New Arctic Silver compound. Better than AS3?

Gerbil333

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2002
3,072
0
76
I saw this on the amdmb.com news: Arctic Silver Céramique.

I'm about out of the tube of Arctic Silver III that I've had for over a year, so it's about time for me to buy a new tube. I was going to get some more AS3, but I saw this stuff and it seems to be better than AS3. Should I get it instead?
 

rommelrommel

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2002
4,370
3,077
146
If you've ran out, sure. I don't see anything all that great about it to make me toss my tube of AS3, or for anyone else to toss anything decent that they have in favour of it.
 

blade

1957 - 2008<br>Elite Moderator Emeritus<br>Troll H
Oct 9, 1999
2,772
1
0
If you are out then I'd suggest to get the ceramique instead. It does as well as AS III, maybe slightly better, but mainly it is non-conductive.
 

Gerbil333

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2002
3,072
0
76
Cool. The main thing I'm interested in is the thicker consistency, which the reviewer said made it easier to apply. I've applied AS3 probably 50 times, but I still hate doing it...it's difficult to get it smooth. I don't mind it being conductive. I'm pretty careful with it and never get it anywhere it shouldn't be.

It's a LOT cheaper: $7.99 for 22g at SVC! AS3 is $8-something for 6g!

I don't care if it's no better than AS3. As long as it is equally effective, and is indeed easier to apply, and still easy to remove, I'll be happy.
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
28,274
19,921
146
Ceramique is just better IMO because it's easy to work with like AS3 and cools as well if not better, but is far easier to clean up, requiring only a lint free cloth.
 

Gerbil333

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2002
3,072
0
76
So you're using Ceramique and it's easy to remove, even after the 300 hours it takes to "reach it's final consistency"?

If temps are within 1C and the above statment is true, I'll probably buy the 22g tube from SVC.
 

DAPUNISHER

Super Moderator CPU Forum Mod and Elite Member
Super Moderator
Aug 22, 2001
28,274
19,921
146
I'm probably not even at the 300hr mark yet, but I did grab 2 of the 22g tubes from SVC, too good a deal to pass up ya know? I stopped using as3 a good while back since it's messy, nasty crap IMO. I was using Shin-Etsu and the Coolermaster premium made by Shin-Etsu before getting the Ceramique. I did find the Ceramique very easy to clean up intially as I purposely smudged some on the die for the express purpose of testing it's clean-up characteristics.
 

Naruto

Senior member
Jan 5, 2003
806
0
0
I have used AS3 extensively and its a pain to clean. In fact, all the 70% isopyrol alchohol and acetone in the world can't completely remove it. I have had as3 smeared a bit on my athlon xp chip and i can't remove it completely, can still see some smear marks. I've also had arctic silver smears on my older athlon chips and the little particles can't be removed at all.
 

Jeff7181

Lifer
Aug 21, 2002
18,368
11
81
I'm using 70% Isopropyl alcohol... it has an expiration date of 1996... and it cleans up AS3 just fine... but then again, I don't slop it all over the substrate =)
 

Mickey21

Senior member
Aug 24, 2002
359
0
0
This is definitely the feel good thread of the day, I don't know just got that feeling...:D

But for my two cents, none of the compounds will give you any type of advantage if you dont apply it properly in the first place. Artic Silver III vs. Ceramique, I guess it matters on AMD's more than P4's, but I guess non-conductivity is good. Interesting how something made almost completely of metal is going to end up being non-conductive. That is ceramic science for ya...
 

galt

Senior member
Jun 10, 2002
317
0
0
Originally posted by: leeperpsu
i use 3 parts jet fuel and 1 part paint thinner.....but now i can't find the core!?! :)

haha.

i'm almost out of as3 as well, and i think i'd rather just buy some radio shack goop. dont feel like paying as much shipping charges as for the product itself.
 

mastertech01

Moderator Emeritus Elite Member
Nov 13, 1999
11,875
282
126
Sometime back they introduced Artic Alumina, which was ceramic based and I used it for awhile. It worked well, easy to clean up. But AS3 still was the king of cool.
 

infinite012

Senior member
Apr 23, 2003
817
0
0
I just bought some as ceramique from sidewindercomputers.com. I think it was $7.99 + s&h ($4?) and I also bought some of those vantec memory heatspreaders so that added to my total. I want to cool down my freakin CPU!!! 42 idle with slk-800 and panaflo l1a!
 

Blooz1

Senior member
Jan 14, 2003
621
0
0
I recently used Ceramique in a 1-1-1 ratio with AS Alumina to mount heatsinks on the MOSFETS on my 8RDA+, and it worked very well to provide a good bond that can also be removed if necessary.

Another GREAT use for Ceramique is as a final polish after lapping for heatsinks! I found that it will provide a great finish with very little effort after doing the usual course of sanding.
 

John

Moderator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
33,944
1
0
I just received (2) 22gr. tubes of ceramique and for the low price of $7.99ea @ SVC.com

I am not sure who came up with the pricing structure for this stuff since the 3gr tube is only half price. ;)
 

Gerbil333

Diamond Member
Jan 28, 2002
3,072
0
76
Yea, I recieved my 22g tube of Ceramique from SVC yesterday. It's HUGE. I'd had that 3g or 6g tube of AS3 for over a year now, so this stuff should last me for at least 5 years! That'll get me through college!

I haven't tried it out yet. I'll be building a computer this Saturday for my gf (A7N8X-X, 1700+, nice 80mm aluminum Speeze hsf). I'll see what I think then.
 

jhites

Golden Member
Mar 19, 2000
1,854
0
0
I have been using Ceramique ever since I ran out of my ASIII. Primary reason for trying it was the non-conductivity aspect. It works just as good as ASIII IMHO. One word of caution. Due to its thicker consistency it grips more between the heat spreader and the sink, so when you remove the sink be careful not to pull the cpu out of the socket still attached to the sink. Sounds like I have personal experience in that regard. Yep ;) All was fine with my 2.8C chip, though.