-
Competitor rules
Please remember that any mention of competitors, hinting at competitors or offering to provide details of competitors will result in an account suspension. The full rules can be found under the 'Terms and Rules' link in the bottom right corner of your screen. Just don't mention competitors in any way, shape or form and you'll be OK.
Which Thermal Paste?
- Thread starter AStaley
- Start date
MSI had the best application methodOK let's get onto the best method of application. Rice grain etc
OK let's get onto the best method of application. Rice grain etc
Ultimately thermal interface material is a better than nothing method of coupling the heatsink and IHS (or die) so the goal is to have the minimum amount that will bridge the two so generally it is best to let the heatsink do most of the work. If in doubt a small blob in the middle will work in most cases with least chance of any negatives and close to the most optimal method. Most optimal method will depend paste to paste and CPU to CPU but if you know the core layout a thin line running the length of the longest dimension of the package, but stopping short of the edges of the IHS, is usually optimal.
MSI had the best application method
As I'll be working on an Asus board should I wear red rubber gloves, or will they cause the temps to be slightly higher?
Haha Nice! Maybe i’ll Just try the apply it with a spray gun approach!
Permabanned
- Joined
- 15 May 2006
- Posts
- 4,107
- Location
- London
GELID Solutions GC-Extreme
Prolimatech PK-3 is what I prefer to use on my CPU/GPU's. Very nice consistency paste that's spreads very easily using the pea method or manually spreading.
I've tried pretty much all the major pastes including kryonaut but always come back to PK-3.
I've tried pretty much all the major pastes including kryonaut but always come back to PK-3.
Didn't AS5 get downgraded as a mid-range paste over a decade ago?
A lot of reviewers persist in ignoring the application notes - not that it makes earth shattering difference but still - also takes some thermal cycles to cure and get best results which often reviewers don't bother with.
It doesn't compete quite with some of the top pastes these days for outright temperature but proven long term stability which some of these pastes don't have.
Associate
- Joined
- 22 Nov 2009
- Posts
- 106
Using my old tube of MX-4 and it still rocks. Don't thermal paste have very little difference in temps unless you are doing extreme overclocking?
I went for conductonaut this time round on my 3900x. Bit fiddly to get it spread out but the temps seem good.
Used a tube of generic phanteks grease for a quick system test before rebuilding with the liquid metal. Saw a massive drop in temps 55C idle down to 36C, but I didn't bother mounting the CPU fan for the test build
Was put off by the conductive risk in the past but it's really not an issue so long as you follow the instructions. Only need a pin head size blob then spread it around for ages with the bud tool.
Used a tube of generic phanteks grease for a quick system test before rebuilding with the liquid metal. Saw a massive drop in temps 55C idle down to 36C, but I didn't bother mounting the CPU fan for the test build
Was put off by the conductive risk in the past but it's really not an issue so long as you follow the instructions. Only need a pin head size blob then spread it around for ages with the bud tool.
Last edited:
Wait so instead of using normal paste you used liquid metal? It sounds tempting but risky as well.I went for conductonaut this time round on my 3900x. Bit fiddly to get it spread out but the temps seem good.
Used a tube of generic phanteks grease for a quick system test before rebuilding with the liquid metal. Saw a massive drop in temps 55C idle down to 36C, but I didn't bother mounting the CPU fan for the test build
Was put off by the conductive risk in the past but it's really not an issue so long as you follow the instructions. Only need a pin head size blob then spread it around for ages with the bud tool.
Yup, needed to get some new stuff as I was running out of AS5. It came down to conductonaut or kryonaut.
Never had a problem with paste getting where is shouldn't so wasn't that worried. I took the cpu out of the socket as a precaution before applying in case I screwed up and made a mess on the board / socket. Found it ok to put on, much more viscous than normal paste only a tiny amount is needed. Wasn't messy just took ages to spread out, kind of like trying to spread a thin layer of oil. I'm happy with the temps i'm getting anyhow, probably only 1-2C gained from using liquid metal.
If using make sure your heat-sink base isn't aluminium or copper (can still have mild reaction not as bad a alu), most are nickel plated copper which is fine.
Last edited:
I used LM to delid my 7700K so I am familiar with how it behaves when you try to spread it (a pain). If its only 1-2C that you gained I might not try it.
I'm using Hydronaut with a 240mm AIO at the moment.. temps are the same as when i was using the Kryonaut before.
Max temps 73c-75c under full load like Cinebench or video encoding on either paste with 2700X at 4.2Ghz all core 1.36v.
Edit.. oh and 28c idle temps
Max temps 73c-75c under full load like Cinebench or video encoding on either paste with 2700X at 4.2Ghz all core 1.36v.
Edit.. oh and 28c idle temps