Should I use CPU thermal paste on my Video card?

[tkpenalty]

I realise that the bubble gum thermal gum that is provided with my 9550 really sucks, so would using thermal paste improve cooling at all? If so will thermal paste conduct at all? I am planning to cover the whole core with it.

 

[DaMulta]

Just a DOT!

 

[tkpenalty]

Just a DOT!

Eh? Like a tiny bit of it? Cant I cover the stuff around the die?

 

[Azn Tr14dZ]

Just a DOT!

NOT A DOT!

Well, yeah put a dot, but spread it out. If you're applying thermal paste to a CPU w/ an IHS, like current Intel or AMD CPU's, place a dot, but on a bare die like a GPU, spread it out evenly, because if you don't, that dot can squeeze out.

It even shows you on Arctic Silver's website.

 

[Zubasa]

Eh? Like a tiny bit of it? Cant I cover the stuff around the die?

Not the stuff around the die.
And if you use a metallic thermal paste, CERTAINLY NO!!!!

 

[zekrahminator]

Let's put it this way- Thermal paste is thermal paste. The only difference is between the application processes. On a CPU, a tiny dot in the middle will do fine. On a GPU, spread it evenly on top of the core (but do NOT get any around it, and DEFINITELY DO NOT use metallic paste if you're not sure what you're doing).

 

[Azn Tr14dZ]

lol, I put a tiny half-pea sized drop onto my r430 core and applied it to the heatsink. Took the heatsink off and carefully cleaned up the excess paste. Reapplied. Has been working great for a year and a half with temps under max load at 48c.

That's the same thing as spreading it, since when you put the heatsink on, it spreads it, then your removed excess paste...same thing, but easier if you just spread it with a credit card or calling card or something.

 

[tkpenalty]

I tinted the cooler then I applied a pea sized amount, its working great as far as I can tell, the heatsink is hotter by a bit (meaning more heat is being transfered).

YES!!! MORE STABILITY (Im getting way more FPS when at high clocks than usual, they began to drop recently, now its cooler than ever )

 

[tkpenalty]

I followed the steps that arctic cooling told me to do and I did the same with the CPU, i cleaned every last bit of thermal paste off (eww it had some dust in it) then I tinted the copper base of my cooler... improvement of 3 degrees celcius in cooling. Time to burn in

 

[Random Murderer]

I followed the steps that arctic cooling told me to do and I did the same with the CPU, i cleaned every last bit of thermal paste off (eww it had some dust in it) then I tinted the copper base of my cooler... improvement of 3 degrees celcius in cooling. Time to burn in

nice work!
arctic silver's website says to let it burn in for 200 hours and several thermal cycles before you should see the real performance...

 

[tkpenalty]

nice work!
arctic silver's website says to let it burn in for 200 hours and several thermal cycles before you should see the real performance...

By the way, im using some generic $3 tube so don't expect much. The stuff I used before costed me $10... geez thermal pastes are really variable. Im happy because my GPU core is more stable than ever. (the Heatsink burns my hand when I take off the 4 Screw mounted 80mm fan)

 

[OOTay]

I always find that if i take about the size of a grain of rice of thermal paste and stick that on the gpu, then place the heatsink on it always has better temperature performance and contact area compared to spreading it out evenly on the gpu. Plus you have less of a risk of having air pockets.

 

[tkpenalty]

TO MODS: Please move this thread to project logs and change the title to Thermal paste application endeavour.

 

[W1zzard]

when using thermal paste on a silicon die you spread it to evenly cover the whole die area.

when using thermal paste on a heatspreader you put a dot in the middle and let the heatsink pressure spread it

See:
http://reference.techpowerup.com/Thermal_Paste
http://reference.techpowerup.com/Thermal_Paste_and_How_to_use_it

 

[tkpenalty]

This is freaky, after installing the thermal paste I tried to OC WITHOUT the 80mm fan installed. Stock passive heatsink. Guess what? The heatsinks is freaking burning hot (a good thing) I am getting nearly the same clock; its only off by around 35mhz... (Im talking about the core speed; crappy 4.0 ns memory!!!).

Considering that most of the heat generated is removed by the fan (usually), do you guys think its time for me to voltmod?

EDIT: By the way, this was also to burn in the thermal paste, what results would I get with high grade thermal paste from arctic silver?

TO EVERYONE WHO OWNS A 9550 FROM SAPPHIRE: Change the thermal paste, the stock bubble gum paste is hindering your card from overclocking another 30%.

 

[OOTay]

when using thermal paste on a silicon die you spread it to evenly cover the whole die area.

when using thermal paste on a heatspreader you put a dot in the middle and let the heatsink pressure spread it

See:
http://reference.techpowerup.com/Thermal_Paste
http://reference.techpowerup.com/Thermal_Paste_and_How_to_use_it

thanks w1zz for clearin it up, ill try it that way next time.

 

[tkpenalty]

Is the Die even made of silicon? It seems far too "shiny" to be. (I had to rub off the bubblegumm crap). Why do GPU manufacturers use the shittest (and the easiest to apply) type of thermal paste? Its got so much thermal resistance that it isnt funny. Some info on the thermal paste:

Balance Stars Thermal Paste: Stars-200

Thermal conductivity: >0.95W/m-k (kelvin)
Thermal Resistance <0.229*C-inch squared/W
Its a ceramic medium apparently, I was surprised it came in a syringe tube.

EDIT: http://www.made-in-china.com/import-export/KEQJazRoInMFprofile1/Balance-Stars-Co-Ltd.html
hmm... whats your say? Im going to buy another 4 tubes!!! Its so cheap

 

[OOTay]

Is the Die even made of silicon? It seems far too "shiny" to be. (I had to rub off the bubblegumm crap). Why do GPU manufacturers use the shittest (and the easiest to apply) type of thermal paste? Its got so much thermal resistance that it isnt funny. Some info on the thermal paste:

Balance Stars Thermal Paste: Stars-200

Thermal conductivity: >0.95W/m-k (kelvin)
Thermal Resistance <0.229*C-inch squared/W
Its a ceramic medium apparently, I was surprised it came in a syringe tube.

EDIT: http://www.made-in-china.com/import-export/KEQJazRoInMFprofile1/Balance-Stars-Co-Ltd.html
hmm... whats your say? Im going to buy another 4 tubes!!! Its so cheap

Because its too expensive to put higher quality paste on.

 

[Taz100420]

TO EVERYONE WHO OWNS A 9550 FROM SAPPHIRE: Change the thermal paste, the stock bubble gum paste is hindering your card from overclocking another 30%.

yes he is right 100% when i changed the thermal grease, it OC'ed much better and got more frames in almost all my games

 

[DOM]

so can i use Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound on my X800XL well it make my temps alot lower or just a tad lower?

 

[OOTay]

so can i use Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound on my X800XL well it make my temps alot lower or just a tad lower?

around 5C or 10C lower

 

[DOM]

but i need to make sure to only get it on the core right? then i would get a better OC cuz the highest i got it was 475 i think but it was very cold when i did it but its been benched at 465/570

 

[Taz100420]

I couldnt get mine past 445 before my PSU blew and it was up to 125F! I think the guy I bought it off of used the grease from the AC5 package

 

[DOM]

the AC5 comes with it on it all ready, so whats 125F in C cuz mine gets no higher then >48

 

[tkpenalty]

Weird... who has ever clocked their 9550 up to 510 mhz using the stock cooler???