Which arctic silver do I buy?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
D

drizek

Golden Member
Jul 7, 2005
1,410
0
71
IC Diamond http://www.amazon.com/DIAMOND-CARAT-...1642982&sr=8-4

It's cheaper than what Newegg sells Arctic Silver 5 for, and people say it is better. Both should be great though.

Edit: note that this is less than half the size of the AS5 tube, and you need to use more of it, so it is quite a bit more expensive per application, but if you only want it for a couple of applications then it's still a better value. You shouldn't leave thermal compound sitting around, supposedly it starts to separate, so there is no reason to buy more than you need.
 
Last edited:
R

Ronald Mcdonald

Junior Member
Mar 6, 2011
9
0
0
Sorry if I'm digressing, but is there anything wrong with just using the default thermal paste that the cooler came with? (Hyper 212+)
 
TakeNoPrisoners

TakeNoPrisoners

Platinum Member
Jun 3, 2011
2,599
1
81
D

drizek

Golden Member
Jul 7, 2005
1,410
0
71
Not necessarily. I don't know anything about the specific compound that cooler master uses, but you're basically looking at around a 2 or 3 degree difference between "OK" thermal paste and "the best" thermal paste. I think "bad" TIMs can run your CPU around 10C hotter than what you'd get with AS. So it all depends on how bad the cooler master stuff is(I'd bet it is probably pretty decent) and how much you care about squeezing out that last bit of performance.
 
I

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,110
64
91
I've never used the IC Diamond stuff but from what plenty of users report it can be a PITA to apply properly (thick stuff) and an even bigger PITA to remove.

I have used some of the thicker/goopier TIM's like Artic Ceramique and, as well as the MX-2 and TX-2 stuff, and without a doubt AS5 is simply the easiest and most practical TIM to apply and get it done right without second-guessing and so on.

That said, I also lapped my IHS and HSF and ran tests with my bevy of differing TIM's as well as a no-TIM setup (just lapped-metal on lapped-metal interface) and they all performed within a couple degrees of one another, including the no-TIM setup. (I still run with AS5 anyways, old habits die hard)
 
B

BababooeyHTJ

Senior member
Nov 25, 2009
283
0
0
MX-2 is the way to go. Its cheap, non-conductive, spreads easy, cleans up easily, and works as well as anything else out there.
 
8

86waterpumper

Senior member
Jan 18, 2010
378
0
0
I didn't find that mx2 spreads good at all! I had ceramique before, and it spreads 100 times better than mx2. Maybe it's the method you use or something who knows
 
B

Blastman

Golden Member
Oct 21, 1999
1,758
0
76
From that list, you either get Artic Sliver 5 or the Ceramique 2.

I have used the original Ceramique for years and in the tests it is almost as good as the AS5. I would just go with the Ceramique 2. If it's any better than the original Ceramique, it's going to be a very good compound. Non-conductive, easy to clean and lasts a long long time.

You might find some compounds that perform a little better, but Ceramique is an excellent inexpensive compound that performs very well.
 
Last edited:
Avalon

Avalon

Diamond Member
Jul 16, 2001
7,572
181
106
Idontcare said:
I've never used the IC Diamond stuff but from what plenty of users report it can be a PITA to apply properly (thick stuff) and an even bigger PITA to remove.

I have used some of the thicker/goopier TIM's like Artic Ceramique and, as well as the MX-2 and TX-2 stuff, and without a doubt AS5 is simply the easiest and most practical TIM to apply and get it done right without second-guessing and so on.

That said, I also lapped my IHS and HSF and ran tests with my bevy of differing TIM's as well as a no-TIM setup (just lapped-metal on lapped-metal interface) and they all performed within a couple degrees of one another, including the no-TIM setup. (I still run with AS5 anyways, old habits die hard)
Click to expand...

Whaaaat? MX-2 spreads just as easily as AS5. Granted, they perform similarly. My tube of AS5 ran out, though, and all I have left is MX-2 now. Heard good things about MX-3.
 
I

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,110
64
91
86waterpumper said:
I didn't find that mx2 spreads good at all! I had ceramique before, and it spreads 100 times better than mx2. Maybe it's the method you use or something who knows
Click to expand...

Avalon said:
Whaaaat? MX-2 spreads just as easily as AS5. Granted, they perform similarly. My tube of AS5 ran out, though, and all I have left is MX-2 now. Heard good things about MX-3.
Click to expand...

Maybe 86waterpumper and I just got bad batches of MX-2?

I bought multiple tubes of MX-2 (was building 6 rigs at once then) and all of them had the consistency of silicone caulking.

It was one notch better than those pre-applied TIM pads and that was about it.

The thing with AS5 is that it seems to rarely give the user trouble, it is not finicky. Its not like MX-2 where one customer gets AS5-like stuff out of the tube while another seems to get a nightmarish TIM.

Not sure if that is poor quality control to blame or if the product itself is just unstable with respect to shipping environments and so on.
 
I

Idontcare

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
21,110
64
91
Blastman said:
From that list, you either get Artic Sliver 5 or the Ceramique 2.

I have used the original Ceramique for years and in the tests it is as good as the AS5. I would just go with the Ceramique 2. If it's any better than the original Ceramique, it's going to be a very good compound. Non-conductive, easy to clean and lasts a long long time.

You might find some compounds that perform a little better, but Ceramique is an excellent inexpensive compound that performs very well.
Click to expand...

May not be of relevance to the OP, but I'll mention it here for the thread lurkers, ceramique is the stuff you want if you intend to do any sub-ambient cooling (TEC, DICE, Vaporphase, LN2, LHe, etc).

Unlike other TIMs, ceramique was intentionally formulated to retain its viscoelastic properties as well as its thermal transfer properties even when cooled below the freezing point of water.

This matters if say you are going to -50C with a vaporphase setup in which you really don't want your TIM turning into a thermally insulting hockey puck because it was designed to be used in 60C environments (like AS5).
 
S

Suspicious-Teach8788

Lifer
Feb 19, 2001
20,155
23
81
MX2 is old MX3 is old MX4 is now out.

I use MX3 because I bought a fat tube of it for dirt cheap. It's cheaper than AS5 or IC Diamond 7.

I've already detailed my bad experiences with IC Diamond on 2 chips. Others have said this too regarding the scratching or etching of IHS.

Also MX2/3 require a lot I hear. Most users say cake it on unlike IC Diamond or AS5. AS5 spreads a LOT easier than the other 2, but you shouldn't be spreading it anyway. Rely on the weight of the HSF and the pressure you create from mounting to spread it. If you manually spread it, you risk creating air bubbles by uneven spreading or whatever. Depending on how the HSF makes contact with your spreading, some points may contact first thus creating additional air pockets.
 
Last edited:
Meghan54

Meghan54

Lifer
Oct 18, 2009
11,684
5,228
136
Interesting results here:

http://skinneelabs.com/2011-tim-results/


They're not only tested to see performance relative to the temperature delta between cpu/heat sink and ambient temps, Skinnee also tests for performance relative between crappy mounts and excellent mounts of the heat sink, a frequently overlooked variable.

The best, according to Skinnee....

Indigo Extreme
Prolimatech PK-1
Thermalright ChillFactor 3

But almost all are good, until you get to the ultra crappy junk, but some just perform better with even crappy mounting of the heat sink.
 
Edgy

Edgy

Senior member
Sep 21, 2000
366
20
81
Spreads/cleans easy, economical, and good reviews on egg.

That's my formula.

Ceramic stuff - I initially HATED with passion as it was so thick and difficult to spread but after few trial and errors and learning to spread VERY VERY THIN - it's all I use now since it is less messy than more "liquidy" stuff.
 
B

BababooeyHTJ

Senior member
Nov 25, 2009
283
0
0
Idontcare said:
Maybe 86waterpumper and I just got bad batches of MX-2?

I bought multiple tubes of MX-2 (was building 6 rigs at once then) and all of them had the consistency of silicone caulking.

It was one notch better than those pre-applied TIM pads and that was about it.

The thing with AS5 is that it seems to rarely give the user trouble, it is not finicky. Its not like MX-2 where one customer gets AS5-like stuff out of the tube while another seems to get a nightmarish TIM.

Not sure if that is poor quality control to blame or if the product itself is just unstable with respect to shipping environments and so on.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry but I've used quite a few tubes of MX-2 and never got one that was like caulk. I've never even heard anyone claim that it doesn't spread easily before.

If anything what you just described was AS5. On top of that AS5 is a real PITA to clean up.
 
sm625

sm625

Diamond Member
May 6, 2011
8,172
137
106
Damn that stuff is expensive now. I bought a "lifetime supply" about 10 years ago for $2 a tube. Now it is $12 wtf. btw it still looks the same when it comes out of the tube, even after 10 years.
 
Denithor

Denithor

Diamond Member
Apr 11, 2004
6,298
23
81
Been using the Ceramique for many years on a whole lot of reseats. Zero problems. Spread? What spread? Just put a dot the size of a grain of uncooked rice on the center of the cpu and mount the hsf, it spreads itself out underneath there without any assistance.
 
RadiclDreamer

RadiclDreamer

Diamond Member
Aug 8, 2004
8,622
40
91
Ive always used AS5, no issues. Dont get the adhesive! It will glue your crap together, only use this if you have an application that needs something glued together!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom