Thermal paste which to use

Jaffacakekilla · 17 Feb 2010 at 17:52

Sorry, but I will be asking a fair few questions soon, as I am building a new system.

First question

Do I use the GC 2 paste that I got with my Gelid Tranquillo cooler, or the arctic silver 5 that I bought to use?

macca672 · 17 Feb 2010 at 19:00

if you bought some to use then use it

Sildeh · 17 Feb 2010 at 19:02

AS5, why buy it if you weren't gonna use it ^^?

Jaffacakekilla · 17 Feb 2010 at 19:54

Thank you

Technics · 17 Feb 2010 at 19:54

I went with Mx-2 for my build, but i heard good things about AS5 so of course use that one over the stock paste

Azra · 17 Feb 2010 at 19:58

AS5, why buy it if you weren't gonna use it ^^?

Not all coolers come with paste so people often buy some spare in case they need it.....

celliott · 17 Feb 2010 at 20:14

AS5 out of the two. I've personally tried MX-2 after using AS5 for years and generally shave a few more c off with MX-2

Hairybudda · 17 Feb 2010 at 20:21

i used the GC 2 just to try it out, i've got an ancient tube of AS5 lying around and a dried out tube of some other random rubbery stuff I can't remember aquiring.

BIGBC · 17 Feb 2010 at 20:30

MX3, excellent paste.

Strawberry · 17 Feb 2010 at 20:36

MX-3 is also supposed to be better than MX-2 but anything Arctic Silver seems to be pretty high quality stuff.

Go with the AS5.

Technics · 17 Feb 2010 at 20:48

BIGBC said:
MX3, excellent paste.

A worthwhile upgrade from Mx-2 or not enought to warrent a fresh purchase?

Philtor · 17 Feb 2010 at 20:53

Having used AS5 for years I started using MX-2 and never looked back.
AS5 takes a while to cure properly and will short a circuit if you get it on your system board. The Arctic cooling stuff is much better imo but the problem with thermal paste is everyone has their favourites for whatever reason. Your chatting a 1°C - 2°C difference in temps when you use the performance pastes I mentioned.

Philtor · 17 Feb 2010 at 20:55

MX-2 is sweet. MX-3 is much the same stuff except more $$

Uriel · 17 Feb 2010 at 21:55

Use the AS5. Temps will be as good as MX2, it just takes a good few heating and cooling cycles to get there.

I'm on MX2 now, mainly for the added safety factor that, if you spill it, it's not going to fry anything.

Daaaveee · 17 Feb 2010 at 21:56

MX-3 here, quality stuff and no annoying cure times

Strawberry · 17 Feb 2010 at 22:15

MX-3 is about 1-2°C cooler than MX-2, so yeah it's pretty much the same.

Ace Modder · 17 Feb 2010 at 22:23

celliott said:
AS5 out of the two. I've personally tried MX-2 after using AS5 for years and generally shave a few more c off with MX-2

Lots of people state this, however AS5 doesn't hit the best temps until after a long period of usage aprox 500 hours of heat transference if I remember correctly.