Your preferred TIM application method.

Been using MX4 since it came out for CPU and GPU giving good temps on air or water cooled.:cool:

Its easy to spread and clean off.:)

Just enough to cover the surface but spread to about 2mm from the edge of each side of the chip.
 
Just recently fitted a new cooler and was disappointed with the temps so I tried the three 'blob' 'strips' 'spread' methods as listed in here.

Neither made any difference to the overall temps..in other words, don't stress over how you do it, it's all the same.
 
I think it has no relationship with the method you use, the only reason for the different temps between different cores is because the CPU itself. Even though I spread the Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra all over the lid, it still has 5℃～7℃ temp diff between the hottest core and coolest one (idle).
 
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I don't really subscribe to "method A is better than method B" when it comes to thermal paste application.

As long as you don't go full potato then you'll find that each method is with margin of error with each other.

Also don't lap your CPU - far more likely to make it worse than better. For a 2500K you'll be volt limited rather than temp limited on any decent aircooler. My NH-D14 was more than capable of running my 2550K at 1.4v in a rubbish airflow case with fans super low.
 
Disco_P said:
I don't really subscribe to "method A is better than method B" when it comes to thermal paste application.

As long as you don't go full potato then you'll find that each method is with margin of error with each other.

Also don't lap your CPU - far more likely to make it worse than better. For a 2500K you'll be volt limited rather than temp limited on any decent aircooler. My NH-D14 was more than capable of running my 2550K at 1.4v in a rubbish airflow case with fans super low.
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In many cases the difference can only be noticed in lab testing and in general use probably offset by the quality of the application never mind the method. I would still recommend the line method for certain types of CPU however over any other method.

The only method that I know can have noticeably poorer results is hand spreading where the contours of the CPU/heatsink don't get proper coverage (some older TIMs especially adhesives were designed for spreading a lot of intermediate ones aren't) - if in doubt the blob method is a good failsafe go to.
 
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Finners said:
@frostdragon

That seems like loads of TIM!

The only time I've put similar amounts to that on I ended up wit TIM everywhere! I know go with a small vertical line (die dependant) about the size of a grain of rice.
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was gonna say have I been doing it wrong all these years lol
 
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