quick recomendation on TIM please!

[mlewis]

I'm right in the middle of a build here (my 1st... can't you tell? ) and i'm having a delemma. I purchased a Zalman CNPS7000A-CU cooler for the 3.0C P4 i'm putting into the Asus P4C800-E deluxe mobo. The coolwe came with thermal grease, (CSL 850). I don't have time to order Arctic Silver or anything like that. However, at the local Circut City they have Antech brand silver compound. Should i procede with what is provided, or go out and get the silver? This P4 will not be overclocked, if it matters.
Sorry... any advice or maybe confidence would be appreciated
matt

 

[Corporate Thug]

the antec is rebaged arctic silver

but the stuff that comes with it will suffice, esp since there is no OCing

 

[ponyo]

Use the grease that came with your cooler. It's pointless to waste money on Arctic Silver when you already have thermal compound.

 

[jdogg707]

If you aren't overclocking, what you have will be just fine.

 

[ponyo]

Originally posted by: jdogg707
If you aren't overclocking, what you have will be just fine.

He'll be fine even if he overclocks with it.

 

[Chu]

Originally posted by: mlewis
I'm right in the middle of a build here (my 1st... can't you tell? ) and i'm having a delemma. I purchased a Zalman CNPS7000A-CU cooler for the 3.0C P4 i'm putting into the Asus P4C800-E deluxe mobo. The coolwe came with thermal grease, (CSL 850). I don't have time to order Arctic Silver or anything like that. However, at the local Circut City they have Antech brand silver compound. Should i procede with what is provided, or go out and get the silver? This P4 will not be overclocked, if it matters.
Sorry... any advice or maybe confidence would be appreciated
matt

The big secret of thermal paste is they're all pretty much the same. The most important thing is they don't dry out (i.e. the white silica based pastes). If they meet that critera, and all the * silver pastes do, feel free to use anything.

-Chu

 

[jdogg707]

Originally posted by: Naustica

Originally posted by: jdogg707
If you aren't overclocking, what you have will be just fine.

He'll be fine even if he overclocks with it.

Ya, but Arctic Silver will lower CPU temps over the stuff provided with most HSF combos, therefore if he were overclocking, and temps became a factor, AS might be able to knock off a few degrees and allow for a more stable OC.

 

[ponyo]

Sorry I'm not a big believer of Arctic Silver hype. Other factors will play a role before type of thermal compound limits your overclock.

 

[jdogg707]

Originally posted by: Naustica
Sorry I'm not a big believer of Arctic Silver hype. Other factors will play a role before type of thermal compound limits your overclock.

From my own personal experience, AS5 lowered the temps of my A64 3C vs. the goop that came with my Zalman HSF. Since the factors were the same, AS5 is the only reason the temps dropped. But to each his own.

 

[Chu]

Originally posted by: jdogg707

Originally posted by: Naustica
Sorry I'm not a big believer of Arctic Silver hype. Other factors will play a role before type of thermal compound limits your overclock.

From my own personal experience, AS5 lowered the temps of my A64 3C vs. the goop that came with my Zalman HSF. Since the factors were the same, AS5 is the only reason the temps dropped. But to each his own.

What do Zalman's come with? White thermal goob (silica based) or something designed not to dry out? If it was the white stuff (which I know comes with some of their cheaper HSF's), then its no wonder that your AS did better - but not for the reasons you think . . .

 

[MichaelZ]

Originally posted by: jdogg707

Originally posted by: Naustica
Sorry I'm not a big believer of Arctic Silver hype. Other factors will play a role before type of thermal compound limits your overclock.

From my own personal experience, AS5 lowered the temps of my A64 3C vs. the goop that came with my Zalman HSF. Since the factors were the same, AS5 is the only reason the temps dropped. But to each his own.

I've had the same 3C drop after scraping off the Zalman silica stuff in favour for some AS5. To all those skeptics out there, try it and decide for yourselves. It might not seem like much, but the few degrees less can allow you to squeeze an extra 50 mhz or so out of your CPU and keep it stable.

If you're not overclocking, 2 dollar cheap goop and Intel stock cooler will both be just fine.

 

[jdogg707]

Originally posted by: Chu

Originally posted by: jdogg707

Originally posted by: Naustica
Sorry I'm not a big believer of Arctic Silver hype. Other factors will play a role before type of thermal compound limits your overclock.

From my own personal experience, AS5 lowered the temps of my A64 3C vs. the goop that came with my Zalman HSF. Since the factors were the same, AS5 is the only reason the temps dropped. But to each his own.

What do Zalman's come with? White thermal goob (silica based) or something designed not to dry out? If it was the white stuff (which I know comes with some of their cheaper HSF's), then its no wonder that your AS did better - but not for the reasons you think . . .

Regardless of why it does better, it does. Shin-etsu (sp?) makes good thermal paste, but theirs and AS are superior to many others due, whether it is designed to dry out, or not, I have always found AS to give me the best performance.