Stulid Tested all of OcUK Thermal Paste Range
- Thread starter stulid
- Start date
Soldato
Great work Stu. 
Used MX4 on last build, not so sure I will next time.
Would have been great if this had been included as well to see how it compared.
Used MX4 on last build, not so sure I will next time.
Would have been great if this had been included as well to see how it compared.
no! everytime i smear water over my motherboard to watercool it, it won't even post! maybe the water is capacitive.
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Mar 2009
- Posts
- 5,721
IC-Diamond are the worse I ever seen. I use MX-2 (best one) as I ran out of MX-4 and CFIII
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Mar 2009
- Posts
- 5,721
I think Stulid should be testing one more thermal compound is a Thermalright Chill Factor 3 !
Soldato
Firstly really good work doing this Stulid it's a fantastic set of results.
I especially like the pic's of the spread test
Userability is oftern overlooked. So the spreadability results are imho your best table
Good comparision of what different TIM's are like straight out of the tube.
And most importanly you said how they were tested - so we know the limitations/bias.
BUT it's not a fair test for a few reasons.
Firstly, no air temp measured so no delta T weighted results
And let's face it the weather has been REALLY changeable over the last few weeks even on 'simular' days.
Secondly, no temps measured after a significant cure time - some TIM's need this
(this is a major nightmare for TIM testing - so I understand why you didn't do it)
Thirdly, no multipul mounts of the same TIM
Some TIM's are very dependant on mounting pressure - and can been over 2c different between best and worst case.
Forthly, (and this is an easy one to fix) no pic of the surfaces.
Is your 3570k concaved / flat / slanted
Is your Kuhler920 bowed / flat / forever changed after the liquid metal was applied.
Some TIM's do really badly on uneven surfaces.
And finally does one of your cores run hotter that the others? - No actual temp data.
All result are measured in same way I know but still nice to know raw data.
I know I'm being picky - and I fully realise and massively appreciate the amount of work that's been done.
I'm just highlighting the bias of the less scientific readers.
As other have said it's a shame TIM's not sold by OcUK are not inc
but I actually like the fact the sample are all sold by one shop.
For the record I use MX-2 to test / tweek (no cure time / good results / cheap)
and IndigoXtreme (reflow / exceptional results / expensive) when happy things are not going to change for 6 months plus.
I especially like the pic's of the spread test
Userability is oftern overlooked. So the spreadability results are imho your best table
Good comparision of what different TIM's are like straight out of the tube.
And most importanly you said how they were tested - so we know the limitations/bias.
BUT it's not a fair test for a few reasons.
Firstly, no air temp measured so no delta T weighted results
And let's face it the weather has been REALLY changeable over the last few weeks even on 'simular' days.
Secondly, no temps measured after a significant cure time - some TIM's need this
(this is a major nightmare for TIM testing - so I understand why you didn't do it)
Thirdly, no multipul mounts of the same TIM
Some TIM's are very dependant on mounting pressure - and can been over 2c different between best and worst case.
Forthly, (and this is an easy one to fix) no pic of the surfaces.
Is your 3570k concaved / flat / slanted
Is your Kuhler920 bowed / flat / forever changed after the liquid metal was applied.
Some TIM's do really badly on uneven surfaces.
And finally does one of your cores run hotter that the others? - No actual temp data.
All result are measured in same way I know but still nice to know raw data.
I know I'm being picky - and I fully realise and massively appreciate the amount of work that's been done.
I'm just highlighting the bias of the less scientific readers.
As other have said it's a shame TIM's not sold by OcUK are not inc
but I actually like the fact the sample are all sold by one shop.
For the record I use MX-2 to test / tweek (no cure time / good results / cheap)
and IndigoXtreme (reflow / exceptional results / expensive) when happy things are not going to change for 6 months plus.
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Fair play for putting in the time to test all these compounds Stulid. That must've taken ages. Very useful and practical test. I've still got my MX3 (probably hard as a rock by now though 
), but I'll certainly be returning to this for future purchases.
), but I'll certainly be returning to this for future purchases.Nice piece of work, but:
1) No delta temps, meaning the temperatures comparison is meaningless.
2) You didn't mention the curing time, this is hugely important for many thermal pastes like IC Diamond or Arctic Silver 5.
Thanks for doing the tests anyway.
EDIT: I've just realised that shadowscotland mentioned all the important points.
1) No delta temps, meaning the temperatures comparison is meaningless.
2) You didn't mention the curing time, this is hugely important for many thermal pastes like IC Diamond or Arctic Silver 5.
Thanks for doing the tests anyway.
EDIT: I've just realised that shadowscotland mentioned all the important points.
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Associate
no word about mx4? :<
Permabanned
Cracking work stulid
Associate
Stulid, how many applications of each compound have you done?
I agree to make the test complete.
A few answers.
• I have had these pastes for a month, so they each had enough time to cure, some (such as the Gelid GC says it doesn't even need curing)
• The results were all gathered later at evening/night and on cool days, I avoided the four day heatwave we have had this summer.
• I didn't use the Coolaboratory pad as after the disaster the liquid pro made of the CPU+Kuhler surface, I didn't want to use it/the hassle of cleaning it off.
• I clamped the Kuhler to the same pressure as the screws just stop turning and the CPU block is still able to rotate a bit
• I have had these pastes for a month, so they each had enough time to cure, some (such as the Gelid GC says it doesn't even need curing)
• The results were all gathered later at evening/night and on cool days, I avoided the four day heatwave we have had this summer.
• I didn't use the Coolaboratory pad as after the disaster the liquid pro made of the CPU+Kuhler surface, I didn't want to use it/the hassle of cleaning it off.
• I clamped the Kuhler to the same pressure as the screws just stop turning and the CPU block is still able to rotate a bit
Associate
epic work there stulid, if there was an olympic medal for thermal material testing you would win it hands down 
Associate
Fair concern, it's intended to make a bond between the surfaces so including it in a test where you will be removing it isn't ideal. Eats copper as well doesn't it?
