Best thermal grease?

[H]adouken;1033536709 said:
Any suggestions to properly applying AS5 onto an i7 920? I've always heard use a pea-sized dot and then squash it with the CPU heatsink and allow it to bake over time. I've also seen some people manually spread it over, which should I go with?

Glob in the center, and let the heatsink spread it out across the heatspreader. It might take a bit of experimentation to get the right amount of paste to cover the entire surface though, but it's the best way to make sure that the compound is filling in all the gaps.
 
Glob in the center, and let the heatsink spread it out across the heatspreader. It might take a bit of experimentation to get the right amount of paste to cover the entire surface though, but it's the best way to make sure that the compound is filling in all the gaps.

How do you know if the entire surface was covered with this method if it's not recommended to lift the HSF off and put it back on once it makes contact with the TIM? If you take it off and see that the entire surface got covered fine, aren't you forced to reapply the TIM and then have to go into this infinite cycle of doing this process? Unless it's ok to take the HSF off and on once it makes contact with the TIM.
 
How do you know if the entire surface was covered with this method if it's not recommended to lift the HSF off and put it back on once it makes contact with the TIM? If you take it off and see that the entire surface got covered fine, aren't you forced to reapply the TIM and then have to go into this infinite cycle of doing this process? Unless it's ok to take the HSF off and on once it makes contact with the TIM.

You apply a glob, put on the heatsink, then take it off and look at the contact patch. Based on that, see if you need more, less, or the same amount of thermal paste. Then clean it off and reapply. It shouldn't take more than one or two repetitions to iron out the proper amount.
 
You apply a glob, put on the heatsink, then take it off and look at the contact patch. Based on that, see if you need more, less, or the same amount of thermal paste. Then clean it off and reapply. It shouldn't take more than one or two repetitions to iron out the proper amount.

Oh ok, that's what I would have thought. So is it the case that it's generally recommended not to break contact with the TIM, but it's not a big deal if you do?
 
Oh ok, that's what I would have thought. So is it the case that it's generally recommended not to break contact with the TIM, but it's not a big deal if you do?

Well, the idea is that after you do, you clean it off, apply fresh, and then don't remove the heatsink. However, I have removed heatsinks and remounted them without replacing the TIM and not had any issues with doing so.
 
I've always used a method like this one... maybe I'm weird.

After light lapping I put really small pips, one in each corner and one additional in the center if it's a big contact patch. I then take a clean razor blade and spread the TIM really thin, putting enough pressure to slightly bend the razor blade a bit so that excess TIM flows in front of the blade. Spread, wipe the blade with alcohol (70% or higher), spread, wipe the blade, etc... What I'm left with is perfect coverage of an extremely thin film of TIM across the entire surface. Once I get that thin, uniform layer I then clean the blade again and take 2-3 more passes from edge to edge to scrape every last bit of excess off. The pics in my linked instructions are horrible... their layer is ridiculously thick.
 
I've always used a method like this one... maybe I'm weird.

After light lapping I put really small pips, one in each corner and one additional in the center if it's a big contact patch. I then take a clean razor blade and spread the TIM really thin, putting enough pressure to slightly bend the razor blade a bit so that excess TIM flows in front of the blade. Spread, wipe the blade with alcohol (70% or higher), spread, wipe the blade, etc... What I'm left with is perfect coverage of an extremely thin film of TIM across the entire surface. Once I get that thin, uniform layer I then clean the blade again and take 2-3 more passes from edge to edge to scrape every last bit of excess off. The pics in my linked instructions are horrible... their layer is ridiculously thick.

The problem with that method is that if one of the contact surfaces is uneven, it will leave gaps between the CPU and heatspreader. It only works well if both surfaces are lapped. If they aren't, the blob method ensures that the compound is squeezed into all the gaps between the surfaces to create full contact between them.
 
I've always used glass as my base for lapping and take my time... It makes a nice, smooth, level finish.
 
Yes, but most people don't lap their CPUs. For those people, the method you use will not be as effective.
 
I have used AS5 for over a year and a half now, and it hasn't let me down :) It's what I recommend to anyone. Got it for $10 at radioshack, for a little 3.5 gram tube. :eek:

But if there is one better, I'd love to know.
 
Alright so, apply a blob, press with heatsink, pull heatsink off, make sure the compound covers the entire square, wipe off, reapply and you're set?
 
[H]adouken;1033538820 said:
Alright so, apply a blob, press with heatsink, pull heatsink off, make sure the compound covers the entire square, wipe off, reapply and you're set?

What I don't get about this is that after you reapply, you're back to square one about wondering whether it covered the entire square or not, so you have to pull off the HSF again and repeat this cycle endlessly.
 
What I don't get about this is that after you reapply, you're back to square one about wondering whether it covered the entire square or not, so you have to pull off the HSF again and repeat this cycle endlessly.

You need to go here and look at what the guys who own the place say:http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_intel_dual_wcap.pdf

Look, the CPU is NOT as big as the surface area of the CPU you have in your hand, it occupies about the middle 50%.

I apply a small drop of AS5 in each corner of that imaginary 50% square, and then make a small "x" connecting the corners. Put on the heat sink and you're good to go.

Watch the temps. If your idle is around ambient and your load around 50C you did it right.

AS5 needs to cure, and it might take 200 hours before it sets optimally.....then your temps might be a bit lower.

Why the fuck would you put some on, then take the HSF off and then do it again??? Unless your temps were too high???
 
Look, the CPU is NOT as big as the surface area of the CPU you have in your hand, it occupies about the middle 50%.
Oh I see. So technically the paste doesn't have to fill the entire square. When I was reading about the squish-method (put a dot in the middle and let the HSF do the spreading), I was worried that it won't spread throughout the entire square, but you're saying it doesn't have to right? It'll probably spread out enough to cover the actual CPU area?
 
What I don't get about this is that after you reapply, you're back to square one about wondering whether it covered the entire square or not, so you have to pull off the HSF again and repeat this cycle endlessly.
The idea is that you keep track of the amount of paste you use each time, so that you eventually find the right amount. Once you know that, you don't have to check after you apply it.
Oh I see. So technically the paste doesn't have to fill the entire square. When I was reading about the squish-method (put a dot in the middle and let the HSF do the spreading), I was worried that it won't spread throughout the entire square, but you're saying it doesn't have to right? It'll probably spread out enough to cover the actual CPU area?

Yes, it doesn't have to be perfect.
 
Oh I see. So technically the paste doesn't have to fill the entire square. When I was reading about the squish-method (put a dot in the middle and let the HSF do the spreading), I was worried that it won't spread throughout the entire square, but you're saying it doesn't have to right? It'll probably spread out enough to cover the actual CPU area?

If you don't do it correctly, the temp will be too high.

Example, compare the size of the copper surface area on the Intel Stock cooler to the CPU heat spreader (the top). The copper doesn't cover the whole thing does it????
Look at how Intel places their paste, they don't cover the whole copper surface do they??
 
Once the stock cooler is mounted, the paste does actually cover the entire copper die.

Exactly the point.
You don't need every square millimeter plastered with TIM, the sheer pressure of the heatsink hold-down will effectively spread the TIM for you. This is not an exact science.;)
 
[H]adouken;1033536709 said:
Any suggestions to properly applying AS5 onto an i7 920? I've always heard use a pea-sized dot and then squash it with the CPU heatsink and allow it to bake over time. I've also seen some people manually spread it over, which should I go with?

Personally, I use the "blob" method. After you strap down the heat sink it will push the compound out to where it makes contact with the CPU. Put about a pea-size "blob" in the middle of the CPU, and put the fan/heat-sink on. Tighten the screws or push pins in an X form.
 
Personally, I use the "blob" method. After you strap down the heat sink it will push the compound out to where it makes contact with the CPU. Put about a pea-size "blob" in the middle of the CPU, and put the fan/heat-sink on. Tighten the screws or push pins in an X form.
Pea-size?! That's HUGE. I use more like a grain of rice (generally less).
 
Is it true that not using intel's stock TIM voids the CPU's warranty?

I don't believe so, but I can't say for sure. In any case, if your CPU happens to fail, just don't say anything about using aftermarket paste. It won't be the source of the problem anyway, so there's no moral issue.
 
Hi
I just installed AMD Athlon 7750 Black Edition in GA-MA770-DS3P yesterday i used OCZ freeze thermal compound with an cooler Master Hyper TX2 my temp in core temp is 22C idle 38-39 full load with orthos same in CPUID Hardware Monitor.So i dont know if its normal or just lucky .
My case its Cooler Master mystic
PSU corsair 400W
Powercolor 4830 gpu
4 gig Gskill 8500
Core temp shows only 1 core temperature cpu#0:22C
Thank you
 
Hi
I just installed AMD Athlon 7750 Black Edition in GA-MA770-DS3P yesterday i used OCZ freeze thermal compound with an cooler Master Hyper TX2 my temp in core temp is 22C idle 38-39 full load ...

Must be cold at your house then lol
 
Hi
My feet are cold even with heat on ,there is a draft ,my aircondition still in window.Could be that .

TY
 
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