Thermal paste?

[Insert_Nickname]

I have just about run through my stock of old Arctic Silver 5. I've been out of the loop on thermal paste for quite a while, so I was wondering what is on the market, what's good and what is cost effective?

You can only research so much, I prefer practical experience.

Thanks in advance.

 

[UsandThem]

Noctua's paste is great, and not too pricey.

https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-NT-H1-Thermal-Compound-Retail/dp/B002CQU14A

There's really no updated reviews I could find after 2008, since most quality pastes out there perform mostly the same.

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/foru...t-h1-pro-grade-thermal-compound-review-7.html

 

[ehume]

I use Gelid GC Xtreme for everything but Noctua. The Noctua paste is less viscous, probably has the best consistency, but the Gelid cools a little better. Some people swear by Kryonaut, which seems to out-cool the other nonmetalic TIM's. But I find its texture off-putting. Finally, there are the metal TIM's (e.g. -- liquid metal) -- they forever stain your CPU and heatsink. But if you can handle that they cool the best of all.

 

[Ranulf]

Noctua's NH1 or Arctic MX-4.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Just buy a tube or two of MX-4, that's what I use now. I used to be an AS-5 user. Only problem is, those tubes are so tiny, they have a tendency of disappearing on me when I need them.

 

[rchunter]

I bought a tube of thermal grizzly kryonaut the other day. It seems alright...

 

[Eug]

Just buy a tube or two of MX-4, that's what I use now. I used to be an AS-5 user. Only problem is, those tubes are so tiny, they have a tendency of disappearing on me when I need them.

I'm still on my tube of Arctic Silver with no number from over a decade ago IIRC. Is that a previous version of Arctic Silver? I guess I don't change CPUs often enough.

 

[SPBHM]

I use the cheapest thing I could find and it works great, for CPUs and graphics cards and it's like over 10 years old by now and it sill works great for whatever I use it for.


the difference between "high end" paste and average paste is really small under normal conditions.

 

[Eug]

I use the cheapest thing I could find and it works great, for CPUs and graphics cards and it's like over 10 years old by now and it sill works great for whatever I use it for.


the difference between "high end" paste and average paste is really small under normal conditions.

I don't like using the cheap white silicone thermal paste that comes free with some products. I find that dries out over time. It also doesn't go on as nicely as stuff like Arctic Silver. Also, I'm not a fan of thermal pads.

Considering I paid something like $10-15 for a tube of Arctic Silver (which I'm still using - see above), that isn't exactly going to break the bank.

 

[bononos]

I have just about run through my stock of old Arctic Silver 5. I've been out of the loop on thermal paste for quite a while, so I was wondering what is on the market, what's good and what is cost effective?

You can only research so much, I prefer practical experience.

Thanks in advance.

Prolimatech PK3 looks good, there aren't many silicone based pastes out there better than the PK without getting into liquid metal territory. AS5 is abit behind and has a long curing time and not worth getting today.
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/thermal-paste-comparison,5108-11.html

 

[aigomorla]

Prolimatech PK3 looks good, there aren't many silicone based pastes out there better than the PK without getting into liquid metal territory

+1

My first is PK-3 , PK-1

Second would be MX-4

I dont touch the liquid metal, because it will wreck havoc if it gets in contact with aluminum.

I also dont use ICDiamond because that thing is very abrasive, and tends to scratch whatever it gets in contact with.

 

[crashtech]

I use NT-H1, mostly. Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut seems very slightly better, so it gets used in critical applications. I'm pretty sure most good TIMs are within a few degrees of each other, there isn't one that will magically make a huge difference. Overkill cooling and running as low of voltage for the required chip speed as possible will have a far greater effect than TIM selection.

 

[psolord]

This review is also decent.

https://overclocking.guide/thermal-...d-with-air-cooling-and-liquid-nitrogen-ln2/6/

Personally I use gc extreme for my 8600k+noctua D14. Have been using Arctic silver 5 on my 2500k with the same cooler.

Both work fine, probably mainly due to the D14.

 

[bononos]

+1

My first is PK-3 , PK-1
Second would be MX-4
I dont touch the liquid metal, because it will wreck havoc if it gets in contact with aluminum.

I also dont use ICDiamond because that thing is very abrasive, and tends to scratch whatever it gets in contact with.

Whats wrong with PK-2?
Coolermaster mastergel pro/maker seems to have good reviews but I don't know whether it may have long term issues like pump out like the NT-H1.

 

[Tup3x]

I used to use MX-4 but GC Extreme is just better. It's a really good compound.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

Thanks to all for good input.

There's really no updated reviews I could find after 2008, since most quality pastes out there perform mostly the same.

Yeah, that was kind of the impression I got from reading around the web.

Prolimatech PK3 looks good, there aren't many silicone based pastes out there better than the PK without getting into liquid metal territory. AS5 is abit behind and has a long curing time and not worth getting today.

Just buy a tube or two of MX-4, that's what I use now. I used to be an AS-5 user. Only problem is, those tubes are so tiny, they have a tendency of disappearing on me when I need them.

Larry, I know how you feel. Bought a bunch of AS5 tubes ~10 years ago and haven't really looked since. Otherwise you both hit it on the head. Main drawback of AS5 is the long curing time, on the good side it lasts forever when cured. Cheaper stuff has a nasty habit of drying out on you if you're not careful.

MX-4 seems a good bet. Cheap, decent performance, and without the curing drawback.

+1

My first is PK-3 , PK-1

Second would be MX-4

I hear MX-4 is decent, and pretty cheap. Might try PK if I get into the HEDT territory.

 

[DrMrLordX]

MX-4 is the current standard "easy to get, easy to use" paste. Or NH-T1, but given the choice between the two, I'd go with the MX-4.

GC-Extreme is good, Kryonaut is better. It's not all the easy to work with though.

Bottom line, if you want "the best", go with Kryonaut. If you were an AS5 user, though, you may find the transition to MX-4 to be more comfortable.

 

[ehume]

MX-4 is the current standard "easy to get, easy to use" paste. Or NH-T1, but given the choice between the two, I'd go with the MX-4.

GC-Extreme is good, Kryonaut is better. It's not all the easy to work with though.

Bottom line, if you want "the best", go with Kryonaut. If you were an AS5 user, though, you may find the transition to MX-4 to be more comfortable.

I fiind both Gelid GC-Extreme and Noctua NH-T1 easy to work with. The former I found cooled about a degree better than the latter. As for MX-4, the last time I saw that reviewed it was 3-4C behind the Gelid and the Nocua.

 

[DrMrLordX]

I fiind both Gelid GC-Extreme and Noctua NH-T1 easy to work with. The former I found cooled about a degree better than the latter. As for MX-4, the last time I saw that reviewed it was 3-4C behind the Gelid and the Nocua.

MX-4 is kinda runny, innit? I know it pumps out if used for delid/relid operations. Anyway I've seen reviews showing MX-4 as being better and some reviews showing it as being worse, so I think it comes down to the application. One thing I found suspicious is that some reviews showing MX-4 losing, showed the product to be no better than older products like MX-2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjiMzDVkCSk

Here's a review where MX-4 does quite well:

https://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/3383/arctic_cooling_mx_4_thermal_compound/index4.html

In the end, it's hard to know who exactly is right and who isn't. I do know that MX-4 is cheap, relatively ubiquitous, and outperforms AS5. The same can be said for NH-T1. In the end, I choose Kryonaut/CLU/Conductonaut so . . . who cares what I think?!?

 

[Hail The Brain Slug]

I use GC extreme exclusively, except a liquid metal paste between the IHS and die on delids.

Its usually shown to be the 2nd best performer right behind Kryonaut in testing, except its definitely less expensive.

Its still a bit more than MX-4, but I buy it in the 10g tub when I can find it less than $30.

As a side note, I apply a layer with the included spatula and I've never had a bad application that needed redoing in dozens of paste jobs, including CPU and GPU dies.