artic silver 5 - is it worth using on a lapped cpu

sare^baw's · 30 Dec 2008 at 22:45

today i lapped me E2160 and my scythe mini ninja cooler, result a 10 degree drop in temps, i read good things about artic silver 5 and so im wondering will i still benefit using this paste even though i have lapped the 2 surfaces.

RJC · 30 Dec 2008 at 23:44

I would recommend using thermal paste (if you were thinking not using any

)

sare^baw's · 31 Dec 2008 at 00:15

RJC said:
I would recommend using thermal paste (if you were thinking not using any )

oops should have said i have used some zalman stuff i had left over from a previous cooler. would not dream of not using any :eek:

vertica · 31 Dec 2008 at 00:15

RJC said:
I would recommend using thermal paste (if you were thinking not using any )

The same thing struck me! I presume the OP is using something? :confused:

tbh it will depend on what you are currently using, and your current temps - the closer to ambient they are, the less difference it will make

Jokester · 31 Dec 2008 at 00:17

You want to use the absolute minimum you can if you've lapped otherwise the TIM just acts as a insulator.

Ben M · 31 Dec 2008 at 00:22

OCZ freeze is better from the reviews I've read previously, the links escape me though. And I don't think OcUK stock it =(

azza21 · 31 Dec 2008 at 00:32

MX-2 is the best from the reviews i've read

sare^baw's · 1 Jan 2009 at 13:37

thanks for the advice guys, as for my temp difference, using easytune 6 hardware monitor my system is 41 C, cpu is 29 C,

im not sure why my system temp is 41 as my case is cool to touch, i would say room temperature and not warm in any way

gazza0371 · 1 Jan 2009 at 17:40

sare^baw's said:
im not sure why my system temp is 41 as my case is cool to touch, i would say room temperature and not warm in any way

What motherboard do you have? The system temp usually relates to the power regulation part of the board - this is certainly the case for Asus boards, which benefit from a spot cooler on that part of the board - my system temps dropped down to low 30s (from 45+) when I directed an 80mm fan at the regulator circuit just above the memory slots.

littlepuppy · 1 Jan 2009 at 20:41

Glad you got a good decrease from lapping the cpu, its very much worth it. I did the same and found mx2 gave me the best results.

j.jarman · 1 Jan 2009 at 22:51

+1 for the mx2

sare^baw's · 2 Jan 2009 at 15:20

thanks guys

MOTHERBOARD LINK

my mobo is a gigabyte GA-P31-DS3L i have no idea where the board is picking the temps up from

once i get some of the good thermal grease whats a good guide as hom much i should use, i put my current stuff on with a credit card so it was even and just a thin layer.

gazza0371 · 3 Jan 2009 at 18:01

sare^baw's said:
once i get some of the good thermal grease whats a good guide as hom much i should use, i put my current stuff on with a credit card so it was even and just a thin layer.

It's best not to spread the thermal compound yourself - I saw a specific guide the other day, but essentially you can either put a blob in the middle or a thin line across the proc and use the pressure of the heatsink to spread it appropriately when you tighten it on.

Regarding the mobo temps, suggest you get the tech guide to your board and look for where the power regulator is and spot cool on that area.

sare^baw's · 3 Jan 2009 at 18:06

gazza0371 said:
It's best not to spread the thermal compound yourself - I saw a specific guide the other day, but essentially you can either put a blob in the middle or a thin line across the proc and use the pressure of the heatsink to spread it appropriately when you tighten it on.

Regarding the mobo temps, suggest you get the tech guide to your board and look for where the power regulator is and spot cool on that area.

oks thanks gazza, did the guide you saw have any pics and can you sent me a link theu trust or on here if its allowed, its hard to know what enough when putting on a blob or line,

ill check up on my mobo and see where the power regulator is, cheers

PistolPete · 3 Jan 2009 at 18:08

There are 2 distinct trains of thought on this.
I understand the idea behind the blob in the middle and let it spread through pressure, however I'm of the other train that you need a thin layer all over the heat spreader

Cristian · 3 Jan 2009 at 18:35

You can just put something like the size of a grain of rice on the center of the CPU, the pressure will spread it evenly. I did this for quite a few cpu's, I had to open 3 or 4 or them for various reasons(upgrades, etc) and the paste was evenly spread all across the CPU, even though only one cpu cooler was lapped. I used AS 5, if it makes any difference.

Ben M · 3 Jan 2009 at 18:38

ask the makers of as5:
http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_intel_dual_wcap.pdf

sare^baw's · 3 Jan 2009 at 18:47

Ben M said:
ask the makers of as5:
http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_intel_dual_wcap.pdf

thats interesting it shows you a dual core cpu without the heatspreader and the chip below is running vertically and so thats why they suggest putting a vertical line of grease on the cpu heatspreader. interesting stuff

Cybermyk · 3 Jan 2009 at 19:39

Interesting that the quad cores they recommend an east to west line rather than a north to south and I'm sure I've seen people do crosses on them.

I like the .5 propelling pencil top trick for applying the as5 too.

gazza0371 · 3 Jan 2009 at 22:14

sare^baw's said:
thats interesting it shows you a dual core cpu without the heatspreader and the chip below is running vertically and so thats why they suggest putting a vertical line of grease on the cpu heatspreader. interesting stuff

That guide looks pretty much like the one I saw as I referred to in my previous comment - quad core line of compound should be at 90 degrees to that used on a dual given the core layout beneath the heat spreader on the CPU.

The reason I don't spread myself is that the pressure of the cooler on the CPU will spread the compound as best suits the join between cooler and heat spreader given the high/low spots on CPU heat spreader and cooler. Spreading yourself can not take account of high/low spots and will leave the potential for air gaps which are a cooler's worst enemy.

Even on a lapped CPU/cooler combo, which I have done previously, I have had much more consistent results with the blob/line approach than by spreading myself.

EDIT: missed an apostrophe - the missus would kill me