The *best* thermal paste.

Arctic silver five can be had a radio shack B&M stores for less than 9.00 in a thermaltake pack but labeled arctic silver five on the syringe. Saved me some time instead of waiting for shipping at least.
 
Recent tests show this to be the best in terms of performance over AS5 and MX2, and much easier application than the liquid metal garbage, although that stuff still performs the best.

http://www.tim-consultants.com/products.html

The price is nice too. I'm currently using it but don't have time to test over my old ceramiq. It is harder to spread though if you prefer to spread your paste over putting a drop in the center and hoping it spreads.
 
I've used AS5, Ceramique, some no-name stuff that came with a Zalman waterblock, and some really thick gooey dark grey OCZ stuff, came with a barebones notebook and it probably has a name but I didn't really remember it. The Zalman stuff didn't last very long, tore it off and put on Ceramique. The OCZ stuff... ugh. Too sticky; it literally pulled the CPU out (while it was clamped in) when I tried to take the heatsink off because it glued the CPU to the heatsink. Threw the rest of it away. I prefer ceramique, and I read a lot of reviews a few years ago. I remember ceramique actually performing better than AS5 temperature-wise, but not by very much.
 
Here's a couple of TIM roundups worth looking at. You can get more info than just "Brand X worked better than Brand Y for me".

TweakTown 4-way round up (AS5, TX2, MX2, and one other)
http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/1220/print/

MadShrimps 6-way roundup (AS5, MX2, TX2, Ceramique, two others)
http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=getarticle&articID=635

BechmarkReviews big 33-way roundup (...everything...)
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=138&Itemid=1

EDIT: just saw this thread was revived after almost 2 months
 
shadowwar said:
Arctic silver five can be had a radio shack B&M stores for less than 9.00 in a thermaltake pack but labeled arctic silver five on the syringe. Saved me some time instead of waiting for shipping at least.
Click to expand...

I recently noticed that Office Depot has AS5 where I live too.
 
I like to have a high silver content one like AS-5 or Antec Formula 5 around as well as AS Ceramique in case I have to put it on anything "funny"
 
I've used Zalman super thermal grease and Antec Formula 5.

Both of them have worked well. Most recently using Antec Formula 5 and maintaining safe temps on E8500 E0 stepper idel temps of 35 degrees celcius and mid 20 degrees celsius with Q9400.
 
MX-2 is my new favorite. Hardly any cure time and it spreads easier then AS5.
 
In the benchmarks I have seen mx-2 was the best but when I built my rig it was out at newegg; I picked up as5 no complaints.
 
Application is as important as the material itself. You would literally have to do the same application 100 times to get a sensible +/- between the materials.

My take on it, proper application of them will yield better benefits than improper application of a higher quality product.

With that said, I've only ever used AS5, but the IC7 Diamond stuff looks pretty snappy, and might be worth considering.
 
I have read about adding diamond dust to thermal paste, I wonder how well the T-C Grease would work with diamond dust in it.
 
When I build mom and pop machines I buy the Dynex crap from BB and return when Im done. Cost only the gas too and fro. For mine though I have a tube of As5.
 
Ahh you just can't kill a "golden oldie" thread.

NP as long a eveyone keeps to stating their preferences and/or has a useful comment and follows the rules.

Personally I have tried almost all of them with good results (I want to give the diamond dust a try, from the physics and technical side it should be the best but things do not always work that way) and I still have a tube of the radio shack "white grease" for stock builds that must be 10+ years old. I too think its more about the application, the mating surfaces and clamping force as long as some decent quality stuff is used.
 
BX_TECH_GOD said:
+1 for the Tuniq TX-2

Switched to it from some Zerotherm paste I had and got a nice 2-3C drop.
Click to expand...

FTW!

Tuniq TX-2 paste is really good! its literally a million times easier to apply to a CPU than arctic silver 5, and it has no burn in time. does a better job then AS5 too by a few degrees. check benchmarks if you dont believe me.
 
I did some research on the AS5, MX-2 and the TX-2.. those 3 seem to be the holy triad of gels.... (respects to the OCZ as well, but doesnt seem as prevalent)... and in the combined tests I have seen, I dont think there is more than a 2-3% difference in temps achieved between these 3, so I guess in the end, choose whatever is cheapest, or if u want non-conductive, less burn in time and easier to apply, omit the king of old, AS5.

I think I am going with the TX-2 which seems very similar to the MX-2 for a few bucks cheaper. *** Correction, I may actually give the Tim Consultants gel a try... for $7.65 shipped and some impressive test results in a few places... anyone else use it here?

Do you guys drop the gel in the middle and plop on the sink, or two thin strips, or massage with your finger (plastic covered), do spirals, or what... I'd like to hear some of your techniques.... I usually do two thin strips equally spaced. And if anyone has images of a proven way to place, I'd love to see them... sometimes "thin" and "small" are too relative to be useful terms here.

And what u guys use to clean off old gel?
 
well i use 91% rubbing alcohol and qtips, always worked good for me, but that new artic silver cleaner stuff works pretty well but why pay that much more ifu don't have too? :)
 
I got a (brand new) tube of AS5 off Ebay a few years ago for $0.99 inc shipping. I would like to see someone top that price/performance :D. I use a credit card in a plastic bag for application.
 
They're all pretty much the same, get whatever is cheapest. What matters is the application, not the paste.
 
IMO Arctic Cooling MX-2 or Tuniq TX-2. They are the same. Cool very well, don't have a break in period, and won't short anyything b/c they arent conductive
 
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