Artic Silver, or something else....??

[Rickkins]

Ok, maybe a silly question, but for years I've always used AS for my thermal paste.

I seem to be out, so I simply used what came on my heatsink with my 7-2700.

The results are higher than I might have anticipated. So,n I wondering what is the current "best", so to speak.

 

[AsRock]

I come to trust MX-4 personally, the difference is small i do believe just that i have used to for so many years it's never let me down.

 

[Rickkins]

I seem to be ranging from 34°C to 54°C

I suppose I figure the idle should definitely be lower....

 

[newtekie1]

It is hard to outright pick a "best".

If temps are all you are concerned about, then Liquid Metal is your choice. However, Liquid Metal has a lot of draw backs, it is hard to apply, it is conductive, and it eats aluminium.

After that, most of the "well known" pastes perform pretty close to eachother, with the temperature difference only being 2-3°C. So it is largely going to come down to personal preference. A lot of people still swear by AS5, and while it still performs well, it too has some issue that other pastes don't. Noctua NT-H1 and Arctic MX-4 are probably two of the most popular ones, because they both perform very well, are easy to apply, and are relatively inexpensive. Thermal Grizzle Kryonaut is probably the pest performer right now(outside of liquid metal), but it is stupid expensive, IMO, and not worth it. The IC Diamond pastes perform very well too, but again are a little expensive, and given the issues that we've seen on these forums, as well as the customer service response to those issue, I really recommend people avoid their products.

Me personally, I use MX-4 because I bought a huge tube of it and it will probably last me a life time.

I seem to be ranging from 34°C to 54°C

I suppose I figure the idle should definitely be lower....

If you are talking about the Wraith Spire, then the problem isn't the thermal paste, it's the heatsink. It's shit.

 

[Rickkins]

Yea, it is the Wraith spire.

Guess maybe I'll look at a different cooler , down the road...

Thanks guys...

 

[RejZoR]

Thermal Grizzly solutions are highly praised lately. I still have some MX-4 in my drawer. Have re-applied it on many components and devices and it was always better than factory stuff. Makes you wonder what a difference Grizzly stuff would make...

 

[Jetster]

Between all the major players there is very little difference. If you are not skilled in placement of paste may I suggest a non electrically conductive one

 

[newtekie1]

Thermal Grizzly solutions are highly praised lately. I still have some MX-4 in my drawer. Have re-applied it on many components and devices and it was always better than factory stuff. Makes you wonder what a difference Grizzly stuff would make...

Not a whole lot, Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut is only about 1.5°C better than MX-4.

 

[RejZoR]

It has a red calipers effect. You may think it's only 1.5°C, but it's actually 15°C.

 

[cucker tarlson]

You mean 34 idle and 54 full load ? That's a good range. I suspect your idle is higher either cause of ambient temps,the cpu not being completely idle or voltages in idle higher than recommended.
If your cpu is only 54 degrees in full load then you don't have any problem with the cooler or paste.

 

[Bill_Bright]

The two most important points are (1) use TIM (thermal interface material) and (2) apply it properly. And note proper application includes thoroughly cleaning the mating surfaces before applying a fresh, new, super thin but thorough layer of TIM.

I agree with Jetster. Between the major makers, there is little difference. And if you "need" the few degrees going with the best may provide to keep your system stable and away from the thresholds where thermal protection features [hopefully] kick in, then you have bigger problems than your choice of TIM. You need to be looking at case cooling or ensure your CPU cooler's fan spins properly.

A couple other points. Some TIMs take some time to thoroughly "cure" and reach peak efficiency. This time depends on time itself, and the number of power (heat up and cool down) cycles and may result in a few degrees improvement.

Keeping our processors properly cooled is critically essential but cooler does not necessarily mean better. That is, as long as you keep the temps comfortably within the processor's normal operating range, that's fine. For example, running a CPU at 30°C does NOT improve performance, stability, or longevity over running the CPU at 50°C.

 

[Bones]

I've been running AS5 Ceramique for years now in both everyday and benching setups and it's worked fine. Also use it because I'm always reTIM'ing stuff and it's cheap, that works out for me.
TX4 is good stuff and even TX2 is good, currently have TX2 in my current setup for daily use now and it's doing just fine.

I can't add much to what's been said about other things except I won't use anything with diamond dust in it, while it does work it WILL scratch up a cooler's mounting surface with impunity. Noctua NT-H1 is really good stuff too but again there really isn't alot of difference between them all for real world use.

It's when you're going for world records (Like I do at times) you'd notice a difference between them and most of use here just aren't doing that.

I'd suggest what many have said to use, namely TX4 and be done with it.

 

[INSTG8R]

Was an AS5 and Ceramique user for years but now it’s MX-4. Like Newtekie I have a big tube so I’m set “for life” it’s great paste and much easier to work compared to those others.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

If you really need to spend cash Prolimatech PK-3 is better than mx-4 and it doesn't cost over the top either

 

[LightningJR]

Yep, I would say go for whatever you can find on sale as long as it's a well known brand. I would say Noctua's paste is great top tier performer and top tier price same goes with Prolimatech's stuff. MX-4 is a great paste for a middle of the ground price and AC Ceramique as the bulk order I have myself a large syringe of the stuff I use on random things. I use the tiny Noctua paste that came with my NH-D15 on things I want the absolute lowest temp I can get. But there's probably only 5C between them all.

The best of the best is obviously LM.

 

[eidairaman1]

Ive had good luck with AS5 and MX4, so either will do fine.

 

[Tomgang]

Used Artic Silver 5 before, but my new favorite is thermal grizzly kryonaut. That is one of the apselute top class pate out there, but price are also there after.

 

[jboydgolfer]

Arctic Silver
Noctua NT-H1
Phobyia HE Grease
Gelid GC extreme

Or any of the others you might find when googling top TIM. I personally like the ones above, but just about anything will work, even OEM prepacked syringe's ,like you get fron dell, HP, etc. just don't use liquid metals, its senseless to take a risk with TIM travel ,for less than 3°C possible improvement over traditional pastes.

 

[Athlonite]

I've also been an AS5 user for years if you're comfortable using it then just get more you know how it goes on and how it cures and how it performs why change just for the sake of change sometimes the known quantity is the best

 

[Rickkins]

Dont be stupid with Bios flashing your video cards

Yanno, I never even knew that one could flash their video card bios....

 

[jboydgolfer]

Yanno, I never even knew that one could flash their video card bios....

oddly enough, thats often the same truth of people who flash theyre VGA bios', often the same day they discover it too.

 

[hat]

MX-4 is my choice. It's easy to apply, clean up, performs well and isn't electrically conducive.

Supposedly kryonaut performs better, but I'm not sure if it's electrically conducive or not.

 

[xkm1948]

MX-4 was OK.

I used Noctua NT-H1 and it has been pretty good. For my most recent assembly I switched to Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut. Knocked down temp even more compared to NT-H1.

Personally I recommend either NT-H1 or Kyronaut

https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/thermal-paste-comparison,5108-9.html

 

[Bill_Bright]

That's 3° difference from worst to best. As noted above, if you "need" those 3° to prevent thermal stability issues, you have other problems besides your choice of TIM you need to deal with first.

The only real reason those 3° sould matter is for bragging rights only.

 

[newtekie1]

That's 3° difference from worst to best. As noted above, if you "need" those 3° to prevent thermal stability issues, you have other problems besides your choice of TIM you need to deal with first.

The only real reason those 3° sould matter is for bragging rights only.

Yep, and only 2° between Kryonaut and MX4. And for the cost of a tiny tube of Kryonaut, you can get a literal lifetime supply of MX4.