I should apply thermal paste here?

[valen99]

Helo guys, i was going to change the thermal paste of my GPU (Zotac GTX 970), but i noticed that the red part on the GPU Chip makes contact with the cooler of the GPU. So my question is simple, i should apply thermal paste there? Also im going to change the thermal pad with a Fujipoly 13w/mK high performance because the ones of the GPU are in pretty bad condition.

 

[INSTG8R]

Just the blue part

 

[R-T-B]

Yep, no paste on the rim. Don't overthink it.

 

[biffzinker]

Don't forget to clean the old paste off with 90% rubbing alcohol and coffee filters.

 

[Bones]

That rim is simply to ensure the cooler's surface once mounted sits flat onto the chip's core, that's why it makes contact as it does.

 

[valen99]

Just the blue part

Yep, no paste on the rim. Don't overthink it.

Thankyou guys!

Don't forget to clean the old paste off with 90% rubbing alcohol and coffee filters.

Im using isopropyl alcohol 99% and cotton.

 

[biffzinker]

Im using isopropyl alcohol 99% and cotton

Just make sure there's no cotton fibers on either surface before applying TIM.

 

[27MaD]

Just put a medium dot on the middle of the die and put the heatink and forget it.

 

[Jetster]

Just put a medium dot on the middle of the die and put the heatink and forget it.

With an exposed die you want to spread it, making sure to cover the blue part completely. The single dot method is for IHS

 

[xtreemchaos]

and have a great christmas all.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

What thermal paste you going to be using? MX-4?

 

[micropage7]

Also im going to change the thermal pad with a Fujipoly 13w/mK high performance because the ones of the GPU are in pretty bad condition

wait, on die (GPU or processor) use thermal paste but vrm, memory mostly use thermalpad

 

[valen99]

What thermal paste you going to be using? MX-4?

Yes, im going to use a MX4 that i bought 5 months ago for my CPU.

wait, on die (GPU or processor) use thermal paste but vrm, memory mostly use thermalpad

Yeah, im going to use the thermal pads on the vram chip. I will not change the vrm thermal pad because those are 1.5mm and i only bought 1mm

and have a great christmas all.

Thank you!!
I wish you a merry christmass from Argentina!

 

[eidairaman1]

Just make sure there's no cotton fibers on either surface before applying TIM.

Contact cleaner or co2 duster

 

[newtekie1]

With an exposed die you want to spread it, making sure to cover the blue part completely. The single dot method is for IHS

Never spread thermal past, not on an IHS, not on an exposed die. Spreading introduces air bubbles. The weight of the cooler will spread the paste for you.

 

[Athlonite]

Never spread thermal past, not on an IHS, not on an exposed die. Spreading introduces air bubbles. The weight of the cooler will spread the paste for you.

yeah bollocks I've tried both ways and got the same result on my CPU's IHS haven't needed to do the GPU yet but will try both just to see

 

[Jetster]

Never spread thermal past, not on an IHS, not on an exposed die. Spreading introduces air bubbles. The weight of the cooler will spread the paste for you.

Paste has instructions. But simply put to insure coverage on the corners of a die with without getting paste on the substrate you need to spread it. With a IHS sure I agree, I never spread that

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

 

[newtekie1]

Let just say we disagree. Paste has instructions. But simply put to insure coverage on the corners of a die with without getting paste on the substrate you need to spread it. With a IHS sure I agree

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

1. Spreading doesn't prevent the paste from getting on the substrate. The paste will still spread out onto the substrate with the pressure of the cooler.
2. Paste on the substrate doesn't hurt anything. Every GPU I've ever re-pasted comes from the factory with paste all over the substrate.

AS is an exception because their paste can cause damage if it touches parts on the substrate, and because the crap is so thick it really doesn't spread right under the weight of the cooler. But no one should be using that garbage anymore anyway...

And the instructions from Arctic for the MX4 the OP has says to use the dot method no matter what.

 

[Athlonite]

AS is an exception because their paste can cause damage if it touches parts on the substrate

spreading FUD much... AS is non conductive and only ever so slightly capacitative and still does a fine job even for not top of the heap anymore

The paste will still spread out onto the substrate with the pressure of the cooler.

also NO well maybe if you use way to much then it will but I've never had it do that ever and I use the spread method on my CPU's IHS

 

[newtekie1]

spreading FUD much... AS is non conductive and only ever so slightly capacitative and still does a fine job even for not top of the heap anymore

It isn't FUD, it is the truth. Do you know what capacities means? It can cause damage to electronic components if it contacts them. It does not have to be electrically conductive to do that. Look up what capacitive means. Have you ever heard how static shock can kill computer components? Guess what causes static shock. Capacitance.

And I never said it didn't do a good job cooling, it still does. It's garbage for other reasons. There are waaaay better pastes out there. Pastes that aren't thick as a turd, pastes that aren't capacitive, pastes that perform better, pastes that don't have a 200 hour break in period. etc.

AS5 is an 80 year old man that thinks he can still play professional hockey just because he can still ice skate, and for some reason he has fans that think so too...

also NO well maybe if you use way to much then it will but I've never had it do that ever and I use the spread method on my CPU's IHS

I guarantee you, that if you have every used the spread method properly, paste has seeped out from between the die and cooler. It might have stuck to the cooler instead of the substrate, but it seeped out. It is never really enough to come close to any of the components on the substrate, but it happens. But, again, it doesn't really matter, because paste on the substrate is not a problem.

But I'm not turning this into a discussion on AS5, because the OP is using MX4. So follow the directions from Arctic, and all will be good.

 

[eidairaman1]

I think the only wrong method is putting way too much on.

If anything I used the spread method for both AS5 and MX4 on raw die and ihs parts, no problems. I think the reason they say do the method different is so not too much compound is used or some users can't spread correctly so it is easier to do it the other way.

 

[Jetster]

And the instructions from Arctic for the MX4 the OP has says to use the dot method no matter what.

No it does'nt , It says both methods are fine
https://www.arctic.ac/us_en/mx-4.html

 

[eidairaman1]

No it does'nt , It says both methods are fine
https://www.arctic.ac/us_en/mx-4.html

To me It makes me want to give the hsf 1 twist right and left for the 5 dot and x then clamp it.

 

[Jetster]

I realize there is more than one right way. I like the cross my self

 

[eidairaman1]

I realize there is more than one right way. I like the cross my self

The video proved it. I tried the dot and went right back to spread.