Hardware Choosing Thermal paste

[migles]

thermal paste, since my AIO includes it's own, it's something i didn't searched about, i want to replace it with a "good one" (people in the internet seem to replace the dried paste and get better thermals, which i do think it's a good investment to get a really good one)
so, what is the most recommended\best brand for thermal paste and what should i know about it?
what's the most used premium branded one?

i already made the mistake of trying to apply an entire tube of paste into a cpu (noob error lol) so i alraedy know it just needs a little pinch of paste..

 

[_Chaz_]

For general purpose, both Arctic Silver 5 and IC Diamond are great pastes and very highly recommended.

 

[migles]

For general purpose, both Arctic Silver 5 and IC Diamond are great pastes and very highly recommended.

thank you.
is IC diamond made of diamond dust or is just a "wow" brand name?

 

[Deleted member 333767]

Like the poster above me, arctic silver 5 is where it's at for high performance computing.

 

[Armadillo]

Thermal Grizzly Kyronaut.

http://www.eteknix.com/thermal-grizzly-thermal-paste-vs-6-major-brands-review/3/

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

There's not really much between any of the decent pastes (couple of C), but Kyronaut is the best non-conductive paste. Liquid metal stuff is better, but annoying to apply and will mess stuff up if it goes where it shouldn't.

 

[DinohScene]

I use MX-2 or Noctua HN2 or something similar.
Arctic silver is electrically conductive, not a good choice.

 

[migles]

Thermal Grizzly Kyronaut.

http://www.eteknix.com/thermal-grizzly-thermal-paste-vs-6-major-brands-review/3/

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

There's not really much between any of the decent pastes (couple of C), but Kyronaut is the best non-conductive paste. Liquid metal stuff is better, but annoying to apply and will mess stuff up if it goes where it shouldn't.

never heard of it... but i will search on it, thanks

 

[_Chaz_]

Arctic silver is electrically conductive, not a good choice.

No it isn't.
It's mildly capacitive.

 

[DinohScene]

No it isn't.
It's mildly capacitive.

Silver particles suspended in the paste, no ty.

 

[migles]

Silver particles suspended in the paste, no ty.

still if you apply it correctly (a tiny drop, and not the entire tube) it should be pretty safe...

 

[DinohScene]

still if you apply it correctly (a tiny drop, and not the entire tube) it should be pretty safe...

It's the shear thought of it.
I admit, I used to use it, until better thermal pastes came along and weren't conductive.
Any console/pc repair I do will be met with a high grade non-conductive paste.

 

[migles]

It's the shear thought of it.
I admit, I used to use it, until better thermal pastes came along and weren't conductive.
Any console/pc repair I do will be met with a high grade non-conductive paste.

did ya try any liquid metal one? lol i am not even sure how you apply liquid metal... i am thinking you need to make a shield or something so the liquid doesn't spill over the mobo

 

[nero99]

Silver particles suspended in the paste, no ty.

I've gotten as5 all over my CPU before and it was all fine.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

did ya try any liquid metal one? lol i am not even sure how you apply liquid metal... i am thinking you need to make a shield or something so the liquid doesn't spill over the mobo

It's actually not that hard. Only use a tiny drop. Also only use if you are deluding your CPU.

 

[Armadillo]

There's just no reason to buy it anyway. If you have already got it, fair enough. If you haven't, what's the point? It generally performs worse than competing pastes. Sells on name only.

did ya try any liquid metal one? lol i am not even sure how you apply liquid metal... i am thinking you need to make a shield or something so the liquid doesn't spill over the mobo

Most generally only use it on the die when delidding anyway.

 

[DinohScene]

did ya try any liquid metal one? lol i am not even sure how you apply liquid metal... i am thinking you need to make a shield or something so the liquid doesn't spill over the mobo

I'll just stick to pastes.
I'm no overclocker but do strife for low temps.
Especially when it comes to RROD/YLOD prevention.

 

[migles]

wh

There's just no reason to buy it anyway. If you have already got it, fair enough. If you haven't, what's the point? It generally performs worse than competing pastes. Sells on name only.






Most generally only use it on the die when delidding anyway.

woa... didn't knew you could actually do this and take this extreme lol..

 

[Originality]

Since Devil's Canyon there's less need to delid CPUs since they use better thermal compounds now. Personally I used a Zalman thermal paste because it comes with a brush applicator. A steady hand and you can get a perfect application "with the consistency of nail polish". They come in really tiny bottles however so they only last a dozen systems or so.

For people with less steady hands, the standard pea-sized blob in the middle technique works.

 

[Armadillo]

Kabylake has shocking thermal paste. Difference between delidded and decent tim vs stock is 20C or so.

It that's good, I'd hate to see what it was when it was bad.

 

[migles]

Kabylake has shocking thermal paste.

what does that mean? it is good? bad?

 

[Armadillo]

what does that mean? it is good? bad?

It means the thermal paste intel use between the die and ihs is still meh.

http://www.eteknix.com/intel-core-i7-7700k-kaby-lake-delidding-analysis-make-difference/4/

http://www.hardocp.com/article/2017/02/02/intel_kaby_lake_i57600k_cpu_delid_relid_temp_results/

Whether it's the paste, or too much sealent Intel use to attach the ihs is still up for debate, but delidding generally still makes a big difference.

It's not worth worrying about anyway. Either you delid (and void the warranty) or you live with the junk Intel use. At stock, the stuff Intel use doesn't really make a difference, you'll still run well within thermal limits.