Is Arctic Cooling MX-4 a good purchase?

[Yellow&Nerdy?]

So I've been a bit disappointed with my CPU temperatures: I have a FX-8320 and a Hyper 212 EVO with push/pull config, with the second fan being a CM Sickle Flow, and I can't even push 1.3V without temps getting close to 70 degrees after an hour of Prime. I doubt that I bodged the installation, and my case airflow should be sufficient. What I've heard recently is that the supplied thermal paste is a bit rubbish, and have been recommended to buy some Arctic Cooling MX-4, which apparently is the best performing thermal paste out there. I just wanted to hear some of your guys' opinion and previous experiences with stock vs. aftermarket thermal paste, if it's a worthy purchase.

 

[sneekypeet]

If two or three degrees is all you are looking for sure, but this is why you never see me recommend the 212 in any form unless using it as a stock replacement. It is not capable of real overclocks. My suggestion would be to get a more capable cooler for a larger thermal gap to allow more overclocking.

 

[natr0n]

aftermarket paste is highly recommended. It's a worthy purchase

MX4 is pretty good. want to get a tube.

Using Ceramique2 currently.

 

[sneekypeet]

aftermarket paste is highly recommended. It's a worthy purchase

MX4 is pretty good.

Also I do fully agree with this statement! Since you are looking for more headroom and the cooler you have is getting saturated, I still stand by my first point for this specific thread.

 

[VulkanBros]

MX4 is an okay paste - but as sneekypeet said - another cooler might be the best.
I have a FX-9590 and a Corsair Hydro H110 Extreme with Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra - keeps the beast cool at 5.3 GHz

 

[Yellow&Nerdy?]

If two or three degrees is all you are looking for sure, but this is why you never see me recommend the 212 in any form unless using it as a stock replacement. It is not capable of real overclocks. My suggestion would be to get a more capable cooler for a larger thermal gap to allow more overclocking.

I knew when buying the cooler that I won't be able to OC too much, but right now I'm at 4.1 GHz and 1.26875 volts, which is barely higher than what the CPU is rated for, since at stock it will turbo up to 4.0 GHz.

That's what I suspected, that the difference in thermal pastes will be less than 5 degrees, so it's not going to tip the temps much. Probably going to save a bit of money and get a new cooler. Looked at the review of the Phanteks PH-TC12 you guys did and it beats the Hyper 212 with 20 degrees? Seems a bit extreme. What I might do is first buy some MX-4, and if that's not enough, then I'll save up for a new cooler. Thanks for the input.

 

[sneekypeet]

May seem a bit extreme, but that is the way it works! Better designed coolers can have a huge advantage on something that is made fast, economically, and without much attention to the details. Also keep in mind that those results I had were on a 2600K @ 4.5, but I don't recall needing to slam the voltage to do it either. Honestly a lot of coolers out there will be some 10 degrees cooler than what you are running now, even an older generation AIO on the cheap may be a solid way to go.