GELID Solutions GC-Extreme Thermal Compound

[Pinchy]

The new GC-Extreme thermal compound by GELID Solutions is definitely one to consider when you are in the market for some thermal grease. It has amazing thermal conductivity and does better than the competition.

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[mlee49]

Very nice review. I would have liked to see more comparative numbers on a hotter chip. Wanna send it my way and I'll give it a run on my i7?

Great to see new types of reviews on TPU!!!!

 

[newtekie1]

Forgive me for asking, but how does the review sample already have the TPU Recommended logo on the package? Wouldn't that be something that would need to be put on after an actual review was done?

 

[Sasqui]

Forgive me for asking, but how does the review sample already have the TPU Recommended logo on the package? Wouldn't that be something that would need to be put on after an actual review was done?

Can only assume the review was done, but not posted.

I'm surprised it only got 8.6 given the performance. I do like the methodology of doing 5 trials and taking the average... would like to see the numbers though and standard deviation.

 

[Kitkat]

hahaha good point tho but yeah i think it was b4

 

[Pinchy]

Forgive me for asking, but how does the review sample already have the TPU Recommended logo on the package? Wouldn't that be something that would need to be put on after an actual review was done?

Yeah I got an engineering sample a while back, before the packaging was developed. I then got the complete package once it was mass produced .

I did however re-test the new sample I got, just for consistancy.

Can only assume the review was done, but not posted.

I'm surprised it only got 8.6 given the performance. I do like the methodology of doing 5 trials and taking the average... would like to see the numbers though and standard deviation.

In most cases the results were ~1 degree out. I did get a few outliers (3+ degrees out). When that occured, I simply tested an additional time to determine whether it was just bad application or inconsistancy. I'm assuming for the most part it was bad application (It only occured like twice).


Also had two stock coolers (obviously identical), both brand new with untouched grease. Only tested once per compound on the second, though.

The score was debated. I guess the only real downfall to the grease is the price...the competition is only $6.99 and in a "real world" example, for an enthusiast who will buy this stuff, there wouldn't be a three degree difference, it would be much less, esp on something like an HDT cooler. At the end of the day this stuff is for people who want extreme performance and are willing to pay for it.

 

[Mussels]

so, did they do the usual reviewer thing and make you return the paste after the review?

 

[OnBoard]

I think the TPU thumps up logo in the package is cooler than the product it self

I'm really liking all this Thermal paste boom. Great competition and lots of products performing well, means that you'll find at least some of the top performing paste near you.

 

[MRCL]

Holy crap so much better than the Zalman paste. I should try this out.

 

[Easo]

Holy crap so much better than the Zalman paste. I should try this out.

Yeah, i have that STG-1, this outperforms it by huge ammount. Of course, STG-1 is quite old and Zalman has newer ones.

 

[TheLostSwede]

An ambient temperature of 26 degrees C is hardly extreme, where I live it can get well above 30 degrees indoors.
It all depends on where you live and many people will find that they need better thermal paste just because they live in a hotter climate.

 

[SonDa5]

I'm impressed with the results and the TPU endorsement.


Where can I buy this at?

I want to try some on my Q9550 and my GPUs as well.

 

[WarEagleAU]

Very impressive. Wish you had some Diamond to compare it to though. Can't believe my MX-2 was dethroned.

 

[Sasqui]

In most cases the results were ~1 degree out. I did get a few outliers (3+ degrees out). When that occured, I simply tested an additional time to determine whether it was just bad application or inconsistancy. I'm assuming for the most part it was bad application (It only occured like twice).

"In probability theory and statistics, standard deviation is a measure of the variability or dispersion of a population, a data set, or a probability distribution. A low standard deviation indicates that the data points tend to be very close to the same value (the mean), while high standard deviation indicates that the data are spread out over a large range of values."

Sooo... Standard deviation is a measures in differences of data. Like playing darts. You hit the bullseye every time, the deviation is near 1. You hit the second ring, 2 of 5 times, it's higher.

The math is ugly, but relatively simple http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_deviation

 

[denice25]

thanks for the link.. very nice review...

 

[Pinchy]

"In probability theory and statistics, standard deviation is a measure of the variability or dispersion of a population, a data set, or a probability distribution. A low standard deviation indicates that the data points tend to be very close to the same value (the mean), while high standard deviation indicates that the data are spread out over a large range of values."

Sooo... Standard deviation is a measures in differences of data. Like playing darts. You hit the bullseye every time, the deviation is near 1. You hit the second ring, 2 of 5 times, it's higher.

The math is ugly, but relatively simple http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_deviation

Yeah I done all that a looooooooooooong time ago . It's relatively simple if you have a calculator on hand*

An ambient temperature of 26 degrees C is hardly extreme, where I live it can get well above 30 degrees indoors.
It all depends on where you live and many people will find that they need better thermal paste just because they live in a hotter climate.

Yeah it can get well above that here too. We've had 47 degree days in our summer.

I classified it as extreme because:

1. While 26 degrees isnt THAT hot, it is hot for anyone with an air conditioner
2. I don't think many people who overclock and leave their computer in a constant load environment would leave the stock cooler on, especially when it's the small, aluminum, low profile stock cooler. It definately will happen, but there aren't that many people game enough to leave their chip running at a constant 90 degrees Celcius lol.

Where can I buy this at?

Newegg *did* stock the GC-1 thermal compound, so I can only assume it will stock this.

 

[mudkip]

Sorry but it performs better than MX-2?

That's just bullshit imo

 

[Mussels]

Sorry but it performs better than MX-2?

That's just bullshit imo

why? how?

dear god, your favourite paste got beaten so it has to be fake?

 

[PaulieG]

Sorry but it performs better than MX-2?

That's just bullshit imo

I currently own 7 of the best TIM's out. MX-2 is very good, and easy to work with, but it's 1-2c behind a couple others. Honestly, all of the better TIM's are w/in a degree or two of each other.

 

[t77snapshot]

I currently own 7 of the best TIM's out. MX-2 is very good, and easy to work with, but it's 1-2c behind a couple others. Honestly, all of the better TIM's are w/in a degree or two of each other.

What "others" are you talking about? is the Gelid extreme one of them I always hear MX-2 is the best, but I'm curious to know what is 1-2 degrees better?

 

[Pinchy]

Sorry but it performs better than MX-2?

That's just bullshit imo

Why ?

so, did they do the usual reviewer thing and make you return the paste after the review?

I think shipping would cost more than a tube of thermal paste with 1/2 left in it

Holy crap so much better than the Zalman paste. I should try this out.

Yah as mentioned, it is older Zalman paste. Only thing I could get my hands on though

 

[jagd]

I dont know which ones Paulieg has but i remember some tests shin-etsu performed better than mx-2 under load

What "others" are you talking about? is the Gelid extreme one of them I always hear MX-2 is the best, but I'm curious to know what is 1-2 degrees better?

 

[ArkanHell]

Anyways, perfect performance, clear staytment "you should not have to look any further than GELID Solutions GC-Extreme when shopping for some new thermal compound"... but way 8.6?! Id seen that score only in some terrible reviews, where evrything is "but..."

 

[EnglishLion]

Good review, it would have been nice to have had more detail in the first part of the installation section, i.e. how do I go about actually getting that small soft cap off the tube and what pressure should be applied to the plunger to expel the TIM in a controlled manner etc.

But seriously, good review and nice to have a comparison. Just a pity that the one I use isn't included - Akasa AK450. Also I just bought (yesterday) some Thermalright Chill Factor 2, how does it compare?

 

[Pinchy]

Anyways, perfect performance, clear staytment "you should not have to look any further than GELID Solutions GC-Extreme when shopping for some new thermal compound"... but way 8.6?! Id seen that score only in some terrible reviews, where evrything is "but..."

Yeah as I said, it came down to the pricing. I mean realistically, its like 40% more than a thermal compound that does a few degrees worse.

Good review, it would have been nice to have had more detail in the first part of the installation section, i.e. how do I go about actually getting that small soft cap off the tube and what pressure should be applied to the plunger to expel the TIM in a controlled manner etc.

Yeah I wanted to beef the review up a bit. I do however feel some things would have kinda been overboard. Not saying its a bad idea or anything, infact I didn't even think of it lol, but for example, pulling a little bit of plastic off the top of the tube is kinda obvious for most. It's like unscrewing a bottle cap.

But I definately get where you are coming from .

But seriously, good review and nice to have a comparison. Just a pity that the one I use isn't included - Akasa AK450. Also I just bought (yesterday) some Thermalright Chill Factor 2, how does it compare?

Yeah I wish I could actually have gotten these kinds of thermal paste. They just aren't avaliable around here.

Just an FYI - it took me two weeks and a special order to get my hands on the MX-2 you're seeing in the review