AS5 and AS Ceramique confusion

[D_Brasted]

Hi,

I have the option of using Arctic Silver 5 or Arctic Silver Ceramique when putting together my family's new computer. I've looked at the Arctic Silver website, and have a question about their user guides.

The guide for Ceramique describes "tinting" the heatsink with Ceramique (rubbing it into the base) before putting a blob on the CPU heat spreader and mounting the heatsink to the CPU. The Arctic Silver guide, however, just shows cleaning the heatsink and heat spreader, and putting a blob of AS5 on the heat spreader (without "tinting" the heatsink first).

Did AS just miss out the bit about tinting for AS5? It sounds like a good idea, in order to maximise the efficiency of the thermal contact.

Thanks.

 

[GeForce]

I've always just used a single blob of paste in the centre of the CPU.

From what I know, it's a bad idea to put any amount of paste onto both the CPU and the HSF, because that tends to create air bubbles when the two are pushed together.

Jon

 

[Shash]

From what I know, its better to rub paste into the base of the heatsink (pressing really hard) to tint it as you describe, then to wipe away the excess. For the actual paste application do it on the cpu (I prefer to spread this evenly using a small plastic bag over my finger) reason being depending on how you place the heatsink I don't trust it will spread as evenly by itself as if you guide it.

As for air bubbles, I don't think this is a problem if you are only "tinting" the heatsink, it actually advises you to use the method I described above to ensure the natural fissures get filled in for a more even surface which should help improve heat conductivity.

To be honest I wouldnt worry about all this THAT much as unless you do something quite wrong or use way too much/too little paste you will see pretty similar results anyway.