best thermal paste?

[james 1]

hi, i have been looking at buying a cooler for my phenom 720 and i have decided to get a Zalman CNPS 10X Extreme, but i don't know if i should use the paste that comes with it or get something else like the Tuniq TX-3 or Arctic Silver 5

 

[Zap]

The best thermal paste is that which is applied properly.

There isn't actually a huge difference in performance with thermal paste. Among the "best" there's probably only a degree or two difference.

 

[james 1]

so should i just go ahead and use the stock not the arctic silver 5

 

[skinnee]

We already have a number of TIM's tested, and we will continue to test more...

TIM Round Up #2

However, for now go ahead and use what you have on hand it won't make or break your system. The best advice I can give is to use the proper amount (I prefer 2 grains of rice sized blob in the center) and make sure you get a good mount from your cooler onto your chip.

 

[MJinZ]

Technically, the best is probably the one time use purple stuff.

Otherwise, easy to stick to the cheap: Shin Etsus, ICD7, MX2

 

[james 1]

We already have a number of TIM's tested, and we will continue to test more...

TIM Round Up #2

However, for now go ahead and use what you have on hand it won't make or break your system. The best advice I can give is to use the proper amount (I prefer 2 grains of rice sized blob in the center) and make sure you get a good mount from your cooler onto your chip.

thanks dude made for a good read, i think i will go with the mx-3 rather than the Zalmans ZM-STG2 maybe only a difference of 2 degrees but what the hey

 

[james 1]

oh forgot to ask what do you guys use to remove your old thermal compound

 

[skinnee]

Couple of different methods discussed here...

 

[hclarkjr]

pretty good roundup here http://www.hardocp.com/article/2009/04/07/thermal_paste_shootout_q209

 

[Rubycon]

Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra

http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/

 

[zagood]

I just want to say how stoked I am to see skinnee here as a regular contributor. Good stuff all around.

Oh, and vegemite rules.

 

[Puffnstuff]

shin etsu x23 7783d is probably the best without having to do anything extreme to apply it.

 

[jpeake]

I always use "I Can't Believe it's Not Butter"

never had a problem

 

[smackababy]

I actually read somewhere that distilled water was really good TIM, followed by toothpaste. The only problems were they dried up too fast and had to be reapplied.

 

[Zap]

I always use "I Can't Believe it's Not Butter"

You just like their singing/dancing commercials. Admit it! :twisted:

 

[orbiter]

I've recently started using Arctic Silver Matrix, and doing my own pretty stringent tests found it to be 1*c better than A/S 5 which I've been using for years.