the pressure of the cooler spread it evenly.

matthab · 14 Jan 2011 at 09:59

I normally use the pea method which is the first one shown in the video. This is because it works out most evenly and uses the less thermal paiste.

Stryda09 · 14 Jan 2011 at 10:04

Tomcat825 said:
Can imagine that not fully covering the chip in all honesty.... but will maybe give it a try if the actual TP company says to do it.

IC Diamond Method and results
They show a lot of different methods using two bits of glass and different pressure and show why they are not as good as the dot method.

Steves1982 · 14 Jan 2011 at 10:19

The companies that make the paste say to use the grain of rice/small blob method so best to stick to that I guess. I'm sure they know what they are doing and they will have tested the other methods themselves.

Tomcat825 · 14 Jan 2011 at 10:53

Thanks mate will take a look when I get back from work.

Mr Krugga · 14 Jan 2011 at 12:29

http://www.arcticsilver.com/instructions.htm

SteveOBHave · 14 Jan 2011 at 13:28

huh - I've always put a small bead on the CPU and then used a plastic bag over my finger to spread it, primed the base of the cooler using a similar process and then stuck it on - I've always had brilliant temps...

Reading up on it, it seems like with my technique there's potential for air bubbles... which is baaaaaddd m'kay

franco_22 · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:25

Thanks guys, I thought the blob method was the best but just thought I'd ask about the line method.

Lol, don't have a little glass thing to pressure teh cpu but i imagine the heatsink will do the job fine. Is a microfiber glasses lenses cleaning cloth suitable to clean the old paste of the cpu?

clone · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:56

I have always spread my paste with a blade before but i tryed the grain of rice option and it works way better.

Philtor · 14 Jan 2011 at 14:59

franco_22 said:
Is a microfiber glasses lenses cleaning cloth suitable to clean the old paste of the cpu?

Glasses cleaning cloth is ideal. That's what I use

Mick-1965 · 14 Jan 2011 at 15:14

franco_22 said:
Is a microfiber glasses lenses cleaning cloth suitable to clean the old paste of the cpu?

Any lint free cloth will do. Just as long as it doesn't leave fibres behind
Personally I use coffee filters.

shadow_boxer · 14 Jan 2011 at 15:23

SteveOBHave said:
huh - I've always put a small bead on the CPU and then used a plastic bag over my finger to spread it, primed the base of the cooler using a similar process and then stuck it on - I've always had brilliant temps...

Reading up on it, it seems like with my technique there's potential for air bubbles... which is baaaaaddd m'kay

That's what I do too. Can't beat the plastic bag method. I always take my time and never had a problem!

Andrew_McP · 14 Jan 2011 at 15:37

clone said:
I have always spread my paste with a blade before but i tryed the grain of rice option and it works way better.

I must admit that I've always spread my paste out as well (often with something no more technical than a straight edge of stiff plastic cut from the cpu packaging), especially since I started using the modern pastes which are *so* thick.

The IC Diamond stuff I used this time came out stiffer than a dead cat in a deep freeze on a cold day after the heat death of the universe, and although the warmth of the CPU will help spread it, I just don't have enough faith in things I can't see happening.

Having said that, although I've never had problems with heat or CPU longevity before, watching that video has made me think again seriously about air pockets. I hadn't really thought about how bad it might get no matter how evenly you spread the paste yourself. It's an issue which is obvious once you think about it. Temps might be fine near the sensor, but a localised hot spot under an air bubble would be very bad indeed.

Andrew McP