Thermal compound on Ryzen CPU

doopydug · 11 Jun 2020 at 14:52

I will be installing a 3700X and Artic Freezer II 240 AIO this weekend.

It used to be a thin, evenly spread layer of thermal compound was the way to go but should I just use a dollop in the middle of the CPU now and allow the cooler to spread it automatically when its positioned on the CPU?

MrRockliffe · 11 Jun 2020 at 15:00

A sufficiently large dollop in the middle of the CPU is plenty - the pressure exerted by the cold plate will spread the paste to the perfect thickness.

The only issue is if you don’t use enough :-)

IvanDobskey · 11 Jun 2020 at 15:10

I just put a blob in the middle and slapped the cooler on. Seems to be working OK on my 3900x.

MissChief · 11 Jun 2020 at 15:14

Pea size blob in the middle, the cooler will squish it out perfectly fine. A garden pea, not one of the big marrow fat ones.

maj · 11 Jun 2020 at 15:19

As above. Just do the opposite of The Verge's video and you'll be fine.

C64 · 15 Jun 2020 at 22:29

MissChief said:
Pea size blob in the middle, the cooler will squish it out perfectly fine. A garden pea, not one of the big marrow fat ones.

this cracked me up

pc-guy · 17 Jun 2020 at 22:50

maj said:
As above. Just do the opposite of The Verge's video and you'll be fine.

Haha just googled this. Great video!
To OP do a cross across the top and squash it with the CPU block!

bigjimmyauk · 18 Jun 2020 at 19:09

pc-guy said:
Haha just googled this. Great video!
To OP do a cross across the top and squash it with the CPU block!

You need to see Davido labidos version I think it uses 3tubes in jest of the verge video

pc-guy · 18 Jun 2020 at 19:15

bigjimmyauk said:
You need to see Davido labidos version I think it uses 3tubes in jest of the verge video

E-P-I-C!!!

bigjimmyauk · 18 Jun 2020 at 19:24

Found it lol

FireTwo · 18 Jun 2020 at 19:26

Deffo the X method

Paul_RD · 19 Jun 2020 at 21:05

I use Dow Corning / Dowsil 340 Heat Sink Compound and spread a thin layer to cover both contact surfaces.
I have a Lian Li case with plenty of airflow and a Noctua NH-D15S cooler.
I've never suffered any heat/cooling issues.

BUDFORCE · 20 Jun 2020 at 15:03

FireTwo said:
Deffo the X method

Yea I use the X method also.

robj20 · 20 Jun 2020 at 15:15

Small pea method for me, anything else surely risks getting air gaps.

bigjimmyauk · 20 Jun 2020 at 15:33

Paul_RD said:
I use Dow Corning / Dowsil 340 Heat Sink Compound and spread a thin layer to cover both contact surfaces.
I have a Lian Li case with plenty of airflow and a Noctua NH-D15S cooler.
I've never suffered any heat/cooling issues.

i looked at the dow340 a while back and the thermal conductivity was pants, well at least compared to the small tubes of dedicated PC stuff we have, it was less than 1-w/mk and i think thermal grizzly is 8-w/mk, you ever tried anything else and compared?

Paul_RD · 20 Jun 2020 at 15:46

bigjimmyauk said:
i looked at the dow340 a while back and the thermal conductivity was pants, well at least compared to the small tubes of dedicated PC stuff we have, it was less than 1-w/mk and i think thermal grizzly is 8-w/mk, you ever tried anything else and compared?

I use it for work (no alternatives are permitted) so I have to buy it anyway.
As I've got it, I use it. (I have three full tubes with me at the moment)
I've never had any issues nor had any event which has caused me to question my choice of thermal compound.
I also use it on my GPU and anywhere else it's required - no issues with gaming on DCS World, ARMA 3 and RDR2.

Sneaky Charlie · 18 Jul 2023 at 17:25

Paul_RD said:
I use it for work (no alternatives are permitted) so I have to buy it anyway.
As I've got it, I use it. (I have three full tubes with me at the moment)
I've never had any issues nor had any event which has caused me to question my choice of thermal compound.
I also use it on my GPU and anywhere else it's required - no issues with gaming on DCS World, ARMA 3 and RDR2.

I realise this post is old BUT I thought I'd throw my peneth in blacking up the Dow 340.

I've been using it on numerous builds for the past 5 years without any issues.

I recently built a 5950x setup with a Lian-Li Gallahad and used Thermal Grizzly as I'd heard good things.

My CPU was idling at 80c for months and only changed it to the Dow340, now it idles at 48c-55c. On Cinebench multi-core load 79c. Within 5 mins of the test, idling at approx 65c.

Can't fault Dow340

Dg834man · 18 Jul 2023 at 17:57

Sneaky Charlie said:
My CPU was idling at 80c for months and only changed it to the Dow340, now it idles at 48c-55c. On Cinebench multi-core load 79c. Within 5 mins of the test, idling at approx 65c.

That's pretty toasty, my 3800xt idles low 30's bit of an apples oranges comparison but they have the same tdp but yours has two ccds which should help you, anyway some cheap pastes are decent performance and great value I've a huge tube of gd900.

Paul_RD · 18 Jul 2023 at 18:30

Sneaky Charlie said:
I realise this post is old BUT I thought I'd throw my peneth in blacking up the Dow 340.

I've been using it on numerous builds for the past 5 years without any issues.

I recently built a 5950x setup with a Lian-Li Gallahad and used Thermal Grizzly as I'd heard good things.

My CPU was idling at 80c for months and only changed it to the Dow340, now it idles at 48c-55c. On Cinebench multi-core load 79c. Within 5 mins of the test, idling at approx 65c.

Can't fault Dow340

With a room temperature of 24°C, I'm currently getting the following results at idle:

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X = 34°C

Nvidia RTX 2060 GPU = 36°C (GPU fans not running at idle - "Fan Stop")

Both my CPU and GPU have Dow Corning / Dowsil 340 Heat Sink Compound applied (GPU in May 2019 and CPU in January 2022).

MissChief · 18 Jul 2023 at 19:44

Sneaky Charlie said:
I realise this post is old BUT I thought I'd throw my peneth in blacking up the Dow 340.

I've been using it on numerous builds for the past 5 years without any issues.

I recently built a 5950x setup with a Lian-Li Gallahad and used Thermal Grizzly as I'd heard good things.

My CPU was idling at 80c for months and only changed it to the Dow340, now it idles at 48c-55c. On Cinebench multi-core load 79c. Within 5 mins of the test, idling at approx 65c.

Can't fault Dow340

Early model Galahad's were recalled, check if yours is one.