General Thermal Paste questions!

[AntDeek]

So, I just got some shiny new Thermaltake TG-7 and applied it using the line method. Is there a wait period to let this stuff dry? I literally slapped the HSF on and started up Prime95. I have a core i5 3470 that maxes out at around 80C is that normal?

Should I stick with this paste or go for something like arctic silver?

 

[Frick]

It's not supposed to be dry.

What cooler do you use? What temps did you get before? What do you do to max it out?

 

[SimpleTECH]

If you're using the stock HSF then those temps are normal under Prime95. Even custom water cooling is going to reach 60ºC+ with Prime95 due to AVX2.

 

[revin]

Thermaltake TG-7

Had to grab some of that from BB couple months ago, ran outta silver. Works really well, but I covered the entire chip.
Keeping this old chip pretty cool about 65-68 .
Was a nice surprise on just how good it works so it should be quite well with you.
Can always pop the sink off and check that it covered as well as you liked it to

 

[GreiverBlade]

Should I stick with this paste

you can, it's a pretty decent one (about middle of a chart just like the AS5 )

or go for something like arctic silver?

surely not ... more like, Arctic MX-4 (not Arctic Silver but Arctic Cooling which beat the AS5 since the MX-2 and is most of the time cheaper) or Thermal Grizzly Aeronaut if available, in the "high perf" type : Gelid GC-Extreme or Thermal Grizzly Hydronaut/Kryonaut if available where you are (these 3 are top charts, ok it's only -1 to -4° but still ) the MX-2 MX-4 are decent budget TIM a little better than AS5 but cheaper or in bigger tube for a similar price, GC-extreme and TG Hydronaut/Kryonaut are the new "top dog" only beaten by liquid metal TIM (but those are very specifics TIM ... i have the Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut in that category )

i have all those TIM (including the lesser Thermal Grizzly Aeronaut which is around MX-4 performance or a little higher and AS5 which i don't even use anymore) tested all of them (not in a review fashion but more in a "real life use scenario") atm i use the Kryonaut (previously Hydronaut and GC-Extreme )

 

[Mussels]

So, I just got some shiny new Thermaltake TG-7 and applied it using the line method. Is there a wait period to let this stuff dry? I literally slapped the HSF on and started up Prime95. I have a core i5 3470 that maxes out at around 80C is that normal?

Should I stick with this paste or go for something like arctic silver?

Temps can improve a little over time, called burn-in. Safe to use immediately.
Too much or too little can make temps worse - so never be afraid to try again and re-test temps.

3470 should be similar enough to my 3770k at stock for a temp comparison, but yeah - they run hot at stock cooling. Totally safe mind you, but feel free to undervolt to get the temps down without needing better cooling.

 

[RejZoR]

There is no such thing as too much. If cooler has enough pressure, it doesn't matter. You'll just make surrounding of CPU a bit dirty, because the excess will be pushed out. And that's it. If you add too little, there simply won't be good contact.

 

[EarthDog]

There is literally 2C difference between non metal pastes from top to bottom of 'popular' pastes. Focus on you mount, not the paste as your paste is fine.

You simply Google 'thermal paste roundup' and see what we mean... Google is AMAZING.

 

[RejZoR]

There is no such thing as too much. If cooler has enough pressure, it doesn't matter. You'll just make surrounding of CPU a bit dirty, because the excess will be pushed out. And that's it. If you add too little, there simply won't be good contact.

Can't edit so I'll quote myself. Only exception are metallic, electrically conductive thermal compounds like Liquid Pro or Arctic Silver. Those if too much used can short capacitors or other electrical components, there you have to be careful to use a proper amount. For silicone based compounds which are non conductive, it doesn't matter at all.

 

[peche]

So, I just got some shiny new Thermaltake TG-7 and applied it using the line method. Is there a wait period to let this stuff dry? I literally slapped the HSF on and started up Prime95. I have a core i5 3470 that maxes out at around 80C is that normal?

Should I stick with this paste or go for something like arctic silver?

i dont get what you have done there... but the normal process is:
Clean proceessor and cooler, use arctic clean, contact cleaner[the cheap spray] also isopropylalcohol which can be found for some pennies at the local drugstore, clean the old paste with cofee filters... [they wont leave lints or craps...] then apply a bean sized dot on the center of your cpu, then seat you cooler, slowly and try to dont move it ... pretty simple... you dont need to wait the paste for doing nothing at all...

Regards,