# Artic Silver 5 Vs. OCZ Freeze Thermal compound.



## 20mmrain (Jan 30, 2010)

I just wanted to report my findings here. I bought some OCZ Freeze thermal grease not to long ago because it was all I could get my hands on and I ran out of Arctic Silver. Now after using it for awhile I finally went out and bought some Arctic Silver again. 

What I found actually confused me. The OCZ freeze was beating the Arctic Silver in temperature of my Over clocked CPU. It was actually beating it by an average if 3c to 4c lower temps. 

So my next step was to re seat my heat sink thinking that I maybe miss seated that. After re seating the Heat sink and then double checking that it was on there good..... I restarted the computer and tried running tests again. 

Sure enough the same results. The OCZ Freeze was still beating the Arctic Silver by and Average of 3c to 4c (at full load) So I went and re seated my heat sink one more time but this time put a little bit less of the Arctic Silver on the CPU. Ran the same tests..... this time the results were a little different but the OCZ Freeze thermal compound was still winning. This time Arctic Silver lost by 2c to 3c.

I guess what why I am posting this is to find out if others have had similar experiences? I always thought that AS5 was the end all be all of thermal grease. I guess I was wrong. 

The only other reason I could see for it loosing is the fact that AS5 is suggested to have a Burn in period of 200 hours. And OCZ freeze is not. 

This is all something I did not know. Any thoughts?


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## MN12BIRD (Jan 30, 2010)

I always wondered about the OCZ Freeze we sell both AS5 and Freeze at work and the OCZ stuff is a few bucks cheaper than the AS5.  I always joked that perhaps they are the exact same thing.  But hey it worked even better for you!


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## 20mmrain (Jan 30, 2010)

> I always wondered about the OCZ Freeze we sell both AS5 and Freeze at work and the OCZ stuff is a few bucks cheaper than the AS5. I always joked that perhaps they are the exact same thing. But hey it worked even better for you!



Yeah that's funny I have joked about that too in the past. But after I have done some looking around on the net ..... It looks like I am not the only one with these results. Some other forums have been noticing this exact same thing!

Maybe OCZ has knocked AS5 off of it's over clocking crown? I'm not sure yet because those exact same forums were I have been reading about this..... some of the people say that is because of the cure time it takes to set in. They say that AS5 will over take and beat OCZ once the Burn time has completed. That might be.... but if you ask me 2c to 3c is a big temp drop to compete with .... when just talking about curring time.

I am going to make a favorites link to this post and in a week or so I will get back to everyone here with my findings after AS5 has time to burn in. 
I mean if OCZ freeze wins even after that and the benefits are that it is cheaper, no burn in time, and you get more for the money you pay for..... well than Sh!t I'll switch!

P.S. also guys I hope I posted this in the correct area. I wasn't sure but I figured Overclocker's would probably get the biggest benefits from this information.


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## surfingerman (Jan 30, 2010)

i don't know why everyone's so surprised, there have been plenty of reviews that show OCZ freeze is in the top three if not the best and the cheapest.. but people like to "fan-boi-it-up" with their favorite product so i guess i shouldn't be surprised

i think i honestly read every single thermal compound review for the last year before i decided on a thermal compound, and it was OCZ freeze, and i have not been disappoint, for some reason its ridiculously stupid easy to apply, i tried several different methods even just taking my finger and wiping it all over the place.. seemed the more i smeared on there the better it did..?? dunno, i think its idiot proof


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## 20mmrain (Jan 30, 2010)

> i don't know why everyone's so surprised, there have been plenty of reviews that show OCZ freeze is in the top three if not the best and the cheapest.. but people like to "fan-boi-it-up" with their favorite product so i guess i shouldn't be surprised
> 
> i think i honestly read every single thermal compound review for the last year before i decided on a thermal compound, and it was OCZ freeze, and i have not been disappoint, for some reason its ridiculously stupid easy to apply, i tried several different methods even just taking my finger and wiping it all over the place.. seemed the more i smeared on there the better it did..?? dunno, i think its idiot proof



I guess I am so surprised not because of being a Fan boy of it. But because when I first started building.... I was handed a tube of AS5 and told it is the best no questions asked! So I never used anything else. I also have seen a lot of posts talking it up as being the end all be all of thermal grease. So I didn't question it.
I am not upset about it...... I am more pleasantly surprised .... except with the fact now that I have to take off my CPU again and then reapply it  That's always a pain in the ass!


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## n-ster (Jan 31, 2010)

There is this Shin-Etsu paste, verrrrrrrrrry cheap and beats the as5 in a beat... even mx-2 > as5, as5 is just more popular


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## DrunkenMafia (Jan 31, 2010)

I have noticed with using AS5 in the past that it takes about 1 week for the paste to "cure" and you will notice temp drops around 3-4 degrees, I believe the Freeze doesn't need to cure.  that could be why you are seeing the 4 or so degree difference.

I like MX-3 paste but am considering buying some of the Zalman STG-1 next time.  Has anyone used this with good results??


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## 20mmrain (Jan 31, 2010)

> I have noticed with using AS5 in the past that it takes about 1 week for the paste to "cure" and you will notice temp drops around 3-4 degrees, I believe the Freeze doesn't need to cure. that could be why you are seeing the 4 or so degree difference.
> 
> I like MX-3 paste but am considering buying some of the Zalman STG-1 next time. Has anyone used this with good results??



Well I guess I will find. Maybe it does because you aren't the only saying so. I think I might make it a point the next time I have a extra few bucks laying around..... to maybe buy a couple different brands and give them a try for myself. 
I'm just surprised to hear it. 
I also have some Thermalright grease laying around right now and some Cooler master grease. Any input on these? Has anyone ever tried those bands?


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## erocker (Jan 31, 2010)

AS5 was just out before all of these other pastes and it's name got around. It's still a good performing paste, but it needs curing time and is only good for a somewhat short period of time. It can also be quite thick sometimes leading to a not ideal contact. It's also electircally conductive. There are current pastes out there that work just as well if not better than AS5 from a performance point. Also, they are not electrically conductive, work immediately with no curing and spread better.


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## t77snapshot (Jan 31, 2010)

Gelid gc-extreme FTW!  When I compared it to AC5 it dropped my temps 7-9c, I love this stuff.


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## 20mmrain (Jan 31, 2010)

> AS5 was just out before all of these other pastes and it's name got around. It's still a good performing paste, but it needs curing time and is only good for a somewhat short period of time. It can also be quite thick sometimes leading to a not ideal contact. It's also electircally conductive. There are current pastes out there that work just as well if not better than AS5 from a performance point. Also, they are not electrically conductive, work immediately with no curing and spread better.



I thought it wasn't electrically conductive? At least that it what AS5 websites says? Believe it or not 

http://www.arcticsilver.com/as5.htm

Regardless I think I might go back to OCZ Freeze


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## erocker (Jan 31, 2010)

Lol



			
				AS5 said:
			
		

> Not Electrically Conductive:
> Arctic Silver 5 was formulated to conduct heat, not electricity.


Okaaayyyy....



			
				AS5 said:
			
		

> (While much safer than electrically conductive silver and copper greases, Arctic Silver 5 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads. While it is not electrically conductive, the compound is very slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridges two close-proximity electrical paths.)



..wait a minute. So it is?

It's conductive. Plus the other things I mentioned in my post above. There's just much better stuff out there now.


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## 20mmrain (Jan 31, 2010)

> ..wait a minute. So it is?
> 
> It's conductive. Plus the other things I mentioned in my post above. There's just much better stuff out there now



Yeah I saw that too...... I retract my previous statement..... although that still doesn't mean that it is that conductive. But to be safe you are right

But I don't argue with the fact that there are better compounds out there. Hence why I after I am done writing this message I am switching back


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## erocker (Jan 31, 2010)

20mmrain said:


> Yeah I saw that too...... I retract my previous statement..... although that still doesn't mean that it is that conductive. But to be safe you are right
> 
> But I don't argue with the fact that there are better compounds out there. Hence why I after I am done writing this message I am switching back



Silver is conductive.  While, yes if you use it properly it most definitely will not be conductive. If I saw a small line of paste drop onto a couple traces though, I would do my best to get it off. 

My personal favorite right now is MX-3. Works great, you can be sloppy with it if you want and it cleans off very easily without leaving much residue.


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## 20mmrain (Jan 31, 2010)

> Silver is conductive.  While, yes if you use it properly it most definitely will not be conductive. If I saw a small line of paste drop onto a couple traces though, I would do my best to get it off.
> 
> My personal favorite right now is MX-3. Works great, you can be sloppy with it if you want and it cleans off very easily without leaving much residue.



Well I just switched back to the OCZ freeze. Not so much worried about the conduciveness.... considering the fact people have been using it for years with out much problem. But I did it because ... well sh1t I'm an Over clocker and want the best temps I can.

Nut thanks erocker I appreciate the info. You have told me some things I was not aware of! But with the amount I dink around in my computer I definitely don't want anything conductive in there!

Sure enough though!!! My temps are back down by 3c to 4c. I'm sticking to OCZ freeze right now. But I might try this MX-3 that I have been hearing about in the near future!

Also has anyone used any Thermalright or Cooler Master Thermal grease at all? Are they any good?


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## aCid888* (Jan 31, 2010)

OCZ FreeZe is better than AS5...that's why I stopped buying AS5..and it was more money any way.

I noticed about 3'C difference on my E8xxx CPU's when benching and about 1 - 2'C difference under load at 24/7 clocks after changing to FreeZe and I even remounted a few times to check if it was a mistake.


Now I use MX2 as I got a 30g tube for $20 shipped.


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## jlewis02 (Jan 31, 2010)

When I made the switch OCZ Freeze was 1c cooler than as5 even after the cure time.


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## smashed_99cbr (Jan 31, 2010)

what about ic diamond?


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## t77snapshot (Feb 1, 2010)

It's worth every penny

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Gelid_Solutions/GC-Extreme/2.html


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## TIGR (Feb 1, 2010)

I've found AS5 to outperform OCZ Freeze _over a wide variety of applications_ when both are used properly, but not in every situation. It seems to drop a few at-load degrees within the first 48 hours but after that the change is negligible.

There is not a single thermal interface material that is universally the best, due to the variance in heatsink surfaces. The surfaces of some heatsinks are polished mirror smooth, while others are rough and/or have gaps. For smoother surfaces, a thinner thermal interface material is best, whereas a more high-build alternative is ideal for rough or uneven surfaced heatsinks.

For non-smooth heatsinks I use TIM Consultants TC Grease 0098. For smooth heatsink surfaces, it's AS5. These are simply what I've found to work best.

Mounting pressure can make a big difference, as can the amount of material used. Some say use a pea-sized amount, and I have found that to be far too much in almost any situation. You want to use as much as it takes to fill air gaps where the CPU and heatsink don't touch—no more. No matter how good the material is, you want there to be as little of it as possible between the surfaces.

I also prefer to smooth the material over the surfaces to ensure there are no air pockets. Air does not conduct heat well.


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## n-ster (Feb 1, 2010)

TIGR said:


> I've found AS5 to outperform OCZ Freeze _over a wide variety of applications_ when both are used properly, but not in every situation. It seems to drop a few at-load degrees within the first 48 hours but after that the change is negligible.
> 
> There is not a single thermal interface material that is universally the best, due to the variance in heatsink surfaces. The surfaces of some heatsinks are polished mirror smooth, while others are rough and/or have gaps. For smoother surfaces, a thinner thermal interface material is best, whereas a more high-build alternative is ideal for rough or uneven surfaced heatsinks.
> 
> ...



He says many helpful things in there... +1 to all that


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## TIGR (Feb 2, 2010)

I wonder if there have been changes to the formula for OCZ Freeze over its life ... a lot of people here are reporting it being better than AS5 and I'm not about to say everyone is applying it wrong. Maybe I should test it again.


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## neoreif (Feb 2, 2010)

Just my 2 cents here guys! I found this review to be very enlightening! Helped me on deciding what TIM to purchase! And right now, I'm quite satisfied and happy with Gelid GC-Extreme! Hope the info would help!

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=62


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## TIGR (Feb 2, 2010)

neoreif said:


> Just my 2 cents here guys! I found this review to be very enlightening! Helped me on deciding what TIM to purchase! And right now, I'm quite satisfied and happy with Gelid GC-Extreme! Hope the info would help!
> 
> http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=62



Talk about comprehensive. This article addresses a lot of important points. Nice find. I'd recommend anyone else interested in the topic read through it (don't just jump to the results).


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## phanbuey (Feb 2, 2010)

ive been using the OCZ paste for a while now... it works very well.  AS5 gets beaten out by tx-2, mx-2, OCZ freeze, any GELID paste, and the new noctua paste, which is one of the best as well.

The differences between many of these pastes is so small that it actually comes down to the application more so than the paste itself.


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## xrealm20 (Feb 2, 2010)

I personally have been very happy with Shin-Etsu MicroSi X-23 7783D paste, as it doesn't require any cure time like AS5.  Managed to get 10 Grams of the stuff for 20 dollars on HardForum


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## Delta6326 (Feb 2, 2010)

WOW thats a great article read threw it and i really should go reset my cooler i do it completely wrong and way to much i just make lots of circles going around the base lol


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## Bjorn_Of_Iceland (Feb 2, 2010)

AS5 goes way back.. lotsa better tims now. Moved from AS5 to Gelid GC Extreme, shaved a few Cs.. I thought it was just an ambient and reseat thing, but then I saw the reviews later, it was indeed beating AS5.


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## LagunaX (Feb 2, 2010)

Using IC Diamond 7 now - works great. Probably try MX-3 next time around too.


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