Do you NEED to use thermal compound?

[hubbs]

I was just wondering if you need to use thermal compound when you mount the heatsink and fan onto the processor. I wouldn't think you would have to but it probably is a good idea. What do you think?

 

[Czar]

You dont have to but it works alot better if you put some

 

[dvch]

Have to? No. Good idea? Yes. Would I ever put together a system without it? No.

 

[hubbs]

Do you like just put it to stick stuff together and such?

 

[[Frosty]]

It ensures effective heat transfer.

 

[zooooh]

You don't have to if you are not overclocking but it's 'MUST' if you are overclocking.

 

[hubbs]

ok but WHERE DO YOU PUT IT?

 

[rickn]

<< ok but WHERE DO YOU PUT IT? >>



Obviously, all those sex education classes wasted

 

[hubbs]

You know what your not funny!

 

[rickn]

and you are a clueless dink who shouldn't be installing their own hardware.

 

[hubbs]

I'm asking a simple question. You don't have to flame me. I can put in my own hardware I was just wondering if it was worth getting some thermal compound on something I'm not going to overclock.

 

[Daniel]

The thermal compound goes between the heatsink and the raised core of the cpu, in the case of a fgpga processor the small blueish square in the center that touches the hs/fan, a very small amount because too much would actually be worse than anything by not allowing effecient transfer.

 

[Descend492]

I just got a new case, and have an AMD k6-2 CPU with a heatsink, a CPU fan, and two chassis fans. I'm still running the damn thing at 50 degrees C even without overclocking anything. I'm considering using thermal paste just to get this temperature down. It goes between the motherboard and the heatsink. When you put the heatsink on the motherboard, you don't get maximum surface area contact - thermal past helps by creating a heat-flow bridge (that's not the technical term...I'm just stupid and can't think of anything better) between the CPU and the Heatsink. Because it's a paste, when you put it on the CPU and push the heatsink down on it, it fills up the space between the two, and insures maxumin surface area contact.

 

[hubbs]

So in my words. You put it on the raised parts of the CPU and stink the heatsink down onto it to ensure that it transfers the heat to the heatsink!

 

[Descend492]

Well, you cover the entire top of the CPU with it, not just the raised parts (the entire top meaning everything that's supposed to touch the heatsink

 

[randomlinh]

which, at least on an fc/ppga or duron is the raised center piece.. da core.

 

[Descend492]

you can also apply it to the heatsink, but I like to put it on the CPU because you can put more paste in the areas where the dips in the surface are, so you make sure you get even contact

 

[Eug]

&quot;It goes between the motherboard and the heatsink.&quot;

Huh?!?!? Whatchoo talkin' about Willis?

Anyways, if applied properly it should be evenly smeared on both the raised part of the CPU (ie. the core) and the corresponding spot on the heatsink, no matter on which you put it first. If it isn't, then it isn't applied correctly.

The thinner the layer the better. But bare spots are bad.

 

[Wooster]

Can't somebody just show him the picture? I think picture is much better than words. I wish I can find the URL shows where to put the compound. Sorry.

 

[Nick Stone]

If applied properly, there will be a suction effect between the heatsink and the CPU/chip.
http://64.27.97.100/reviews/roundup/thermal_compound/page4.htm
Compare the thermal compound reviews and the heatsink reviews. Most namebrand heatsinks transfer heat well and there's not much difference between them. But there's a big difference between the heat transfer rate of competing Thermal greases. BTW Artic Silver Premium Wins. I think its true that the type of thermal grease might make more difference than the brand of heatsink and fan.