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Just a Tip to All

mastertech01

mastertech01

Moderator Emeritus Elite Member
Im doing an OC project with a pair of Athlon MP1600@2000. I have the pleasure of using something different than ASG this time. Its made by the same folks but it is a Ceramic based product called Artic Alumina... Premium Ceramic Polysynthetic thermal compound. Just wanted to let you know it works great, is a lot easier to clean up, and costs a lot less... about 3.00 a tube. Just an FYI if you want to try something different. 🙂
 
I've used this stuff in the past as well. It is a bit easier to clean up and dose just as good as ASII.
 
I have used both and am currently running the Alumina and its not much of a difference and is tons easier to clean up.

So I agree with Mastertech.
 
Might also wanna consider Thermagic as an alternative to arctic silver too. From what reviews I have read it beats out AS3 for the performance crown.
 
I read the paper on the Thermagic grease. If its claims can be substantiated, it might be pretty good. I for one would really like to try it out. It is claiming an "apparent" higher thermal conductivity than AS3 due to its high viscosity (which allows it to be applied in a very thin layer). I personally know how to apply AS3 in a very thin layer and wonder if the tester knew how. When I tested Nanotherm, it had the benefit of being very viscous and I feel it helped its initial characteristics much the same as this compound claims. If you apply AS3 in a thick coat, it can really hinder its performance because it is comparitively viscous/thick compared to all other compounds I have tested.

I wish I could afford to buy some to try it out. There was a korean compound that I had heard was making claim to the title of the best thermal compound. Anyone know what happened to it?

.........................edit..............................
According to the data sheets for Thermagic, it doesn't seem like it should be applied to bare aluminum. I wonder why that is? So much for testing it with the stock heatsink.
 
Well actually I was curious as to the difference tonight so I removed my Alumina and remounted my heatsink after reapplying AS3 and I was surprised there was a noticable difference. It was actually 3-4C difference at full load and the AS3 is not broke in yet. This was with the stock heatsink as my watercooler is in a box on my shelf until I break down and buy a new pump.
 
Originally posted by: WarCon
Well actually I was curious as to the difference tonight so I removed my Alumina and remounted my heatsink after reapplying AS3 and I was surprised there was a noticable difference. It was actually 3-4C difference at full load and the AS3 is not broke in yet. This was with the stock heatsink as my watercooler is in a box on my shelf until I break down and buy a new pump.
Click to expand...

Thanks for testing it. 🙂
 
I would have tried to give a comparison, but I also changed heatsinks so that wouldnt be a valid comparison. I was using coolermaster aluminum heatsinks with Alpha black labels and with the Pep66T the Alumina is faring much better than the former with ASG, about 5C average..mine wasnt rev III ASG however. I also lapped the living daylights out of the Pep66T. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: Mikewarrior2
WarCon,

is that with your p4? And if so, wow.

Mike
Click to expand...

I know, I didn't think there was this much difference (if any measurable) the last several times I did this, but I was using my watercooler with a not so great mounting, so a lot of variables are different now and the mounting is more consistent.

The difference between system and CPU temps (at load with Prime95) are 19-20C with AS3 and 23-24C with Arctic Alumina. I am pretty sure I had a good coat of the Alumina because it was very even and transparent when I removed it.
 
cool, thanks for doing this WarCon...

Even with the larger contact surface of the p4, there's a significant temp difference between the AA and AS3 compounds. Even though AA is a good compound, and very easy to clean, it isn't quite the performance equivelant of AS3.

As far as teh tests showing AA equal to AS2/AS3, that's why socket-thermistor tests suck for grease testing. Changes of 5-7C in die temperature can show up as no temp change according to the socket-thermistor.


Mike
 
According to the data sheets for Thermagic, it doesn't seem like it should be applied to bare aluminum. I wonder why that is? So much for testing it with the stock heatsink.
Click to expand...

I rembember a review I read at monster-hardware had an explaination on that and I talked to the author about it. The company doesn't think it actually does react to alluminum so they put the warning about in just in case until their testing can disprove or prove that it is reactive with aluminum so as of now nobody knows if its true not even the company that made it.
 
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