Best thermal pastes in 2021 ?

[8BitZ80]

Copper Anti-Seize! just ask @lexluthermiester !

Unless you ask me. I tried three variations of anti-seize and I condemned them all. I had no luck there.

The best option for a budget play by far is GD900 from Aliexpress. $6 for a 30g tube and I'd agree that it's better than MX-4. I've been using it for over a year now on everything I own (CPUs, GPUs, mobo chipsets) and I haven't seen any signs of my earliest applications getting "old". The stuff is a godsend when you're swapping out CPUs constantly while running benchmarks.

 

[ViperXTR]

There was a bad batch in the past.

There is a new version:
Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme

Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme Wärmeleitpaste

Kryonaut Extreme ist eine Hochleistungs-Wärmeleitpaste mit optimierter Tieftemperatur-Belastbarkeit für Extreme-Overclocking.

www.thermal-grizzly.com

Were these bad batches around 2019? i got my kryonaut around 4th quarter last year,i hope im safe

 

[Why_Me]

https://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-MX-4-Compound-Micro-particles-Durability/dp/B0795DP124/
MX-4 2019 Edition

 

[Zach_01]

Personally I will not use it because of the detrimental effects it has with the metals it come into contact with.
Well documented this stuff deteriorates the surfaces it comes in contact with and while it may take awhile for it to start affecting things. Once done the effects are there and non-reversible, meaning whatever coolers/blocks it's used with along with the CPU lid are permenantly affected.

Usually it takes a year or so for the effects to appear, many say the machine will last until you're ready to upgrade but that's not the point - Thing is we don't know for how long anyone is expecting their build to last or even need it to. Could be a few years, could be for longer than that based on the user's needs and budget/situation.

Really up to the OP but to know the pros and cons about Liquid Metal is the thing here.

I wasn’t suggesting, I was just telling. And I asked OP what is his/her goal (on best?) before suggesting anything.

LM
1. it does not affect at all nickel plated surface
2. it is absorbed partially into copper, and needs frequent replace the first 6 months to avoid dry out. After 6-12 months lasts long and does not affect the surface, to get it uneven or something like that, if it not dries.
3. it does destroys aluminum coolers and surfaces
4. needs carefull handling because of liquidity and conductivity

Too much drama about LM. Yes it’s expensive compared to others but best in performance. Especially with Ryzen‘s chiplet off center design. And it’s even better when using AIO/WaterLoop.

 

[lexluthermiester]

Copper Anti-Seize! just ask @lexluthermiester !

I wouldn't call it "Best" as the OP asked. It's workable and it will tide you over until you can replace it with a purpose formulated TIM. My experiment lasted nearly a year and I only swapped it out because I wanted to push my OC(which worked).

 

[bobbybluz]

https://www.amazon.com/ARCTIC-MX-4-Compound-Micro-particles-Durability/dp/B0795DP124/
MX-4 2019 Edition

There was a special on that yesterday for $6.29. My next 4 oz tube should be here Thursday morning (with Prime).

 

[freeagent]

Numbers don't matter.. everyone has their favorite. 1 brand could have much lower rating then the other brand but still say its the best because they use it

It probably doesn't really matter anyways.. Mount and case flow are probably more important. Although passively cooling would be a good test between pastes.. but who does that anyways

I still think AS5 is good.. in moderation of course

 

[Keullo-e]

My vote goes for MX-4 like always. Great shit for its price.

 

[Shou Miko]

kingpin KPx should be the best paste for now.

I heard this too that the KPx is the best you can get.
But it's expensive doe like 7,5eur for 1gram: https://kingpincoolingeuropesupplies.com/

 

[Keullo-e]

I heard this too that the KPx is the best you can get.
But it's expensive doe like 7,5eur for 1gram: https://kingpincoolingeuropesupplies.com/

And you can get a syringe of MX-4 which has 4x times the amount with the same price. That 1-2C drop on temps isnt worth it IMO.

 

[Leothelesser]

The Thermal Grizzly Carbonaut Thermal Pad
1-2 degree C difference apply it once and forget.
Gamers Nexus

 

[P4-630]

Were these bad batches around 2019? i got my kryonaut around 4th quarter last year,i hope im safe

I'm not sure.

This was August 2018:

Kryonaut abrasive??

I recently purchased an Alpenfohn Matterhorn Pure cooler along with some Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut paste (from OcUK) for a Core i7 6850k that I bought new a little while ago. I had it all installed and running in an MSI X99 board that I wasn't too happy with, so I swapped it over for an Asrock...

www.overclockers.co.uk

This was October 2020:

Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut scratching and denting.

Hello all I bought this tube of Thermal Grizzly (TG) Kryonaut in December 2019. I applied the paste to the CPU and GPU in January 2020. After about 8 months in September 2020, I dissembled the blocks for maintenance. At first, I saw some marks on the CPU block after I wiped away the old paste...

www.techpowerup.com

 

[ViperXTR]

I'm not sure.

This was August 2018:

Kryonaut abrasive??

I recently purchased an Alpenfohn Matterhorn Pure cooler along with some Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut paste (from OcUK) for a Core i7 6850k that I bought new a little while ago. I had it all installed and running in an MSI X99 board that I wasn't too happy with, so I swapped it over for an Asrock...

www.overclockers.co.uk

This was October 2020:

Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut scratching and denting.

Hello all I bought this tube of Thermal Grizzly (TG) Kryonaut in December 2019. I applied the paste to the CPU and GPU in January 2020. After about 8 months in September 2020, I dissembled the blocks for maintenance. At first, I saw some marks on the CPU block after I wiped away the old paste...

www.techpowerup.com

Aw, so far my 3300X Oct to end of January (sold it) I didn't see any visible scratches, and I'm still using the paste on my current 5800X, I wonder if it will only appear after a few months or mine is a good batch

 

[Kaliphtan]

Best in what?

1. Best performance no matter the cost?
2. Best "cheap"?
3. Best performance/$$$?

I cant answer all the questions but 1st one... and thats still Liquid Metal.

I would say best for performance/$$$ but i'm interested in what you think the best perf not matter the cost is, as you can see, we see names coming back, names used once like the kingpin one for example, we have a good portfolio here.

 

[PaulieG]

NT-H1 is a very good thermal paste. Even if you use thermal grizzly the difference would likely be minimal during gaming.

This. I've used about everything over the last 15 years, and I keep going back to NT-H1. Consistently good temps and spreads easily, but not too runny. Oh, and I hate liquid metals. Nothing but bad experiences and I don't believe an extra degree or 2 lower is worth the added risk and work.

 

[micropage7]

And you can get a syringe of MX-4 which has 4x times the amount with the same price. That 1-2C drop on temps isnt worth it IMO.

agree, in this field many complaint about the difference of 1 or 2 celsius like it will kill their expensive hardware
just buy what reasonable for you and you can find, some says MX-4 or NT-H1 or liquid metal or something is good but many back to something that they feel suitable for them

 

[Keullo-e]

Damn, i'll create an universal thead about thermal pastes.

 

[freeagent]

Its worth it if you have the money and you chase C's..

If you don't have the money and you don't give a flying F then no not worth it..

 

[ThrashZone]

Damn, i'll create an universal thead about thermal pastes.

Hi,
Surprised there isn't already one.

 

[Keullo-e]

Hi,
Surprised there isn't already one.

I made one just now.

 

[dgianstefani]

This. I've used about everything over the last 15 years, and I keep going back to NT-H1. Consistently good temps and spreads easily, but not too runny. Oh, and I hate liquid metals. Nothing but bad experiences and I don't believe an extra degree or 2 lower is worth the added risk and work.

Lmao. Spoken like someone who doesn't use LM. Moving from Kryonaut extreme to Conductonaut on my 5950x at static voltage led to 11c drop with no other changes.

 

[PaulieG]

Lmao. Spoken like someone who doesn't use LM. Moving from Kryonaut extreme to Conductonaut on my 5950x at static voltage led to 11c drop with no other changes.

Admittedly, I've not used any of the newer products, only the early iterations of liquid metals and crap with diamond dust etc. I was on a 5 year hiatus from the hobby until recently. The early products were just a hot mess with less than impressive results. I still don't know that it would be worth it for anyone who has reasonable temps. For instance, my 3600x is running 4.34ghz on 1.26v. Idle temps are in the low 30c's and load temps with OCCT/Realbench/Cinebench never go over 71c in a mATX case, so what would this expensive, possibly risky product do for me or anyone else getting safe temps? I most certainly wouldn't see anything close to an 11c drop. So, ok for a small market segment I could see the risk/reward being worth it.

 

[dgianstefani]

Admittedly, I've not used any of the newer products, only the early iterations of liquid metals and crap with diamond dust etc. I was on a 5 year hiatus from the hobby until recently. The early products were just a hot mess with less than impressive results. I still don't know that it would be worth it for anyone who has reasonable temps. For instance, my 3600x is running 4.34ghz on 1.26v. Idle temps are in the low 30c's and load temps with OCCT/Realbench/Cinebench never go over 71c in a mATX case, so what would this expensive, possibly risky product do for me or anyone else getting safe temps? I most certainly wouldn't see anything close to an 11c drop. So, ok for a small market segment I could see the risk/reward being worth it.

oh really, your 65w low end CPU doesn't get thermally limited? Gosh.

 

[ViperXTR]

oh really, your 65w low end CPU doesn't get thermally limited? Gosh.

3600X is a 95W TDP though, but i get your point :V

 

[PaulieG]

oh really, your 65w low end CPU doesn't get thermally limited? Gosh.

Ugh. Are you always so friendly?

The 3600x is 95w. Anyways, those 65w CPU's are a majority of even the enthusiast market. Honestly, I've never really had a cpu that was "thermally limited". Not even any of the dozen or so Core i7's I've owned. A good cooler and proper airflow usually is plenty unless you are running ridiculous vcore.