# Current best thermal paste?



## Mussels (Nov 5, 2014)

For a desktop i've rarely cared about thermal paste other than to make sure its a decent brand that wont decay after a few months, but now i've got a fussy laptop that loves to crank the fan up and down while doing light load, and figure a regrease with something newer than 5 year old arctic silver ceramique might be in order.


probably buying from PCCG - so whats your recommendations for the best thermal transfer, knowing that its gotta last a few years in a laptop environment?

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=163&vk_sort=1


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## RCoon (Nov 5, 2014)

Mayonnaise needs to last a few years you say?
I still use AS5 or MX-4 regardless of what charts say, it does the job, and for laptops I'm not generally fussed about 1 - 2 degrees difference. If you REALLY wanna get freaky, get some CoolLab Ultra.


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## Mussels (Nov 5, 2014)

i have a tube of MX-2 around somewhere, but being years old and thrown around a lot i'm not sure i'd trust it 

If MX4 is still considered in the top of the charts, i may well give it a go - google has shown it to be a good contender on toms rankings (but i dont trust toms that much)


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## RCoon (Nov 5, 2014)

Mussels said:


> (but i dont trust toms that much)



Who does? I use MX-4 and AS5 for repasting various PS3's people keep bringing into my office, and all of my gear. Even used the stuff for my watercooling loop last year. Hardware Secrets have a decent chart I think, which proves mayonnaise is a perfectly valid contender.

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/thermal-compound-roundup-february-2012/1490/5


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## Frick (Nov 5, 2014)

It's not the best, but it's still a safe bet and it's pretty cheap. Last year I got a 20g tube for about €11.


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## Peter1986C (Nov 5, 2014)

GELID GC Extreme Thermal Compound

Or else get ceramique again but then a new tube since yours has got quite a shelf life already. Depends on how much you are willing to spend. TPU review


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## Mussels (Nov 5, 2014)

MX-4 it is. $15 for a 4g tube that will arrive in 2 business days... eh, not too bad.

I'll look up the gelid, convince me why its better than MX4


my AS... whatever it is, is so old the wrapper has no writing on it, only years old chocolate


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## RCoon (Nov 5, 2014)

Chevalr1c said:


> GELID GC Extreme Thermal Compound
> 
> Or else get ceramique again but then a new tube since yours has got quite a shelf life already. Depends on how much you are willing to spend.



According to HWS, Mayonnaise performs just as good as the Gelid GC Extreme, only cheaper, and more delicious. (and you get a whole jar if it goes terribly, terribly wrong)


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## EarthDog (Nov 5, 2014)

I wouldn't look into it too much. The best is way to expensive per application, the rest are within 1-2C of each other. You will get better results with proper application and mounting than paying through the nose for the best.

Anyway, this is the lastest testing I saw...http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/thermal-paste-performance-benchmark,3616-17.html


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## Mussels (Nov 5, 2014)

EarthDog said:


> I wouldn't look into it too much. The best is way to expensive per application, the rest are within 1-2C of each other. You will get better results with proper application and mounting than paying through the nose for the best.
> 
> Anyway, this is the lastest testing I saw...



... what was the latest testing you saw? YOU CANT LEAVE ME HANGING BRO


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## Frick (Nov 5, 2014)

Mussels said:


> MX-4 it is. $15 for a 4g tube that will arrive in 2 business days... eh, not too bad.



Sure that's not the 20g tube?


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## Mussels (Nov 5, 2014)

Frick said:


> Sure that's not the 20g tube?




shippings a bitch, and that was ebay not pccg. gunna cost me $20 a tube for most brands which is why i dont want to throw money away.


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## rtwjunkie (Nov 5, 2014)

MX-4 is a good choice, Mussels!  I use it for my GPU's, and even though it's about the same consistency and performance, I prefer Zalman ZG-2 for my cpu's.  I stopped using AS5 because it just took so long before it started working well, and it's conductive.


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## brandonwh64 (Nov 5, 2014)

You know, I have used MANY styles of thermal paste but the one I found to work good for me was MX3/4 but if a cheap paste is needed Arctic Silver Ceramique works wonders! I bought a large tube of it and used it on my I7-920 at work with a OLD air cooler. Results were GREAT at high 30's idle and mid 60's full load with it OCed to 3.8Ghz


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## EarthDog (Nov 5, 2014)

Mussels said:


> ... what was the latest testing you saw? YOU CANT LEAVE ME HANGING BRO


LOL, it was Tom's... which I see now you don't trust for whatever reason. 

I would just nab some Mx-2 and call it a day.


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## Naito (Nov 5, 2014)

Mussels said:


> ...with something newer than 5 year old arctic silver ceramique might be in order.



Is that Ceramique 2? If so, that's meant to be still quite decent.

AS5 and MX-4 are both very good (having used them myself on laptops), but I prefer MX-4 over AS5 as it is easy to work with (goes on and cleans off easier). In terms of performance, not much separates them in my experience, but I believe MX-4 is a tad better.


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## Kaynar (Nov 5, 2014)

I've tried MX4, Coolab liquid pro and IC Diamond. They all do the job with two or three deg Celsius difference. Even the stock paste of Corsair H105i was 2-3 deg off liquid pro. The only thing that was DEFINATELY worth, was replacing GPU thermal paste with IC diamond (I've done that on a few gpus). shaved at least 5c each time.


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## brandonwh64 (Nov 5, 2014)

Kaynar said:


> I've tried MX4, Coolab liquid pro and IC Diamond. They all do the job with two or three deg Celsius difference. Even the stock paste of Corsair H105i was 2-3 deg off liquid pro. The only thing that was DEFINATELY worth, was replacing GPU thermal paste with IC diamond (I've done that on a few gpus). shaved at least 5c each time.



Didn't IC Diamond destroy people CPU's and GPU's? There was a thread about it here.

There were multiple people in this thread that had major issues with the paste

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/techpowerup-official-ic-diamond-test.170121/page-23


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## Vario (Nov 5, 2014)

Kaynar said:


> I've tried MX4, Coolab liquid pro and IC Diamond. They all do the job with two or three deg Celsius difference. Even the stock paste of Corsair H105i was 2-3 deg off liquid pro. The only thing that was DEFINATELY worth, was replacing GPU thermal paste with IC diamond (I've done that on a few gpus). shaved at least 5c each time.


H105i stock paste is probably silk screen applied Shin Etsu, so it is probably superior to any other conventional paste. Thats how it was on the H100 anyway

Favorite pastes I have used recently are ShinEtsu X23, Prolimatech PK1, Arctic Silver AS5.

A few months ago I used a large blob of warmed X23 on my laptop's CPU and NB, the result was pretty good.  The stuff is too hard to spread well unless you preheat it,  I used a heatgun on the syringe before squeezing it out and I heated the contact surfaces on the laptop heatsink as well.


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## Mussels (Nov 5, 2014)

brandonwh64 said:


> Didn't IC Diamond destroy people CPU's and GPU's? There was a thread about it here.
> 
> There were multiple people in this thread that had major issues with the paste
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/techpowerup-official-ic-diamond-test.170121/page-23




that guy had some posts deleted and removed, but he was a total ass. he went so insanely far i'll never touch that brand.


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## brandonwh64 (Nov 5, 2014)

He talked about digging up someone grandmother and shooting her then displaying her as evidence..... LOL great CEO!


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## EarthDog (Nov 5, 2014)

Yes, the IC7 diamond will wipe off the writing on the IHS... and some has said it pitted their IHS and heatsink.


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## RCoon (Nov 5, 2014)

brandonwh64 said:


> He talked about digging up someone grandmother and shooting her then displaying her as evidence..... LOL great CEO!



He went full Phil Fish. But regardless of all of that mess, ICD7 performs just about on par with most high end pastes anyway. There are better and cheaper pastes.


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## Mussels (Nov 5, 2014)

brandonwh64 said:


> He talked about digging up someone grandmother and shooting her then displaying her as evidence..... LOL great CEO!




around that point i posted on his company FB page, where they promptly banned me and everyone else from TPU.


Anyway, now that we've covered what scumbags IC diamond are all over again so that they show up in google even more, i guess i'll settle on MX-4.


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## brandonwh64 (Nov 5, 2014)

Yea MX4 is nice just a little stiff to spread. MX2 was more smoother. Both are awesome


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## EarthDog (Nov 5, 2014)

+1 I prefer MX2 and its viscosity/spread than MX-4. You can also find turkey baster sized tubes for dirt cheap occasionally... I think I got a 65g tube for like $20, LOL


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## thebluebumblebee (Nov 5, 2014)

Here's a review of TIM's from 2011.  Based on that review, I got some TG-1 and liked working with it better than AS-5. (MX-4 is not included in that review)  It did seem to work better than AS-5.
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/thermal-interface-roundup-1.html


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## Solaris17 (Nov 5, 2014)

im an MX-4 guy I literally spent HOURS going over all the different pastes including liquids and it came down to

MX4
NT-H1
PK1

I just went with MX4 and I love it!


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## newbsandwich (Nov 5, 2014)

Last couple times I used MX-2, and it has worked great over the years.  Next time I'll try the MX-4.

Now, how about what's the best application method?  Pea sized dot in the middle of chip, line down the middle, 3 lines, or spread it all over?


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## GreiverBlade (Nov 5, 2014)

Arctic (cooling) MX4/MX2 and lately Gelid GC Extreme (it has TPU thumb up on the package! can't go wrong xD) but surely not any Arctic (nope not cooling) one well the AS5 and ceram had many fans but versus the 3 i recommend they are : more expensive (or pack less quantity for the same price) and +/-1° only

for spread method : rice grain method is enough (pea sized??? a pea is a bit big xD)


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## remixedcat (Nov 5, 2014)

Been using as5 for years and its been good.


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## eidairaman1 (Nov 5, 2014)

As5, cerameaque, mx2/3/4 are ones id use.


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## Aquinus (Nov 5, 2014)

RCoon said:


> I still use AS5 or MX-4 regardless of what charts say, it does the job, and for laptops I'm not generally fussed about 1 - 2 degrees difference.


Bingo. I just replenished my AS5 supply with a 10g tube. It gets the job done so I can't complain. As long as it's half decent paste you shouldn't really have to think into it too much.


GreiverBlade said:


> for spread method : rice grain method is enough (pea sized??? a pea is a bit big xD)


Depends on the size of the area you're covering. My 6870s have a tiny area so a grain of rice is a better estimation, however my i7 3820 (being skt2011) is a huge area to cover.


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## Kaynar (Nov 6, 2014)

brandonwh64 said:


> Didn't IC Diamond destroy people CPU's and GPU's? There was a thread about it here.
> 
> There were multiple people in this thread that had major issues with the paste
> 
> http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/techpowerup-official-ic-diamond-test.170121/page-23


Im aware of this thread and I've applied IC Diamond multiple times on the same CPU over few years and never had issues.


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## OneMoar (Nov 6, 2014)

Cool Laboratory Liquid PRO ?


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## Athlonite (Nov 6, 2014)

I still use AS5 for everything it's easy to find it's easy to spread lasts a good long while before needing replacement and I only use a very thin layer none of this plop on a pea sized blob and squish it between IHS and HS crap that leads to bleeding out of the sides just spread a nice thin layer pop on the HSF and run a few 10's of iterations of IBT to heat it up then let it cool repeat every day for a week and it's cured and working as it should for GPU's I use F@H to heat up the die


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## FreedomEclipse (Nov 6, 2014)

Prolimatech PK-3 or Arctic MX-4 get my votes.  MX-4 gets my vote cuz its slightly a bit cheaper but as far as price goes. They are roughly in the same ball park. 

So far ive used PK-3 on both my GPUs and CPU and its worked great.  My CPU idles around 28-30'c though it could be because its about 15-16.5'c in my room


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## Mussels (Nov 10, 2014)

OK, MX-4 arrived today and doing some tests now.

On the dried up stock paste it thermal throttled from Wprime alone, so i cant really compare to it.
Temps monitored with throttlestop and afterburner - only reporting the max temp registered, not average.

Wprime 1024 + Heaven 4.0 (GPU OC'd)

Old Arctic Silver Ceramique:
CPU: 92C
GPU: 63C

so while this is a very unreasonable load i'll never encounter in normal use of the laptop, its worth noting that these temps got hot enough to almost throttle the CPU. on a hot summers day, it WOULD throttle.

Brand Spankin new MX-4:

CPU: 86C
GPU:  65C (FPS was slightly higher, i think heaven got more CPU power this time around)


So the MX4 was definitely a winne this time around, but the ASC had dried up and gone all stringy so it wasnt really a fair fight i guess.


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## Dbiggs9 (Nov 10, 2014)

I use MX-4 for all my needs.


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## INSTG8R (Nov 10, 2014)

I was a long time AS5 and Ceramique user. Tried Noctua NH-1 was nothing special. I am now an MX-4 user. Just so nice to work with and works great too boot.


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## Mussels (Nov 10, 2014)

people posted while i was editing (protip: dont forget to plug in the laptop CPU fan) but hte results are edited in above.

MX4 lowered CPU temps by 6C - and it may get better as it settles in/burns in, etc.


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## eidairaman1 (Nov 10, 2014)

I read a x pattern or spread method provided best thermals,


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## Mussels (Nov 10, 2014)

eidairaman1 said:


> I read a x pattern or spread method provided best thermals,




it varies. this time around i spread it on both CPU, GPU and their heatsinks before applying, just to be sure it was spread properly.

the fan *is* quieter when watching HD videos, so the mild load temps are lower too.


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## micropage7 (Nov 10, 2014)

eidairaman1 said:


> I read a x pattern or spread method provided best thermals,


i dunno, but i always use pea method or small dots if the paste hard to spread


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## Jetster (Nov 10, 2014)

Well we have these threads many times. So Ill say it again. Paste is Paste I buy what is on sale. If I have to choose it would be AS5 And no I don't use tooth paste or peanut butter. The temp difference in the top 10 brands is so close. And the only time I spread it is if there is no Heat Spreader


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## micropage7 (Nov 10, 2014)

personally i think if the difference just about 2 degrees max
its just x factor (pressure, warm up period etc)


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## Mussels (Nov 10, 2014)

Jetster said:


> Well we have these threads many times. So Ill say it again. Paste is Paste I buy what is on sale. If I have to choose it would be AS5 And no I don't use tooth paste or peanut butter. The temp difference in the top 10 brands is so close. And the only time I spread it is if there is no Heat Spreader




hey to be fair i wanted to know what was best for a laptop scenario, which isn't commonly asked. and i made a decent difference going to MX4.


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## Aquinus (Nov 10, 2014)

Mussels said:


> OK, MX-4 arrived today and doing some tests now.
> 
> On the dried up stock paste it thermal throttled from Wprime alone, so i cant really compare to it.
> Temps monitored with throttlestop and afterburner - only reporting the max temp registered, not average.
> ...



Like AS5, doesn't the ASC need to cure before thermal transfer is optimal? I think this needs to be put into perspective.

I just replaced the paste on my reference 6870. I've done 3 runs using furmark (Kombustor) on each day after applying the AS5.
The first day my loaded temperatures hit 85*C @ 1.25v, I had to tone it down to 1.2v to keep it at 85*C. A day later I run furmark at 1.25v again and it held steady at 81*C. Another day later I did the same stress test I did the two prior times and got 71*C and it was able to handle my 1Ghz/1.3v OC again.

Just keep in mind, some pastes cure. You won't get a good reading off of it until it cures, much like how I had to work on it for a couple days before it started behaving normally again. Just throwing that out there.


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## Mussels (Nov 10, 2014)

Aquinus said:


> Like AS5, doesn't the ASC need to cure before thermal transfer is optimal? I think this needs to be put into perspective.
> 
> I just replaced the paste on my reference 6870. I've done 3 runs using furmark (Kombustor) on each day after applying the AS5.
> The first day my loaded temperatures hit 85*C @ 1.25v, I had to tone it down to 1.2v to keep it at 85*C. A day later I run furmark at 1.25v again and it held steady at 81*C. Another day later I did the same stress test I did the two prior times and got 71*C and it was able to handle my 1Ghz/1.3v OC again.
> ...




the ASC was almost 2 weeks old with the laptop having daily use, including stress tests and benchmarks. wasnt gunna get any better.


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## Aquinus (Nov 10, 2014)

thebluebumblebee said:


> Here's a review of TIM's from 2011.  Based on that review, I got some TG-1 and liked working with it better than AS-5. (MX-4 is not included in that review)  It did seem to work better than AS-5.
> http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/thermal-interface-roundup-1.html


They also said they only let the paste cure for 1 hour. I had to wait 72 hours for the temps on my 6870 to become reasonable with AS5. I question how they they tested each paste because AS5 can run almost 15*C or warmer while it's initially curing.


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## peche (Nov 10, 2014)

thebluebumblebee said:


> Here's a review of TIM's from 2011.  Based on that review, I got some TG-1 and liked working with it better than AS-5. (MX-4 is not included in that review)  It did seem to work better than AS-5.
> http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/thermal-interface-roundup-1.html



Thanks again!
pretty intersting information,

By the way as a review about Arctic Silver 5, which is last one I used,

*Cure time:*  Last time took about a week, also during this curing time and 1st and 2nd use I got higher temps, they were lowering as the product cures,
usage: 14 months, when replaced still fresh, It was not dried, burned or trashed,

I replaced it with the stock Compound with my new Water 3.0 pro, I upgraded like 2 or 3 weeks ago, I would upgrade thermal compound with one of these 3:

_·  Thermaltake TG series
·  Arctic  Cooling MX4
·  Evercool Cruising missile_

This is the main reason I'm asking everyone about Thermaltake TG series,  I've heard about pretty good results of some people but there is no data to confirm,

For a reference about other product, I have another compound to share:
_*COOLER MASTER IceFusion:*_ this is the cheap compound I use on basic repairs, 40g presentation, last forever, it takes like 3 years or more to dry, you can also leave the flask open, it wont dry,


*The review:*
Cure Time: I'm not sure if it there is a curing time for it , since the application of it  till now days there is no noticeable difference between temps,  maybe 1 or 2 degrees but I think they depend    of ambient temperature

Compared to Stock temperature of the processor intel: e8400, stock Cooler:

Idle: 67c
Load:96c

intel e8400, Stock cooler // COOLER MASTER IceFusion, Pea size application method:

idle:52
Load:84

No overclock because it's my mom computer, last aplication 15 months ago
Specs: Intel® G41 Express, 4Gb DDr2 800, 1 green HDD, 1 Optical Drive, Mustiff 500w PSU, Generic Case, 3 Fan 2 intake, 1 exhaust,

Regards,


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## EarthDog (Nov 10, 2014)

Nice testing... how many mounts did you try this across? 

(a proper mount will matter more than the TIM).


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## peche (Nov 10, 2014)

i dont get it? how many mounts?


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## EarthDog (Nov 10, 2014)

Don't worry about it... with any kind of empircal testing you need to test it across a couple of mounts to mitigate that being a variable in your testing. Your mount is the single most important thing in getting the best temps. The problem is, most coolers do not mount with the same pressure everytime which will affect results.


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## peche (Nov 10, 2014)

Now I get it,  sorry by the misunderstood,

mostly on my builds with the same cooler y try not to leave air gaps between cooler and processor, making research about the cooler in use, for the Intel e8400 review I use the oem cooler, mounted directly to Processor's HIS gently pressed or push, then locking his 4 leg's or pressure clips, I think it’s the correct way, with the water block of my new AIO liquid cooling system I did almost the same, because it was  like exact mounting due processor mounting bracket kit included, I understand that wrong method can screw up all the thermal compound replacement process,  I also understand that not all processor water blocks, heat sinks or coolers are mounted with the same way or procedure.


Regards,


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## Aquinus (Nov 10, 2014)

EarthDog said:


> The problem is, most coolers do not mount with the same pressure everytime which will affect results.


On skt2011, the socket itself is the base of the mount where coolers bolt into the socket. So while I agree, I only agree if it's a platform that isn't like 2011 but is like AMx, 115x, etc... for the most part. I can see rare exceptions to this rule.


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Nov 10, 2014)

Mussels said:


> MX-4 it is. $15 for a 4g tube that will arrive in 2 business days... eh, not too bad.
> 
> I'll look up the gelid, convince me why its better than MX4
> 
> ...


You sure thats chocolate?


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## GreiverBlade (Nov 11, 2014)

Mussels said:


> I'll look up the gelid, convince me why its better than MX4


no better but same (undestand +/-1° as usual)... for me it's same price as the MX-4 and when no MX-4 in stock i take the GC-Extreme (the funniest thing was when i noticed the "TPU recommended" on the package of the GC )


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## Athlonite (Nov 11, 2014)

yeah that recommended is from a couple of 3 years ago though so not really reliable anymore it is good yes but I bet there's now better ones around now


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## Mussels (Nov 11, 2014)

CrAsHnBuRnXp said:


> You sure thats chocolate?



nope. could have been used as a buttplug.


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## Athlonite (Nov 11, 2014)

Really  though you answer made me lol my second thought was ewww


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## Jborg (Nov 13, 2014)

Arctic Silver Paste has worked very well for me.


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## Mussels (Nov 13, 2014)

i also used the MX-4 and achieved a 16C drop in temps on my 7970.

Stock paste looked quite nice, but wasnt really up to the job.

Took the cooler apart, was nice and shiny with a good thermal paste application, if a bit too much.







After applying the thermal paste using the blob method and totally misleading you, i zip tied two huge honking fans onto the GPU and just wanted to put up a pic cause its hilarious









Can you believe the two photos i forgot to take were 'before/after thermal pate' and 'after i put the zip ties on' ? der[


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## peche (Nov 13, 2014)

cool.... how is working with the new " honking fans" ?
custom cooler...


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## fullinfusion (Nov 13, 2014)

Mussels said:


> MX-4 it is. $15 for a 4g tube that will arrive in 2 business days... eh, not too bad.
> 
> I'll look up the gelid, convince me why its better than MX4
> 
> ...



I'll add my comment on the GC Extreme next week when it gets here.

MX-4 is a great paste, I prefer it over the AS5, also MX-4 works way better on a hot R9 290 card. I've got an RMA coming back this week and MSI upgraded me to a 290X 
So I figure I better get some new paste to try. My current 290 on it's own hits a max of 82c @ 1200/1550.. with the MX-4, I was using AS5 on my cpu and removed it and now use MX-4

Im happy with the results, but I want to try the Gelid extreme to see how much of a difference it makes.

Will let you know my results.


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## Peter1986C (Nov 13, 2014)

I like GC Extreme, although I believe Coolink Chillaramic gives me better bang for buck (although performance wise the GC Extreme paste is still superior). I would like it to see GC Extreme to get some more love though.


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## peche (Nov 13, 2014)

Many years ago I used Arctic Silver 3, it was pretty good at work, also if my memory its fine.. was a bigger syringe than Arctic Silver 5, any way last one I bought and have been using its Arctic Silver 5, despite its long curing time I have no issues with it, cooler master Ice fusion it's another one I like pretty much, for the value, results and mostly because it last for years,  

I have pretty bad experiences with OCZ Freeze same results as Stock Grease form Intel Cooler on idle and 8C at Load… used on my old Intel e8400 (now my mom's computer..)

OCZ Freeze was also the most expensive TIM I have bought ever


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## Peter1986C (Nov 13, 2014)

Freeze _Extreme_ was pretty cheap in the last 4ish years before becoming EOL and did alright. Not the best though.


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## Mussels (Nov 20, 2014)

turns out i DID take pics of the stock heatsink and stock thermal paste, figured i might as well throw them in here late.


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## peche (Nov 20, 2014)

If you polish cooler cooper block would be a kickass detail for cooling,
I did that once into a friend laptop, before paste a little polish to cooper block.... and installed thermalpaste.. difference it's pretty noticeable....


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## EarthDog (Nov 20, 2014)

Depends on the block, but yes polishing copper (not cooper) can show notable improvements.


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## micropage7 (Nov 20, 2014)

agree with lapping the base of heatsink, i always lapping my heatsink since it improves heat transfered from processor to heatsink so you dont need much paste to fill the gap and lapping is easy as long as you do it carefully


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## fullinfusion (Nov 20, 2014)

@Mussels here take a look at the Gelid Extreme i just installed to both cards.

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/r9-290-290x-owners-thread.193520/page-36#post-3196761


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## VulkanBros (Nov 20, 2014)

Have been using these pastes over a few years: (CPU, GPU, Northbridge, Southbridge)
Artic MX-4 - good paste
Noctua NT-H1 - good paste
IC Diamond - crap
ThermalTake TG-1 - good paste
Revoltec Nano - crap
Revoltec Diamond - crap
Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra - So far the best paste i have used.


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## peche (Nov 20, 2014)

VulkanBros said:


> Have been using these pastes over a few years: (CPU, GPU, Northbridge, Southbridge)
> ............
> Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra - So far the best paste i have used.



Can you tell more about it?
Does it really damage Coolers aluminium coolers..?


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## VulkanBros (Nov 20, 2014)

peche said:


> Can you tell more about it?
> Does it really damage Coolers aluminium coolers..?



Correct - Collaboratory Liquid Ultra is not recommendable for aluminium.
By a fault, I once put some on an GPU cooler where the copper heatpipes where "level polished" 
with the alu heatsink.
After a couple of days i removed the heatsink to check - and the aluminium was gone totally black
and had tiny little craters.....


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## peche (Nov 20, 2014)

I have heard about this product  and how it damages many coolers included some aluminum ones, also have heard about issues with some nickel heat pipes on some coolers

how about copper?  does it not damage copper?

**sorry for asking so much by the way 

Regards,


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## Breew (Nov 20, 2014)

peche said:


> I have heard about this product  and how it damages many coolers included some aluminum ones, also have heard about issues with some nickel heat pipes on some coolers
> 
> how about copper?  does it not damage copper?
> 
> ...



 I have it on 3 water cooled and one air cooled copper sink. NO it does not harm them. but as a side once you use it you stick with it. The Ultra comes off fine but the pro does not, it bonds to the copper and is hard to get off. then again the only time i took the water block off was to change the cpu and then a tiny bit renewed it for replacement on the new cpu. It does NOT degrade so you dont have to reapply in 3 years or whatever. Use the least that covers the block and a touch scrubed into the water block or copper HSF unit.


----------



## VulkanBros (Nov 20, 2014)

Well - from asking we are learning 

On copper and nickel-plated it works great - without any issues and without damage to the metal.
From the manual: 
Warning: Please note that you can’t use the Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra with a contact area of aluminum, as it corrodes aluminum. 
The heatspreader of actual processors consists of nickel-plated copper, not of aluminum. 
Advice: The application on copper surfaces is a bit easier than on nickel-plated ones, but possible is both.
Link to manual: http://www.coollaboratory.com/pdf/manual_liquid_ultra_englisch.pdf


----------



## fullinfusion (Nov 20, 2014)

peche said:


> Can you tell more about it?
> Does it really damage Coolers aluminium coolers..?


Look on the interweb and it says all over it will react with aluminum.

@VulkanBros  now you need some Gelid Extreme to add to your collection.

I love MX-4 but Geild has it beat by a few degrees C


----------



## GreiverBlade (Nov 20, 2014)

fullinfusion said:


> Look on the interweb and it says all over it will react with aluminum.
> 
> @VulkanBros  now you need some Gelid Extreme to add to your collection.
> 
> I love MX-4 but Geild has it beat by a few degrees C


yep! i did the switch too, first victim is my 290 the 4690K will follow (unless i try the Phobya HE Grease bundled with the UC-2 LT ...)


----------



## fullinfusion (Nov 20, 2014)

GreiverBlade said:


> yep! i did the switch too, first victim is my 290 the 4690K will follow (unless i try the Phobya HE Grease bundled with the UC-2 LT ...)


DONT lol, I just switched my MX-4 paste on the 4790K to the Gelid, and had a 10c drop in temps on the hottest core and 4c drop on the lowest core!

This paste just blows my mind..  GG Gield


----------



## GreiverBlade (Nov 20, 2014)

fullinfusion said:


> This paste just blows my mind..  GG Gield


IKR... i ordered it from my favorit etailer and when i got it at home ... i laughed so hard at the "TPU Recommended" logo on the package  that was really the icing on the cake!


----------



## Champ (Nov 21, 2014)

Sounds silly, but the best paste I've used is Cooler Master thermal paste. My 290 was hitting 95c. Redid the paste and I'm OCed and the highest I've seen is 75c


----------



## VulkanBros (Nov 21, 2014)

fullinfusion said:


> Look on the interweb and it says all over it will react with aluminum.
> 
> @VulkanBros  now you need some Gelid Extreme to add to your collection.
> 
> I love MX-4 but Geild has it beat by a few degrees C



Hmmm....I live in Denmark and cant find Gelid Extreme......Do you buy it at a local shop or on the web??


----------



## GreiverBlade (Nov 21, 2014)

VulkanBros said:


> Hmmm....I live in Denmark and cant find Gelid Extreme......Do you buy it at a local shop or on the web??


well i should say local e-tailer (like Digitec.ch or StegComputer ) also on Aquatunning.de (.ch) i received a whole pack from them with various pieces needed for my WCLoop (over 8kg) without any custom taxes (dunno if they have a danish site)


----------



## Ebo (Nov 21, 2014)

Its right here

Coolerkit har den. http://www.coolerkit.dk/shop/koelepasta-268c1.html


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## GreiverBlade (Nov 21, 2014)

Ebo said:


> Its right here
> 
> Coolerkit har den. http://www.coolerkit.dk/shop/koelepasta-268c1.html


huuu even cheaper than in Switzerland  nice!

note to self: switch from Digitec to Aquatunning ... even if it take longer and come from Germany, the price is lower


----------



## VulkanBros (Nov 21, 2014)

Okay.....just ordered 1 piece of Collaboratory Liquid Copper
and a piece of Gelid Extreme...........at www.coolerkit.dk


----------



## GreiverBlade (Nov 21, 2014)

i'm surprised danish isn't so hard to "understand" (after browsing that website a bit) well ... since i'm Swiss maybe the Swiss German dialect help me to understand it  (tho my mother-language is french)

back on topic strange i can run any bench without comp hanging, tho 3DMark Firestrike crash at 1st graphical test ... hum might be the update that i did not download ... i wonder ... wrong topic tho /facepalm


----------



## peche (Nov 21, 2014)

Champ said:


> Sounds silly, but the best paste I've used is Cooler Master thermal paste. My 290 was hitting 95c. Redid the paste and I'm OCed and the highest I've seen is 75c


@Champ , which CM thermal product are you currently using?


----------



## EarthDog (Nov 21, 2014)

Champ said:


> Sounds silly, but the best paste I've used is Cooler Master thermal paste. My 290 was hitting 95c. Redid the paste and I'm OCed and the highest I've seen is 75c


That does sound silly...what other pastes have you tried on that same GPU? Or did you just put this on and it dropped that much? Usually htat is a sign of an improper application and not a function of the TIM itself.


----------



## Champ (Nov 21, 2014)

The paste came with a 212 Evo cooler I brought. I imagine I didn't over due it compared to the ceramic like paste that was on it before. I'll see as it cures. I've only played about a hour worth since I've done it.

From what I've read, users say it's as good as any other paste


----------



## EarthDog (Nov 21, 2014)

Where it came from is not relevent. What is though is what other pastes your tried on the same card. As you likely have seen the difference between the best and worst pastes are only a couple of degrees C. So clearly, it was the existing application and not the TIM itself.


----------



## peche (Nov 21, 2014)

thanks. this weekend i have to checkout some computers and maybe replace TIM, so i would stick to cooler master's Ice fusion flask i got many time ago, if i could i would make a post about it, 

Regards,


----------



## Easy Rhino (Nov 21, 2014)

IC Diamond is garbage! Do not buy it!


----------



## EarthDog (Nov 21, 2014)

It works well, but the company behind it is... well... someone link that debacle...


----------



## GreiverBlade (Nov 21, 2014)

EarthDog said:


> It works well, but the company behind it is... well... someone link that debacle...


nah.... a thermal past who eat the Die, HSF and heatspreader is a garbage ... no matter how it perform ... and indeed the "customer rep" is a total ... "censored"

also
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/ic-diamond-is-back-at-it-and-afraid.187397/
and
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170121&page=23


----------



## VulkanBros (Nov 23, 2014)

So yesterday Gelid Extreme and Collaboratory Liquid Copper arrived......

Tested and conclusion:

Gelid Extreme - like chewing gum ..... hard to spread ..... but is overwhelming in performance. Idle temps dropped 2c 
and an average drop of 5c-6c pr core in CPU stress-test. Thumbs up! (in comparison to Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra)

Liquid Copper - like butter - very easy to spread - performance like MX-4 - good paste.

But - I have cleaned all up and gone back to .... Gelid


----------



## GreiverBlade (Nov 23, 2014)

VulkanBros said:


> So yesterday Gelid Extreme and Collaboratory Liquid Copper arrived......
> 
> Tested and conclusion:
> 
> ...


see: GC Extreme FTW


----------



## fullinfusion (Nov 25, 2014)

VulkanBros said:


> So yesterday Gelid Extreme and Collaboratory Liquid Copper arrived......
> 
> Tested and conclusion:
> 
> ...


Like bubblegum? Strange, the tube of Gelid extreme I just got had the consistency of MX-4 and was like butter to spread out with the supplied applicator. I've read that some tubes are thicker and some not but I'm glad your happy with the results.. I sure know I am 

The cpu and both gpus sure enjoy the lower temps.


----------



## Peter1986C (Nov 25, 2014)

In the winter, leave the tubes alone for a while (a day or so) to get them on room temperature just in case.


----------



## Ebo (Nov 25, 2014)

Ive used IC7 Diamond for anumber of years now, but the tube is almost empty and ive been very happy about that paste.

As a backup I got the Polimatech PK-3, I havent used it yet and also different from AC.
I look forward to trying out the PK-3, just to see if it really is as good, as they say.


----------



## Jetster (Nov 25, 2014)

When I tested Gelid extreme with about 6 other pastes honestly I could not tell the difference in any of them.


----------



## fullinfusion (Nov 25, 2014)

Jetster said:


> When I tested Gelid extreme with about 6 other pastes honestly I could not tell the difference in any of them.


Have a 100% stable working environment with all the variables the same then you'll see a difference 

Also I've tested different ways to apply the Gelid paste, bb size, squish, spread , spread thin and the one that comes out the best is a even thin spread.. like just enough to hide the color of the chip and no more


----------



## GreiverBlade (Nov 25, 2014)

fullinfusion said:


> Have a 100% stable working environment with all the variables the same then you'll see a difference
> 
> Also I've tested different ways to apply the Gelid paste, bb size, squish, spread , spread thin and the one that comes out the best is a even thin spread.. like just enough to hide the color of the chip and no more



i have 8 tubes sitting on my desk: (no result to give, just remembering)


Spire BlueFrost : Spire BlueWorst (not even worth the hassle... and also 0.5g for a insane price) eh 2.5Wm/k that's a joke ... even the AS5 is above 8Wm/k
Phobya HeGrease Extreme: not tested, might test it once my piece for the CPU loop will be there
GD Brand generic copper TIM (mostly silicopper compound leaving a lot of residues) 1g quite cheap but nothing more worth than a backup past in hard times 2.0Wm/k but wayyy cheaper than the Spire BF and double quantity
Termalright Chillfactor leftover from a TR IFX-14, quite good but under the MX-4
Prolimatech PK-3 : good used for a MK-26 installation a 580, was almost as effective as the MX-4
Arctic (cooling) MX-4: the previous champ.. 
Gelid GC-Extreme: from far the best i tested until now, also had a chewing gum texture but oh well even room temperature is under 15° for me,( i hate warm weather so i hate room temp above 25° i have 15° and less in winter and around 20-22° in summer if i am lucky  )
oh wait 7 tube and 1 satchel  scythe thermal elixer (pfff elixir but nope  ) not bad worth the use during a restock on MX-4

never buyed again : AS5/Ceram/Alumina, IC diamonds (no matter what type) tho i tested them (hence the "never buyed them again" : they are simply not worth it, either they are more expensive than the others and only give a better result of 1° or they are notoriously known to be "unsafe") i do not trust them if i have to say it... (and 50 to 200hrs curing time is a joke when you see the curing time of the MX-4 or the GC-Extreme)

also, from Arctic Silver website
Absolute Stability:
Arctic Silver 5 will not separate, run, migrate, or bleed.=============> wrong i remember a issue with a bleeding AS5 and ruining a GPU

which lead to the "non conductive" of the AS5
Made With 99.9% Pure Silver: Arctic Silver 5 uses three unique shapes and sizes of pure silver particles to maximize particle-to-particle contact area and thermal transfer.
High-Density:Arctic Silver 5 contains over 88% thermally conductive filler by weight. In addition to micronized silver, Arctic Silver 5 also contains sub-micron zinc oxide, aluminum oxide and boron nitride particles. These thermally-enhanced ceramic particles improve the compound's performance and long-term stability

eh? silver is non conductive?

edit: wishlist testing : Coolaboratory: any. for testing sake ...


----------



## fullinfusion (Nov 25, 2014)

GreiverBlade said:


> i have 8 tubes sitting on my desk: (no result to give, just remembering)
> 
> 
> Spire BlueFrost : Spire BlueWorst (not even worth the hassle... and also 0.5g for a insane price) eh 2.5Wm/k that's a joke ... even the AS5 is above 8Wm/k
> ...


So they claim but Im pretty conservative in the past applying AS5, I used to love the paste, then came  IC Diamond, it was a good one, but I think I lucked out on one batch but was no screaming hell.

Along came MX-4 and I also thought it was the best and it was, Until I got the Gelid Extreme paste. Now Im sold on it! I got the 3.5 gram tube last week and just ordered 3 more tubes today!
Ya cant have to little paste kicking around


----------



## eidairaman1 (Nov 26, 2014)

So AS5/ASC, MX2/4, GE are the top choices.


----------



## GreiverBlade (Nov 26, 2014)

eidairaman1 said:


> So AS5/ASC, MX2/4, GE are the top choices.


nah only MX-4/PK-3/GC Extreme (well might include MX-2) AS type are outdated and beaten by any of theses (who are mostly cheaper, for the same quantity or more quantity for a similar or lower price)


----------



## fullinfusion (Nov 26, 2014)

GreiverBlade said:


> nah only MX-4/PK-3/GC Extreme (well might include MX-2) AS type are outdated and beaten by any of theses (who are mostly cheaper, for the same quantity or more quantity for a similar or lower price)


Yup 100% agree


----------



## fullinfusion (Nov 26, 2014)

I forgot to close my room window last night. I had it cracked for some fresh winter air. I'm glad I left the rig on last night as when I walked in the room temp was +2°c and the CPU was idleing at 6c and the GPU at 12c lol.. Last time that happened I froze the water loop lol

It got down to -26°c last night


----------



## Aquinus (Nov 26, 2014)

fullinfusion said:


> I forgot to close my room window last night. I had it cracked for some fresh winter air. I'm glad I left the rig on last night as when I walked in the room temp was +2°c and the CPU was idleing at 6c and the GPU at 12c lol.. Last time that happened I froze the water loop lol
> 
> It got down to -26°c last night


Some ethylene glycol can fix that.


----------



## BarbaricSoul (Nov 26, 2014)

OMG, 5 pages about what is the best thermal paste? Do I really need to read this?


----------



## GreiverBlade (Nov 26, 2014)

BarbaricSoul said:


> Do I really need to read this?


not really 

everyone have an opinion (even if they don't matter : MX-4/GC-Extreme master past! "joke")
and the discussion is pretty entertaining ... at last for me ... i rarely have the chance to bash IC and AS on "how they are inferior to everything i tested" (joke again ... they are good but they are not alone in the performance sector and some of them don't "eat" die and heatspreader)

at last we know what's the best : 3 of them technically (well let's make it 4 if we add the MX-2 oh wait 5 with the Liquid metal from coolaboratory but since conductive : special status)


----------



## VulkanBros (Dec 1, 2014)

As many pastes there are - as many opinions there are........well I´ll say: try a few and see what brings you the best result......


----------



## FireFox (Dec 1, 2014)

RCoon said:


> get some CoolLab Ultra


Best choice ever, thanks to you that's what I am using today


----------



## Dr_b_ (Jun 30, 2015)

Been a die hard AS5 user, but based on these comments in this thread will try Gelid-Extreme and MX-4, got tubes of those on the way.  Never had a problem with AS5 -- either with temps, or longevity of the paste application, so it isn't bad paste even if it is older.


----------



## Athlonite (Jun 30, 2015)

Dr_b_ said:


> Been a die hard AS5 user, but based on these comments in this thread will try Gelid-Extreme and MX-4, got tubes of those on the way.  Never had a problem with AS5 -- either with temps, or longevity of the paste application, so it isn't bad paste even if it is older.



Don't bother with the Gelid stuff if crap MX-4 is good if your thinking of going from AS5 (and AS5 is what I use still )


----------



## FreedomEclipse (Jun 30, 2015)

Athlonite said:


> Don't bother with the Gelid stuff if crap MX-4 is good if your thinking of going from AS5 (and AS5 is what I use still )



Proof?

I can come up with more than 5 reviews stating how great great GC-Extreme is - The only downside is the price...Its bloody expensive


----------



## Athlonite (Jun 30, 2015)

GreiverBlade said:


> also, from Arctic Silver website
> Absolute Stability:
> Arctic Silver 5 will not separate, run, migrate, or bleed.=============> wrong i remember a issue with a bleeding AS5 and ruining a GPU



If it bled then you used way to much you only need just enough to very thinly cover the die and no more I've use AS5 on all my CPU's and GPU's and never had bleeding ever and a week of normal use was all it took to see temp drops from first use also it lasts way longer than a year where most others recommend you change it yearly


----------



## GreiverBlade (Jun 30, 2015)

Athlonite said:


> If it bled then you used way to much you only need just enough to very thinly cover the die and no more I've use AS5 on all my CPU's and GPU's and never had bleeding ever and a week of normal use was all it took to see temp drops from first use also it lasts way longer than a year where most others recommend you change it yearly


well i wouldn't have that problem  i don't use AS5 (or any Arctic Silver past) since years ... well since the MX-2 introduction to be precise 



FreedomEclipse said:


> Proof?
> 
> I can come up with more than 5 reviews stating how great great GC-Extreme is - The only downside is the price...Its bloody expensive


good review on it indeed ... even from TPU.

expensive well it depend where but at my retailer a 4g GC-E is cheaper than a 3.5g AS5 (lucky...)
and the 25g is not so expensive if i order it from Aquatuning in the end


----------



## Athlonite (Jun 30, 2015)

FreedomEclipse said:


> Proof?
> 
> I can come up with more than 5 reviews stating how great great GC-Extreme is - The only downside is the price...Its bloody expensive



the last time I tried it it was like trying to spread cold tar seal on my cpu I even tried warming it up no change took it back and got my money back as it wasn't fit for purpose and bought some AS5 and haven't looked back since


----------



## GreiverBlade (Jun 30, 2015)

Athlonite said:


> the last time I tried it it was like trying to spread cold tar seal on my cpu I even tried warming it up no change took it back and got my money back as it wasn't fit for purpose and bought some AS5 and haven't looked back since


using it on my CPU GPU and vRAM no issue of the sort ... only spreaded it with the tool include on the vRAM otherwise i always got a evenly distributed spread.


----------



## Athlonite (Jun 30, 2015)

GreiverBlade said:


> well i wouldn't have that problem  i don't use AS5 (or any Arctic Silver past) since years ... well since the MX-2 introduction to be precise
> 
> 
> good review on it indeed ... even from TPU.
> ...




but I bet you go through the GC-E quicker I can get 25 applications from 3.5g AS5 on AMD cpu's


----------



## FreedomEclipse (Jun 30, 2015)

Athlonite said:


> the last time I tried it it was like trying to spread cold tar seal on my cpu I even tried warming it up no change took it back and got my money back as it wasn't fit for purpose and bought some AS5 and haven't looked back since



you bought/tried only *'ONE' *and thats your overall opinion? Ever thought about it possibly coming from a bad batch or coming to the end of its shelf life when you bought it? From what ive seen, it spreads as easy as MX-4.

But alright, If you choose to tar all Gelid pastes with the same brush because you had the one bad experience despite every review site giving it almost 10/10 if not 10/10 then thank god youre not a reviewer.


----------



## GreiverBlade (Jun 30, 2015)

Athlonite said:


> but I bet you go through the GC-E quicker I can get 25 applications from 3.5g AS5 on AMD cpu's


so i get more of a GC-E 4g if you get 25 from 3.5g... i bought that tube quite a while ago and still over 2g left (roughly)


----------



## FreedomEclipse (Jun 30, 2015)

Honestly though @Athlonite - If i bought a tube of paste and it turned out lumpy or some shit like that - Something it shouldnt of been then i would have sent it back to a shop and got it replaced with another just to make sure if they were all the same before i passed judgement.

Then you can go ask for a refund or have the product switched out for another brand.


----------



## Aquinus (Jun 30, 2015)

I really don't know why people are so worked up about this. AS5 works fine for me, as has MX-4, and a bunch of others. I just happen to have AS5 right now. I really (personally,) don't care if changes temps by 2 degrees. I'm more interested in how long the paste will last. For example, the AS5 on my 3820 was applied when I first made this machine several years ago and still works fine. Considering how my cooler mounts to skt2011, I'm very thankful that I don't have to take it off often.


----------



## FreedomEclipse (Jun 30, 2015)

Aquinus said:


> I really don't know why people are so worked up about this. AS5 works fine for me, as has MX-4, and a bunch of others. I just happen to have AS5 right now. I really (personally,) don't care if changes temps by 2 degrees. I'm more interested in how long the paste will last. For example, the AS5 on my 3820 was applied when I first made this machine several years ago and still works fine. Considering how my cooler mounts to skt2011, I'm very thankful that I don't have to take it off often.



Its old, and there are pastes out there that are slightly better e.g. non conductive while performing the same if not better. Though if arent one of those people that constantly change CPUs so have to remove the heatsink then the contact/seal between the CPU and heatsink will always remain intact and the only real problem is if the paste dries out.

I used CoolerMaster Nano Fusion for a week and it came out all powdery when i removed the cooler just to see if it was still good.


Though with the whole 'non-conductive' argument, Ive been with the enthusiast community since the dawn of the skt 939 days (and a long time follower since before that but i could never afford my own hardware as i was pretty young and didnt have a job)  i have never heard of any thermal paste shorting out a CPU or GPU - It all seems a bit of a myth.


----------



## jboydgolfer (Jun 30, 2015)

^^^  I too have NEVER seen this conductivity in action in REAL life, during My fairly long time with PC's ,and PC components.

As an example, when EVER I buy a new GPU, I make a point of replacing the thermal paste put on during manufacturing, since I am certainly as capable as the person/machine who did it in the factory, except I have the luxury of taking My time, and doing it as right as it can be done, and the Most recent time I did it, was with My 7870Ghz from Diamond ,(normally I find the white type of TIM, but this time it was silver/Grey, and I would have guessed it was AS5 if I had to hazard a guess.) When I removed the shroud, the die was COMPLETELY covered with TIM.

.and the card functioned fine, there was even TIM outside of the square chip area,on the bare PCB(and even lines of it running inches across the board in hair like lines). I wouldn't say it was a myth personally, but I wouldn't lose any sleep over it either. If it was a common occurrence, I would have come across it by now. and as far as TIM brand quality, AS5 has ALWAYS treated Me VERY well, and I have had MANY more opportunities than the average enthusiast to put it to the test.My 7870 idles @ 28C with a reference blower cooler, and peaks @ around 65C(after I replaced the TIM). MY 2500k is MUCH lower, since it is on an H-70 AIO loop.mid to low 20's idle, and peaking @ around 60'ish.

like this


----------



## GreiverBlade (Jun 30, 2015)

jboydgolfer said:


> ^^^  I too have NEVER seen this conductivity in action in REAL life, during My fairly long time with PC's ,and PC components.
> 
> As an example, when EVER I buy a new GPU, I make a point of replacing the thermal paste put on during manufacturing, since I am certainly as capable as the person/machine who did it in the factory, except I have the luxury of taking My time, and doing it as right as it can be done, and the Most recent time I did it, was with My 7870Ghz from Diamond ,(normally I find the white type of TIM, but this time it was silver/Grey, and I would have guessed it was AS5 if I had to hazard a guess.) When I removed the shroud, the die was COMPLETELY covered with TIM.
> 
> ...


well then it was not AS5 because i remember a user here (i can't remember clearly the name tho .... i have to seek) who got a AS5 application who went as badly as the one you show and the GPU didn't survived


----------



## Bad Bad Bear (Jun 30, 2015)

Mussels said:


> For a desktop i've rarely cared about thermal paste other than to make sure its a decent brand that wont decay after a few months, but now i've got a fussy laptop that loves to crank the fan up and down while doing light load, and figure a regrease with something newer than 5 year old arctic silver ceramique might be in order.
> 
> 
> probably buying from PCCG - so whats your recommendations for the best thermal transfer, knowing that its gotta last a few years in a laptop environment?
> ...


I recommend using organic marmalade made in deepest darkest Peru. When your CPU heats up it smells like marmalade toast and keeps the room smelling fresh. My friend Paddington can hook you up cheap.


----------



## R-T-B (Jun 30, 2015)

GreiverBlade said:


> well then it was not AS5 because i remember a user here (i can't remember clearly the name tho .... i have to seek) who got a AS5 application who went as badly as the one you show and the GPU didn't survived




That may have been me.  It happened to one of my miner cards (a then expensive AMD 7970).

I may / may not have posted about it.  It's still dead on my shelf, completely died and became unresponsive after a pretty conservative AS5 application and showed signs of electrical damage around the main chip.

It is real.


----------



## FreedomEclipse (Jun 30, 2015)

R-T-B said:


> It is real.




pics pls


----------



## R-T-B (Jun 30, 2015)

FreedomEclipse said:


> pics pls



It looks like it got thrown away, as a quick search of my shelf in my old room did not turn it up just now.  Curse my parents throwing away my useless electronics....

Anyhow, it was real.  Now I just think it was real...  without proof.  Sorry.


----------



## Athlonite (Jun 30, 2015)

jboydgolfer said:


> ^^^  I too have NEVER seen this conductivity in action in REAL life, during My fairly long time with PC's ,and PC components.
> 
> As an example, when EVER I buy a new GPU, I make a point of replacing the thermal paste put on during manufacturing, since I am certainly as capable as the person/machine who did it in the factory, except I have the luxury of taking My time, and doing it as right as it can be done, and the Most recent time I did it, was with My 7870Ghz from Diamond ,(normally I find the white type of TIM, but this time it was silver/Grey, and I would have guessed it was AS5 if I had to hazard a guess.) When I removed the shroud, the die was COMPLETELY covered with TIM.
> 
> ...



It's probably Shin-etsu or something similar as it's non-conductive looks alot like AS5 but it's not 

And I do the same as you replace every TIM I can with AS5


----------



## Dr_b_ (Jun 30, 2015)

Which thermal paste to use looks like a religious debate, as is how to apply it correctly.  Except there is no proof to any religion, and with thermal paste we can figure out which one works best by looking at the temps.

Based on all the reviews, Gelid and the MX-2/4 are beating AS5.  Can't ignore facts, unless all the reviewers are lying in some sort of conspiracy or paid off by a thermal paste manufacturer, as well as the majority of the commenters, which could be the case but the tubes of the goop arrive in the mail soon so we will soon know for sure who is telling the truth.  

AS5 isn't broken or defective, but why keep using it when there are demonstrably better alternatives in both price and performance.


----------



## MrGenius (Jun 30, 2015)

If the TIM is conductive or capacitive and the manufacturer states such, you should take note of that. And exercise due caution when using it. To ignore such warnings is foolish.

I've had one experience after applying TIM on my GPU die, quite recently, that proved to me that I should be more careful with a certain TIM that is even claimed to be electrically non-conductive. But is also described, *in the fine print(always read it)*, as "not conductive in bulk" but potentially conductive as individual particles. Which is a logical conclusion to draw considering the fact that it contains 40-60% zinc oxide, 20-30% aluminum powder, and 2-6% silver powder according to the MSDS.

Thankfully no damage was done. And my card returned to normal operation when I thoroughly cleaned the resistors surrounding the GPU die of all trace particles of TIM. It didn't take much of it in the wrong place to cause my card to become severely unstable either. And I'm very glad I knew ahead of time to keep in mind all potentialities while using it. I didn't mess around trying to figure out what else might be causing it. I took action to resolve it immediately. Which likely saved my ass.

BTW, the color of the TIM does not necessarily indicate its electrical properties.


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## peche (Jun 30, 2015)

well, hard to say  but I have to say it, endless topic, Thermalpaste, I know that the place is full of enthusiasts that are always, reviewing, testing, taking seriously computer stuffs, but thermalpaste is a pretty complicated topic, also when we are looking for the "better" one,

I always stick on my "trusted", why? because they have never disappointed me, I also recognize a hot point in this discussion, Arctic Silver 5 and its large fame, arctic cooling MX series, for the win and also Coollaboratory liquid series that cannot be beaten…


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## R-T-B (Jun 30, 2015)

peche said:


> well, hard to say  but I have to say it, endless topic, Thermalpaste, I know that the place is full of enthusiasts that are always, reviewing, testing, taking seriously computer stuffs, but thermalpaste is a pretty complicated topic, also when we are looking for the "better" one,
> 
> I always stick on my "trusted", why? because they have never disappointed me, I also recognize a hot point in this discussion, Arctic Silver 5 and its large fame, arctic cooling MX series, for the win and also Coollaboratory liquid series that cannot be beaten…



Precisely right, and how I feel as well.  Pick one, stick with it, and quit worrying about it!


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