Which thermal paste to get ?

[Rroff]

I reccomend AS5 with correct application.

MX-2 and 3 are good and more forgiving with incorrect application.

The exact application method depends on the CPU and heatsink but generally:

Core 2 Quad - thin horizontal line through middle of text
i7 and possible i5 - thin vertical line through middle of text

Most AMD CPUs work well with a small blob center or thin horizontal line depending on the core.

Don't spread manually.

 

[ETNiES]

it's easy you can use a line or pea or you can spread it out with a credit card they all work!

You cant apply mx-3 with a credit card!

 

[Meridiusuk]

It's a i5 with a prolimatech Megahalem hs so I should use a thin line of mx-3 to cover the 4 cores and the pressure of the hs will spread it and not use a blob in the middle ?

So how much shoul I use for the line I mean the width of the nozzle on the tube but a line ? So basicly a line of nozzle sized paste ?

 

[Geek.]

You cant apply mx-3 with a credit card!

just watched the vid he made a hash fo that!
i what i do is use a blob in the middle then use a credit card or some thin cardboard then spead it to each corner then spread it lightly over to smooth it a bit so it covers the cpu!
this way i have used for over 10 years with no problems with temp and yes i have tried the other way's and this way works best me!

 

[PishY]

i use AS5

going to get some mx2 though when the AS5 runs out

 

[Xelene]

I have some AS5 and MX3 here, the AS5 is easier to apply. The MX3 tends to stick to everything but the cpu. It doesn't really matter anyway, my CPU is 30C away from max temps under 100% load, and I don't care to overclock it further as it's plenty fast for me.

 

[ETNiES]

just watched the vid he made a hash fo that!
i what i do is use a blob in the middle then use a credit card or some thin cardboard then spead it to each corner then spread it lightly over to smooth it a bit so it covers the cpu!
this way i have used for over 10 years with no problems with temp and yes i have tried the other way's and this way works best me!

You haven't been using mx3 for over 10 years though Other pastes are fine, have you tried the cc way with mx3?

 

[Geek.]

have you tried the cc way with mx3

yes i have i did it last week on a i7 950 with a credit card and it was fine with good temps!

You haven't been using mx3 for over 10 years though

i know mx 3 only has been out a few months! lol. but it is the best thermal paste i have ever used!

 

[ETNiES]

Well fair play getting to spread properly Iv read and seen vids of people failing to spread mx3 properly, so i didn't even attempt to when I was using it.

 

[Muel]

I have MX-3, spreading it with a card or a finger in a bag simply doesn't work.

I put a pea sized blob in the middle and then 4 smaller ones around it inline with the corners, about half way between the central blob and the corners. Worked perfect! There's a tiny sliver of paste squeezed out all the way round the CPU, and it never goes over 50C at 3.8ghz @ 1.5v. Sorted.

 

[ETNiES]

ah yea but Muel we haven't got the 10 years of experience needed to spread mx3 with a card!