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GPU TIM

E

ep0x73

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Sep 5, 2013
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This has probably been talked about already but how many of you replace the TIM on your GPU soon as you get the card?

Plenty of pictures around showing Evga, Asus etc really slathering on the TIM with some grey goop of unknown name and quality.

For those who did replace it with AC5 or similar, were temperature drops significant or slight?

Least with Evga you won't void the warranty as I read if you do this.

I did this years ago on a 8800 and knocked a good 10C off both idle and load using AC3.
 
I only do it if the temps are unusually high. My MSI twin frozr III 7950 had high temps and I replaced the TIM with a nice evenly thin layer of MX-4 and the temp drop was huge. If your temps aren't unusually high bc of a bad factory TIM application then you'll probky only see a few or more degrees decrease in temps
 
I do it to all of my cards that don't use thermal pads or other complicated heatsinks. Usually check a few reviews online to make sure I can disassemble and reassmble everything without causing problems. Also if there are warranty stickers on the screws then I don't bother.
 
These are the best two TIMs.

Arctic Cooling MX-4:
Best Cooling Normal TIM
Non Conductive.
Long life, only needs replacing about once a year.

Coollaboratory Liquid Pro:
Best cooling possible.
Never needs replacing.
Made of Caesium, Will turn Aluminium to dust in minuites.
Conductive.
Can never be removed, once you have mounted the heatsink you cannot remove it ever.
 
I have replaced the tim on 5 radeon 290 and 290x's, that I am using in a mining rig so at 100% gpu for extended periods the change is pretty dramatic. I was able to drop fan from 80% range to 60% range and maintain a 1000/1500 overclock and not hit the 95 deg throttling stuff. I would say that these cards are probably a fringe case as they are pulling upwards of 400 watt each (still need to undervolt them a little) and the oem hs/fan solution is a little wanting in the cooling dept. I used mx4 as well and would say it make a pretty big difference. On a 7970 vaporx I would say I was able to drop load temps down at leas 8-10 deg.

I would suggest just running your card and if it is performing well leave it alone, unless you are running into throttling issues, too much noise from the fan or something that warrants switching out the stuff. Also be careful when taking the card apart and make sure not to use conductive thermal paste as that can cause real havoc. And as always with tim, less is usually better ;)
 
I would replace the TIM on my MSI 760s but I don't want to void my warranties. I usually replace it if I buy the card used or I'm out of the warranty period.
 
Spazturtle said:
Coollaboratory Liquid Pro:
Best cooling possible.
Never needs replacing.
Made of Caesium, Will turn Aluminium to dust in minuites.
Conductive.
Can never be removed, once you have mounted the heatsink you cannot remove it ever.
Click to expand...



Pretty sure you are incorrect in this point. The TIM may stain but I haven't heard of it fusing heatsinks to dies/ihs.
 
SavageThrash said:
Pretty sure you are incorrect in this point. The TIM may stain but I haven't heard of it fusing heatsinks to dies/ihs.
Click to expand...

You can pull them apart but then you need to lap both parts.

And as GPUs are direct die you wouldn't want to lap a die.
 
Spazturtle said:
These are the best two TIMs.

Arctic Cooling MX-4:
Best Cooling Normal TIM
Non Conductive.
Long life, only needs replacing about once a year.

Coollaboratory Liquid Pro:
Best cooling possible.
Never needs replacing.
Made of Caesium, Will turn Aluminium to dust in minuites.
Conductive.
Can never be removed, once you have mounted the heatsink you cannot remove it ever.
Click to expand...

Gelid GC-Exteme is the current top runner. One of the best for air/water/extreme.
 
Spazturtle said:
You can pull them apart but then you need to lap both parts.

And as GPUs are direct die you wouldn't want to lap a die.
Click to expand...

I'd just install oldschool TIM on top of it or use more of the same. Can't find it where I live though so I'm still working through my AS5 collection.
 
Good thread, least with Evga cards the sink is held on by 4 screws with springs so they do not back out from vibration so replacement should be fairly simple.

No chat about IC7? Looks good from tests but is more difficult to apply then most other solutions due to it's molasses like texture.

It would be nice if the TIM they used was known to determine if you could improve it.
It's grey, could be just the color or have some graphite or something included.

Nvidia engineers have probably determined it's cheap and adequate although not the best.
 
Spazturtle said:
Arctic Cooling MX-4:
Best Cooling Normal TIM
Non Conductive.
Long life, only needs replacing about once a year.
Click to expand...
Is this an MX-4 thing?
I used the same MX-2 on my CPU for 6 years, my GPU currently 3 years. :rolleyes: The rest of the rigs in my house are AS5 for 8+ years lol.
 
I was thinking of replacing my XFX 6770's TIM. How is the Shin Etsu brand for this? I figure if Intel uses it for all their CPU's it must be pretty good right?
 
Cataulin said:
I was thinking of replacing my XFX 6770's TIM. How is the Shin Etsu brand for this? I figure if Intel uses it for all their CPU's it must be pretty good right?
Click to expand...
Intel probably uses whatever is cheapest for them to mass produce.
That being said I have no idea how good Shin Etsu is.
 
Cataulin said:
I was thinking of replacing my XFX 6770's TIM. How is the Shin Etsu brand for this? I figure if Intel uses it for all their CPU's it must be pretty good right?
Click to expand...

I use Shin-Etsu currently, but some of the varieties are much better than others. If I was buying TIM today, I would get the Gelid or NT-H1 depending on price and availability. The x23-7783d is very good based on some older comparisons I used when I bought it during my original build, but I don't often see it compared anymore.
 
MX4 user here.

SavageThrash said:
I'd just install oldschool TIM on top of it or use more of the same. Can't find it where I live though so I'm still working through my AS5 collection.
Click to expand...

Make Sure not to use that AS5 shit on bare GPU dies.
 
TaintedSquirrel said:
Is this an MX-4 thing?
I used the same MX-2 on my CPU for 6 years, my GPU currently 3 years. :rolleyes: The rest of the rigs in my house are AS5 for 8+ years lol.
Click to expand...

Nope all normal thermal pastes dry, MX-2 and AS5 included.

It just means it will run hotter.
 
IDK where the rules of thumb regarding bare die come from, I've used AS5 on bare dies dating back to the AthlonXP without issue.

MX-2 is probably the single biggest bang for the buck out there because the 30g tube goes for about 15 bucks that'll last a lifetime and nothing is significantly better than it. If you're looking at ultimate performance Indigo Extreme is better than CLU and priced around the same (read: too expensive for people who remount a lot).
 
SilverSliver said:
I use Shin-Etsu currently, but some of the varieties are much better than others. If I was buying TIM today, I would get the Gelid or NT-H1 depending on price and availability. The x23-7783d is very good based on some older comparisons I used when I bought it during my original build, but I don't often see it compared anymore.
Click to expand...

Hmm I may try it anyways. I got this kind directly from dell and I have about 4 of the syringes left. It pays (sorta) being IT.
 
Why is MX-4 so expensive in the US?

I got a 25g tube of MX-4 for the equivalent of $15
 
Skripka said:
MX4 user here.



Make Sure not to use that AS5 shit on bare GPU dies.
Click to expand...

Ummm, lol ok. Any reasoning/data behind this? I have been using AS5 since the Athlon Slot A days, on bare dies. No issues at all.
 
Skripka said:
Neither of which are bare die processors IIRC....so of course it "works fine".
Click to expand...

The 8800gts may or may not be. I honestly can't remember. My MOBILE QX9300 is undoubtedly bare die. I'd take a photo for you if I wasn't using it right now. There is no issue with using AS5 on a bare die. If the die was closely mounted to voltage regulators like the 4770k processor then I'd suggest people be careful to not bridge any contacts or to insulate them.

I can understand your confusion with Qx9300 dekstop and the QX9300 mobile. The mobile is a definite bare die (actually bare dies, 2 dies with 2 cores per die)

Edit: Heres a QX9300 for reference - If that isnt a bare die I don't know what is QX9300
 
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I usually wait a year before changing the GPU TIM, unless it shows unusually high temperature since the beginning. I use Arctic Ceramique 2 (the fact that it has high viscosity i think tis well the bill for GPU TIM).

I 've seen a drop in temperatures, anywhere between 2-6 C. The worst case, was a newly bought card that was showing higher than normal temperature. Upon removal of heatsink, the paste underneath proved to be already completely dried up, it was falling off like pieces of cement, while rubbing with your finger. After i put Ceramique 2, temp dropped 6C on full load. But i don't use high end cards. I assume that in high end cards, the gain can be higher, when the original TIM is so craptastic.

Generally, i do it not for the big benefit in temp drop, but just because i don't trust their TIMs and prefer to put a TIM that i know will last for years, without me having to worry about it. It's a peace of mind thing.
 
I've pretty much just started using whatever I have laying around the house. I've bought so many waterblocks over the years that I have tons of random tubes lying around.
 
I almost never do it. I did have an HD 7770 2GB I was going to put an Arctic Cooling Accelero Twin Turbo II on (had it laying around for a couple years and had never used it). Unfortunately after taking the HSF off I discovered the old stock AC Twin Turbo I had didn't have the correct bracket for the HD 7770. So I put the stock HSF back on and used some OCZ Freeze Extreme TIM. It dropped the temps about 5C at load vs. the dried up stock junk that was on it (ASUS card).
 
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