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What kind of thermal paste to use?

Macgruber

Macgruber

Senior member
what should i buy to use on an i7 2600k thats going to use a a bigwater 850 GT system


i have some instore thermal paste but i want the best i can buy, im not sure which are more conductive than the others or what stats to really compare so im hoping some input from you guys will help me with my research


i have a few days before i get the case so i do want to order as much as ill need for when i build it i dont have to keep returning parts and exchanging them😀
 
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Most of the best ones are one-time use. If you're careful most of them can be separated afterwards, especially with Intel sockets since you have to worry less about breaking pins and the IHS is clasped down.

If you hadn't de-lidded prior to it, you'll probably want to do it afterwards.

80 TIMs compared
50-ish here (and basically the same here)

It's kinda like everything else though, depends on a lot of specifics.

Almost none of the tests are accurate, but I do like the HardwareSecrets tests simply because they toss in a bunch of stupid s**t... like using Mayonnaise, Chocolate, Diaper Cream.
 
Arctic Silver 5 is most certainly NOT the best anymore. It is obselete. You can do better with the Prolimatech PK-2 or PK-3, or Indigo Extreme. Or, if you want to go really hardcore, the Coolaboratory's "Liquid" series is the absolute best, although disassembly might be an issue with that.
 
well i am completely ruling out any one time use product, id be screwed considering i've already changed 3 cooling systems in 1 month


im going to take a look at the prolimatech and try to compare stats and research some tomorrow, am hoping polimatech isnt a one time use xD
 
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rice grain usually (spose that could be tear drop?, not pee-size though).

I've used 2 methods, 3 amounts so far for my Ivy.

1. Line parallel to chip orientation (ie: vertically)
2. Same line more TIM
3. Rice grain

No difference in temperatures with mine (well no noticeable difference), so may as well stay with rice grain to save TIM.

It depends on the consistency and type of TIM really, CL Liquid(s) you spread out, most paste-types you rice grain or pee size... it doesn't really matter too much which method you use as long as whatever method it is, is a solid amount... ie: don't do the dual line method, or the X method because you'll probably get bubbles underneath.

This may not work all that well with a water loop, but I also usually just let the cooler sit on the TIM + IHS... turn the PC on, let it warm up for awhile before tightening the heatsink.
 
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I am a big fan of IC Diamond myself. Used it on all my systems one runs a 2500k at 5 Ghz on air. Granted that's also part of the chips doing but YMMV.
 
Deders said:
Also despite this thread's findings, MX4 gave me 10c better load temps than Arctic Silver 5. the Noctua is also reputed to be excellent.
Click to expand...

MasterChartforbare-dieTIMtesting.png


For the lazy 🙂

Not a whole lotta diff between them all in the end. I guess it would depend on how lucky of a mount a person gets, using too much, too little, etc. could sway ones results.
 
Kenmitch said:
MasterChartforbare-dieTIMtesting.png


For the lazy 🙂

Not a whole lotta diff between them all in the end. I guess it would depend on how lucky of a mount a person gets, using too much, too little, etc. could sway ones results.
Click to expand...

Funny how Ceramique beats out its supposed big brother in that run.
 
I believe ceramic based TIM's are better for larger gaps, some laptops require special ceramic formula's for their northbridge as the heatsink can't be mounted as tightly as it would be on a CPU.
 
going to order me some Noctua NT-h1, not even going to compare its specs with the others 🙂

anything will beat the instore coolermaster thermal compound i bought, and even with that compound and the H100 i was hitting <<<63*C 100% load after hour+ at 4.5ghz 1.320v so i couldnt complain
 
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AS5 is old school, even MX-2 edges it out. I would get something like MX-2, MX-4, PK-1, or if you really want to, a liquid metal solution like Indigo Xtreme.
 
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