Poor Contact Or A Ok?

LtMatt · 11 Oct 2011 at 19:16

Does this look like poor contact between my noctua and cpu?

I'd be interested to know what other people are getting using this cooler Noctua NH-U12P SE2. I thought my temps were fairly low, then i saw someone else with the same cooler running 10c+ lower temps that prompted me to check the contact and i found that most of the paste was being pushed to the side.

I took the side off the case and felt the heatsink during load and it was getting warm. But i can't help feeling i could be getting better performance from this cooler.

andy_mk3 · 11 Oct 2011 at 19:18

Looks ok, just not enough paste really, it should cover all of the heat spreader ideally.

LtMatt · 11 Oct 2011 at 19:23

andy_mk3 said:
Looks ok, just not enough paste really, it should cover all of the heat spreader ideally.

I tried putting less on as last time i noticed it pouring over the edges onto the side of the cpu.

I used the small pea method.

j.col · 11 Oct 2011 at 21:33

as said already there, is not enough imo.
personally i use a rice size amount with a dot each side. so it resembles a +
push the cooler down and then give it a twist of about 45 degrees and back again. (this helps spread the paste)
secure cooler (never lift cooler, once you pushed it down, as it will introduce air bubbles)

LtMatt · 12 Oct 2011 at 10:46

Hmmm, well ive ordered some IC Diamond compound.

DoubleCheese · 12 Oct 2011 at 12:05

I've always spread the TIM over the entire die of the CPU and HSF with a credit card, very thinly but enough such that there was close to 100% contact when fitted.

JamesM · 12 Oct 2011 at 13:30

Apparently spreading the TIM over the CPU before hand can lead to there being air bubbles trapped between the CPU and HSF.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyXLu1Ms-q4

LtMatt · 12 Oct 2011 at 17:51

I just checked arctic silvers site and they suggested a thin vertical line for an i5. I think the pea method works best though, maybe i just need to add a touch more paste when i reseat tomorrow.

olivier renault · 12 Oct 2011 at 18:36

yeah, just a wee bit more.

Jokester · 12 Oct 2011 at 18:37

Depends on the block, the credit card method works extremely well with AS5 with waterblocks for example.