Thermal Compond for 2100T

[ArtShapiro]

I'm in the process of putting together a mini-ITX machine in an Antec 300-65 case. It's using the 2100T CPU in an Asus P8H61-I MB. It won't be powered up until the memory arrives from Newegg today or tomorrow.

The stock cooler came with a rather thick thermal pad (or perhaps a thick layer of who-knows-what compound) and I've tentatively put the machine together using that stock solution. I figured that a non-OC'ed 35 watt CPU wouldn't be emitting mega-BTUs of heat.

But I'm just uneasy enough to ask for confirmation / condemnation of this decision. Should I clean the existing stuff from the assembly and use Arctic Silver, or is the stock approach easily good enough?

Informed or anecdotal opinions eagerly awaited.

Art

 

[Markfw]

Stock is fine for what you are doing.

 

[Zap]

You can probably cool that CPU using toothpaste and a stack of nickels.

Stock is fine.

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

Hardocp did some testing on thermal pasts a while back you can see their results here http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article/2009/04/07/thermal_paste_shootout_q209 but for that processor and its 35w TDP is very easy to keep cool and the HSF and thermal compond that is on it will work fine.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

 

[Subyman]

I never use aftermarket paste for stock set ups. The OEM pad will be perfectly fine for spec performance.

 

[ArtShapiro]

You can probably cool that CPU using toothpaste and a stack of nickels.

Wouldn't dimes be more appropriate due to the higher silver composition?

Thanks for making me laugh, and I appreciate all the responses. Incidentally, this is my first build, or even encounter, with the Sandy Bridge stuff. Some web research indicated that a surprising amount of force would be necessary to secure the clamping mechanism for the CPU, but I found it to be anything but that; the clamp took only modest finger pressure to latch down. Should I be concerned?

I'm going to build a 2500K machine for myself - this one is a gift - once Asus or ASRock release an ITX Z68 board, or if they don't, once Lian Li actually starts manufacturing that nifty-looking TU-200 MATX case. So this 2100T build is a practice warmup for a friend whose current CPU is almost exactly one tenth the speed of the 2100T from a Passmarks chart.

Art

 

[dali71]

Hardocp did some testing on thermal pasts a while back you can see their results here http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/article/2009/04/07/thermal_paste_shootout_q209 but for that processor and its 35w TDP is very easy to keep cool and the HSF and thermal compond that is on it will work fine.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

Beat me to it. American cheese FTW!