The Official Thermal Interface Material thread

[Veseleil]

We'll see.

 

[Simone]

Forgot to chime back about the Scar 18 I glued up those many months back, turns out that the power brick was poorly constructed and was supplying dirty power to the Laptop.

They didn't release any information or make an announcement, nor did they change the model number of the power brick itself, but it's slightly lighter in grams from memory, and comes in a different packaging.

The coil whine went down a whopping 85-90% in sound. 1-10th of what it used to be. Nearly impossible to hear.

*Squeak*

I want this Plushie. I want a full picture, and where it's from! NOW!! :U


Edit:

Gah I just realised I'm in the TIM thread, not the Coil Whine one. Whoop! ':x

 

[Veseleil]

Gah I just realised I'm in the TIM thread, not the Coil Whine one. Whoop! ':x

They're almost as a parallel universe.

 

[Beginner Macro Device]

Now I'm curious if one can use coils as TIM.

 

[lexluthermiester]

This was VERY interesting.

Can't find any problems in this guy's testing methodology. This shows that at least to some degree, well engineered TIM's can last a long time.

The ArcticSilver5 result did not surprise me at all. I had a tube of that stuff that lasted 15 years.

 

[80-watt Hamster]

This was VERY interesting.

Can't find any problems in this guy's testing methodology. This shows that at least to some degree, well engineered TIM's can last a long time.

The ArcticSilver5 result did not surprise me at all. I had a tube of that stuff that lasted 15 years.

I suppose it depends mostly on the composition of the carrier. Oil-based emulsions can definitely separate, and if there's a compound that flashes off, it could be come dry and cake-ey. AS5 can separate some IME; the tube I had would have some thin fluid come out first if I'd left it standing for a long time, on the order of months.

 

[freeagent]

I suppose it depends mostly on the composition of the carrier. Oil-based emulsions can definitely separate, and if there's a compound that flashes off, it could be come dry and cake-ey. AS5 can separate some IME; the tube I had would have some thin fluid come out first if I'd left it standing for a long time, on the order of months.

Me too, I have seen several different batches of AS5 separate after some time. But it is fairly rare imo. I used the stuff for at least 10 years before I decided to explore the world. And imo on lower TDP CPUs it is perfectly fine, and cane be quite competitive..

 

[mechtech]

Me too, I have seen several different batches of AS5 separate after some time. But it is fairly rare imo. I used the stuff for at least 10 years before I decided to explore the world. And imo on lower TDP CPUs it is perfectly fine, and cane be quite competitive..

I used AS5 on some of my first builds circa 2003, as it had a good name way back then. I slowly changed over to others for 0 electric conductivity.

 

[freeagent]

I used AS5 on some of my first builds circa 2003, as it had a good name way back then. I slowly changed over to others for 0 electric conductivity.

You can finger paint with it and things will be ok

 

[Borc]

I found this GPU paste/pad test.

2024 Thermal Interface Test Series - Part 1 - KOLD-01 Kryosheet ARCTIC Silver 5 and more

Same test with more pastes:

 

[Space Lynx]

@remixedcat I was talking with you recently about how I might replace the thermal paste on my Dell work laptop with Kryosheet, since I would never need to change the paste again.

Well, it turns out this laptop uses Element 31 paste, which is a unique capsule version of liquid metal made by Dell/Alienware... I'm glad I researched it before I opened it up. I feel comfortable not needing to change the paste ever on this thing. getting 77 celsius max temp on most demanding game I could throw at it.

Wild stuff, very cool read here if anyone is interested... long story short I won't ever change the paste on this laptop. Probably not as a good as thermal grizzly liquid metal, but this is apparently much safer, while still be 7+ celsius colder than regular pastes, thanks to the gallium and laptop format combo. On future desktops I plan to do kryosheet permanently though because paste just no longer needs to exist for desktops, kryosheet is king now and will be forever in my eyes, makes life so much easier.

Alien autopsy: Meet the radical ‘Element 31’ cooling inside Alienware’s new X-series gaming laptops

Here's how Alienware made one of the "most powerful" super thin gaming laptops we've ever seen.

www.pcworld.com

 

[Borc]

Kryosheet didn't work in my laptop (unlike PTM7950). I wouldn't recommend it on a laptop therefore, it can work but there is a risk. It's not for everyone.

 

[67Elco]

Ordered some FrostSheet the other day and just now realized it is coming from Sweden...can't even read the tracking.

 

[remixedcat]

@remixedcat I was talking with you recently about how I might replace the thermal paste on my Dell work laptop with Kryosheet, since I would never need to change the paste again.

Well, it turns out this laptop uses Element 31 paste, which is a unique capsule version of liquid metal made by Dell/Alienware... I'm glad I researched it before I opened it up. I feel comfortable not needing to change the paste ever on this thing. getting 77 celsius max temp on most demanding game I could throw at it.

Wild stuff, very cool read here if anyone is interested... long story short I won't ever change the paste on this laptop. Probably not as a good as thermal grizzly liquid metal, but this is apparently much safer, while still be 7+ celsius colder than regular pastes, thanks to the gallium and laptop format combo. On future desktops I plan to do kryosheet permanently though because paste just no longer needs to exist for desktops, kryosheet is king now and will be forever in my eyes, makes life so much easier.

Alien autopsy: Meet the radical ‘Element 31’ cooling inside Alienware’s new X-series gaming laptops

Here's how Alienware made one of the "most powerful" super thin gaming laptops we've ever seen.

www.pcworld.com

wow that's cool!!!

 

[67Elco]

FrostSheet from Sweden...

 

[Space Lynx]

FrostSheet from Sweden...

View attachment 336542 View attachment 336543 View attachment 336544

according to this review of it it reads exactly the same as mx-4 paste. you will never need to own paste again. rock on mate! for desktop rigs never need paste again. I am leaning towards kryosheet or frostsheet in my future too.

 

[67Elco]

according to this review of it it reads exactly the same as mx-4 paste. you will never need to own paste again. rock on mate! for desktop rigs never need paste again. I am leaning towards kryosheet or frostsheet in my future too.

It appears to be working well on the 7900 atm. This pc being hard lined I'm hoping to never have a reason to lift the water block.

 

[sLowEnd]

Just an anecdote to add:

The MX-6 I applied in Jan. pumped out of my 6650 XT after 2mo. I noticed odd fan ramping behavior today (well, technically yesterday now) when playing a game that barely loads the card and opened GPU-Z to monitor the cause. Core temperature was still largely fine, but I was getting hot spot temperature over 100c every now and then while playing the game. I took the card apart, and a large amount of paste appeared to have flowed around the periphery of the die where the surface mount caps are.

Repasted with TF-7. Hopefully that paste fares better.

 

[oiawshboiwsahnoidaws]

@sLowEnd If TF-7 doesn't pan out, you could give PTM7950 (or re-brand like thermalright heilos) a try

 

[VulkanBros]

according to this review of it it reads exactly the same as mx-4 paste. you will never need to own paste again. rock on mate! for desktop rigs never need paste again. I am leaning towards kryosheet or frostsheet in my future too.

Just bought the FrostSheet myself - similar performance as the MX-6, at least for my 5800X3D, according to the Prime95 tests I did before and after.

 

[Space Lynx]

Just bought the FrostSheet myself - similar performance as the MX-6, at least for my 5800X3D, according to the Prime95 tests I did before and after.

yep, with frostsheet and kryosheet, there is no need for paste anymore imo unless you own a laptop.

 

[oiawshboiwsahnoidaws]

Hmm i found no info if frostsheet is electrically conductive on their website like kryosheet is
Would be disappointing if it is which im assuming here and no warning/notice on the website

 

[VulkanBros]

It's made of graphene, so I assume it's highly electrical conductive

 

[Veseleil]

Not sure I said it here, but I wouldn't recommend Arctic MX-6 to anyone. It's not good, temps might be better than any paste out there after a fresh application, but it will pump out soon enough. For people that don't service their PC regularly, and want to just set & forget, MX-6 is the worst solution possible. MX-4 is much, much better paste in my experience. IDK what they did with MX-6, but it's a damn scam! Just for the record, my tube of MX-6 came as a part of an order consisted of 20 fans (4x5), and 3 big packages of TP-3 pads of different sizes. ~250EUR total before VAT, ordered directly from Arctic.

Today I pulled the heatsink off my 3930K, and almost 50% of the CPU IHS was dry. MX-6 pumped the hell out even though this PC is very rarely used. This is the 2nd time I found it pumped out off a CPU (first time off a 5800X3D, which was also rarely used), and it did the same on my 6900XT, also rarely used. I gave it another chance on 5800X3, but seing what happened on a dust collecting 3930K, I think I made a mistake, again. Each application was done by covering the whole IHS/DIE with an even layer.

 

[Space Lynx]

Not sure I said it here, but I wouldn't recommend Arctic MX-6 to anyone. It's not good, temps might be better than any paste out there after a fresh application, but it will pump out soon enough. For people that don't service their PC regularly, and want to just set & forget, MX-6 is the worst solution possible. MX-4 is much, much better paste in my experience. IDK what they did with MX-6, but it's a damn scam! Just for the record, my tube of MX-6 came as a part of an order consisted of 20 fans (4x5), and 3 big packages of TP-3 pads of different sizes. ~250EUR total before VAT, ordered directly from Arctic.

Today I pulled the heatsink off my 3930K, and almost 50% of the CPU was dry. MX-6 pumped the hell out even though this PC is very rarely used. This is the 2nd time I found it pumped out off a CPU (first time off a 5800X3D, which was also rarely used), and it did the same on my 6900XT, also rarely used. I gave it another chance on 5800X3, but seing what happened on a dust collecting 3930K, I think I made a mistake, again. Each application was done by covering the whole IHS/DIE with an even layer.

I had MX-6 on my 5600x3d since July 2023, recently sold my 5600x3d and the paste was evenly distributed and was still there in perfect condition on the CPU and my Frost commander 140, I know @GerKNG also had good experience with mx-6. sorry you didn't have a good experience though. personally my next desktop will be kryosheet or frostsheet

for steam Deck I will use mx-6 though.