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Thermal paste applied on your GPU / CPU, survey!

Did you always use the same TIM on your hardware?

  • Yes I do use the same one…Always!

    Votes: 136 47.6%

  • No I don’t have any preferred or "trusted brand"

    Votes: 100 35.0%

  • If I could I would! not always have stock of the same products!

    Votes: 50 17.5%
  • Total voters
    286
Then call it a metal cap if you want. Still when it doesn't have one you need to spread it. This is according to AS instructions
 
Capture006.jpg


Pill Monster said:
Man did you lay it on with a trowel or shovel? That is way way too much paste.
Click to expand...

Pc built by Bob the Builder
action_bob_web.jpg
 
Jetster said:
Then call it a metal cap if you want. Still when it doesn't have one you need to spread it. This is according to AS instructions
Click to expand...
It's your CPU mate, you can do whatever you like.


OK I see you don't mean RAM heatspreaders.. Yeah it's a spreader but we don't call them that here.
However it might pay to look a bit further than the back of an AS5 tube when forming an opinion. Like maybe some testing results?.........up to you but it's in your interests.



Tbh I don't give paste much thought these days.. Whatever the store has is what I buy..

Used to be quite OCD but now I'm old. . So now...4 or 5c who really cares..? lol That's my own thoughts.
 
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Pill Monster said:
Bb sized dot in the middle, then if you're really pedantic screw the heatsink down diagonally left and right so it sits flatter.
Think it was Hardware Secrets or someone looked at it about 3-4yrs ago. Did a quite in depth experiment. That's how we were doing it anyway for the most part.
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For the bean sized dot in the middle and tinted cooler I used to seat the cooler, then try to twist it twice for erasing all the air gaps or bubbles that could left there… this method always brought excellent temps, also for hubby pastes as Arctic Silver 5 this method bring like the half of time for the curing time, also tinting the cooler is another way to get less curing time,


Also cooler cannot be tighten immediately, you must seat the cooler and start tighten screw by screw at the time, a couple of twists on each screw at the time, not fully tighten, also is recommended to tight opposite screws, like doing a cross,


Pill Monster said:
Yeah that would be a good example of flaws...lol
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a better example?
what about this one?
WLP-02.png


or ...
contactarea.jpg



if not bring a better one for us lad!
 
What that there actually called heat spreaders? I think you got that backwards
 
Jetster said:
What that there actually called heat spreaders? I think you got that backwards
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You really think I'm that pedantic? Call it a marmite sandwich if you like.

Read the article...;)

The Hardware Secrets test is better...or whoever did the one I'm thinking of...if I fid it I'll post it.
 
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Lol these threads....

For my 24/7 GPUs, I just use MX-4. Like my CPUs, I use the small ball in the middle and let the pressure of the heatsink spread it.
 
EarthDog said:
Lol these threads....

For my 24/7 GPUs, I just use MX-4. Like my CPUs, I use the small ball in the middle and let the pressure of the heatsink spread it.
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Yeah I know what u mean :P

I used to be like that too, then I got an arrow in the knee. Or maybe it was the grey hairs appearing.....:D.
 
This was not in reference to you, but the overall premise of the thread and the logistics of it all.
 
Here is a pic of the Xignatek HSF i just took off my recently sold Athlon ii x 4 640.

the TIM fills the gaps and not much else, i think i got it perfect, i didnt take a pic of the cpu but you can see how the 2 had seperated.

20150626_190623.jpg


this paste, which was cheap (as i am a tight Welshman) has been on for about 3 years, never replaced, never caused me any concern.

A good HSF but poorly finished in my opinion, look at the obvious gaps between the channels.......exactly the sort of gaps that TIM is designed to fill.

As many keep saying, metal to metal contact works best, and in this situation less is best, it isnt hard to mount it and then take it apart to check or to clean up any excess.

Whoops this is the GPU pasting thread...there is a cpu one as well i think, though what difference there is is anyones guess.
 
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CAPSLOCKSTUCK said:
Whoops this is the GPU pasting thread...there is a cpu one as well i think, though what difference there is is anyones guess.
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don't worry still valid, also topic changed!!

Regards,
 
Why doesnt someone try with or without TIM, it would probably be even more interesting.
 
Been done its called polishing your heatsink/Cpu to a mirror finish
most find the effort too much and as @peche says Slap on the Tim like a cheap Hooker with Make up
 
with free hardware i will try even dirt and soil ....
 
Pill Monster said:
Xbit labs tried chocolate sauce and peanut butter. That was pretty interesting.....:p
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Pill Monster said:
The Hardware Secrets test is better...or whoever did the one I'm thinking of...if I fid it I'll post it.
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http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/thermal-compound-roundup-october-2011/5/ mayo, chocolate, toothpaste, lipstick

i still dont understand how having all that goop between the heatpipes in capslock's photo is good, if too much paste is bad, wouldnt all that on the left side be worse? would those spots be hotter than they should?

EDIT: right right, the hottest part is in the middle, would be cool if there's a test somewhere that shows how hot different parts of the heatspreader are

how did CM manage to flatten & connect their heatpipes? http://legitreviews.com/images/news/2011/Hyper-212-EVO-CPU-Cooler.jpg

EDIT: holy crap gelid gc extreme seems to have great performance, maybe i'll get that instead of mx4 at some point... but are there sites testing lifespan before needing to reapply?
 
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This Athlon 64 x2 was "pasted" approximately 8 years ago, the paste slid off under my finger.

Does this make it indicative of
1. Good paste
2. Good temps
3. Bad paste.
4. A nice tight seal which has prevented "drying"
5. A poor seal which allowed moisture ingress
5. Moisture ingress caused by low temps.

I am at a loss to work it out, btw i had to prise it apart with a screwdriver


20150628_190825.jpg
 
MX-4, PK3, H1, Whatever high end paste I can find at a good price. I stay away from the liquids and diamond stuff. To directly answer the question currently.

MX-4 CPU and GPU pea size method dead center of die.

nice and simple just like 2004 intended.
 
I don't use the same paste every time. In my opinion best price/perf is the MX-2 - at least where I live. Other than that, sometimes I go with what the manifacturer provdied. If I got a cooler from Zalman, they have a decent paste. If it is from Thermaltake as well. I discard the low-end pastes usually. But I have tried. Only brand I can discard straight away is Evercool (for thermal paste).

Concidering spreading techique I usually wear unsterilized medical gloves when I work on my PC, so I just use my pinky finger to spread it evenly. The credit card method, never worked for me. I don't get why people recommend it so much. Manual spreading gives second best results to "X" spread: https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Thermal-Paste-Application-Techniques-170/
 
4th option - "don't give a fuck"
 
CAPSLOCKSTUCK said:
This Athlon 64 x2 was "pasted" approximately 8 years ago, the paste slid off under my finger.

Does this make it indicative of
1. Good paste
2. Good temps
3. Bad paste.
4. A nice tight seal which has prevented "drying"
5. A poor seal which allowed moisture ingress
5. Moisture ingress caused by low temps.

I am at a loss to work it out, btw i had to prise it apart with a screwdriver
Click to expand...
If u get some tacky paste like that again, try and gently twist left and right to loosen If you pull it you're liable to rip the socket right off the board. I've seen it done.....well, the results at least. :)
 
another Old Trick with stubborn cpu's is to gently heat the area with your girly hair dryer before gently twisitng left and right
warm Cpu's seem to part from cooler/heatsinks easier
 
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