Which thermal paste should I use?

jtvd78

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 27, 2009
Messages
303
There are so many out there that I just don't know what to pick.
1.OCZ freeze
2.MC-2
3.IC Diamond

I have searched through a lot of different thermal pastes and these seemed to be the top rated. In addition, people said that that they perform better than AS5. I am open to any other suggestions. Which one do you think is the best according to experience or knowledge? I don't really care how much it costs.

Any help would be great.
 
^didn't think about that. if price isnt a problem i would definitely go with that... cant beat it
 
for Indigo Xtreme i read that you have to get the core temp to 99-100c. i don't want to bring my processor temp that high
 
What is shin-etsu. i saw it lots of times when researching. i looked at the website and it had nothing to do with thermal paste.
 
What is shin-etsu. i saw it lots of times when researching. i looked at the website and it had nothing to do with thermal paste.

Shin Etsu X23 is one of the better thermal pastes out there. Check out the FS threads and you might find it as cheap as 2 bucks per 1G syringe.

Indigo Extreme is I believe the top thermal interface but it's very pricey. Like $22 plus shipping for 2 applications or something.

http://enerdyneproducts.com/
 
Okay. I have narrowed down my choices to these.
1.OCZ freeze
2.Mx-2
3.IC Diamond
4.GELID extreme

please give your answer and a reason why you picked it.
 
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If you're already made up your mind just buy the cheapest one you can find or can buy at the same time as your heatsink. Most thermal compounds are quite close in performance.
 
Okay. I have narrowed down my choices to these.
1.OCZ freeze
2.MC-2
3.IC Diamond
4.GELID extreme

please give your answer and a reason why you picked it.

MX-2. Because it is very good and has no cure time. Also reasonably priced.
 
are any of the pastes in my list electrically conductive?


Almost all materials are electricly conductive at a certain voltage.

Gelid GC Extreme states that it is non-conductive. Has received many praises in reviews and by users. My favorite to date.

I would like to try the thermal grease that has diamond dust in it but I don't know if it claims to be non conductive.
 
I found this on another forum:

computernewbie wrote :

think imma go with IC diamond 7 carat, no cure time, and it has diamond dust, so it should be pretty good

be warned, that it will scratch and even erase the markings on the IHS by Intel/AMD on your CPU. This will void your warranty.
is this true?

here is the page: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/265719-28-best-thermal-paste

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

also found this:

ICD7 does warn of possible rub-off due to the synthetic diamonds in the compound. In very extreme cases it can even begin to rub off the lettering on a CPU. I've gotten a tube of it and will test it against MX-2 and AS:5 whenever I have the chance.

They're coming out with a new TIM as well, a paste instead of the diamond stuff. Not sure of the release date, but I'm hoping to snag one of those as well.

here's the page : http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=620682
 
I did some more research and I came to a decision. MX-3. If anyone disagrees, please tell me why.
 
I did some more research and I came to a decision. MX-3. If anyone disagrees, please tell me why.

Good choice. Didn't even know there was an MX-3 until you posted...they probably released it recently.

It's about 1 degree less than the MX-2 so not a huge difference, but a very good compound nevertheless.
http://verdisreviews.com/reviews/arctic-cooling-arctic-mx-2-mx-3-thermal-paste-review/5/
http://www.dragonsteelmods.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14825&Itemid=1
 
I found this on another forum:


is this true?

here is the page: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/265719-28-best-thermal-paste

Yes IC Diamond 7 can remove the markings on your IHS. Although, the only way your going to do this is by actually buffing it with the paste. Since it is (synthetic) diamonds, it is abrasive. I actually used it to polish out my lap jobs, and it works very well I must say.
But in order to actually remove the laser etched markings, you'll seriously have to sit there for quite a while polishing it with ICD7 to get it to do that, probably more than an hour.

IC Diamond 7 so far is my favorite TIM. It beats AS5 hands down, and even does a little better than OCZ freeze, from my own personal testing on AMD K8's.

Now if you're going to apply some fancy TIM to a lapped CPU and cooler, don't waste your money. Since the surfaces are so flat, even the white pigeon poop pastes do very well. There is basically no difference between expensive TIM and the cheap white stuff at that point.

Good luck.
 
i choose Gelid GC Extreme because its has a thinner feel like Arctic Silver 5 making application easy (hard to find in the best pastes), it gets very top end results if not the best, and it is safe for your mobo if you spill it and it has no curing times. No other paste performs as well in reviews and has these exact requirements.
 
I used MX-2 for a long time but now I moved to MX-3.

Either will best AS5 pretty easily.
 
Yes IC Diamond 7 can remove the markings on your IHS. Although, the only way your going to do this is by actually buffing it with the paste. Since it is (synthetic) diamonds, it is abrasive. I actually used it to polish out my lap jobs, and it works very well I must say.
But in order to actually remove the laser etched markings, you'll seriously have to sit there for quite a while polishing it with ICD7 to get it to do that, probably more than an hour.

IC Diamond 7 so far is my favorite TIM. It beats AS5 hands down, and even does a little better than OCZ freeze, from my own personal testing on AMD K8's.

Now if you're going to apply some fancy TIM to a lapped CPU and cooler, don't waste your money. Since the surfaces are so flat, even the white pigeon poop pastes do very well. There is basically no difference between expensive TIM and the cheap white stuff at that point.

Good luck.

This is my second time using IC7D, upon the first usage on my 940BE, cleaning off the IC7D, I did notice alot of scratching to the lid, I'm sure after multiple usage/cleanings it could make the numbers hard to read, but once you put it on your most likely to leave it there unless you think you have a bad application of the product. Even the directions tell you to apply force while twisting the HSF onto it to get good application which in turn can cause most of that scratching upon the lid.

I originally used a G-power Lite (lapped) HSF and some IC7D when I got my Ph II 940BE, then swapped out the IC7D for AS5, at the time I noticed better idle temps and left it in until recently. I upgraded my HSF to a Xigmatek HDT-S1283 and again back to IC7D. I still notice my idle temps are a bit higher than i'm used to, like 32-34c. But my load temps are great, like 51-52c closed case (47c open). My 940BE is also running at 3.4GHz 1.4125v over stock of 3.0GHz 1.325v. I was even able to get stable 3.4GHz with this new setup, old setup forced me to run at 1.425v, just a small amount, but good step none the less.

Upgading HSF and the IC7D has netted me up to 11c difference (about 9c lowest) of my old G-Power Lite/AS5 in open case testing. Unfortunately due to the hardness of removing IC7D and running out of AS5, I can't cross test them on my setup.

I think the more important lesson I learned is better/best HSF over TIM anyday!
 
If price is no object, then go for Indigo Xtreme, there's nothing else that's even close to this truly revolutionary TIM

Yes Indigo Xtreme is good, but I didn't find it better than Coollaboratory Liquid Pro

My personal favorites after my own tests are ;

1: Coollaboratory Liquid Pro ( a bunch of reviews @ http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/product_pro.shtml )
2. Indigo Xtreme ( http://vapor.skinneelabs.com/TIM/IndigoX/IndigoX.html )
3. Coolaboratory Liquid Metal Pad ( links to reviews @ http://www.coollaboratory.com/en/product_metalpad.shtml)

There are certainly drawbacks with those three tim's above, that is electrical conductivity (LiquidPro), extremely hard to remove again (Liquid Metal Pad) - read about them in the reviews...
All three above is also pretty expensive too.


4: Shin-Etsu G751 ( http://www.google.no/search?hl=no&source=hp&q=Shin-Etsu+G751+review&meta= )
5: T-C Grease 0098 /Matrix ( http://www.tim-consultants.com/matrix1.html )
6: OCZ Freeze ( http://www.ocztechnology.com/produc..._freeze_extreme_thermal_conductivity_compound )

Maybe it is so that Benchmark Reviews has tested a lot of tim's but their results often differ a lot from other sites... If I were you I would read more reviews than only BMR's, especially BMR's result with Arcitic Silver 5 made my bells ring loud. It is really a very strange result imo.....

And yes I have also tested a lot of tim's - and I have found that flat surfaces (both CPU and the cooler), fine surfaces, carefully application of the tim and a very firm mount between the cooler/CPU is extremely important for lowest temperatures.

Myself will continue to use Coollaboratory Liquid Pro - it seems to be very good on a lapped CPU with the Swiftech GTX.

fm2zpc.jpg
 
any of them are fine. your not gonna see a huge difference anyways. and really a few degrees only matter when your near 65 C. This I guess the only time you want to see those few degree change is when your overclocking. i always overclock with my side window off. I use AS 5. way cheaper

If removing your side panel actually drops temps then it's time for a new case. :p


I used MX-2 for a long time but now I moved to MX-3.

Either will best AS5 pretty easily.

I agree that on all of my tests MX-2 really performs better than AS5.

How is that MX-3? Is it more difficult to spread? One of my favorite things about MX-2 is the consistency.
 
How is that MX-3? Is it more difficult to spread? One of my favorite things about MX-2 is the consistency.

No personal experience with it, but I think it's just a slightly improved version of MX-2, with temps about 1 degree lower on average, all else being equal. Here's a review comparing the two.
 
I just moved from AS5 to Shin-Etsu that I purchased from a forum member here (the 1g syringes). I must say, some good stuff. It lowered my load temps 3c, from 70c to 67c in LINX on my i7. Great stuff, although its like trying to spread clay across the cpu. Damn near impossible even when heated up.
 
I like AS5, works great for me. It does have a burn in time which might be why many of you think MX-2/3 is so much better (which has really no burn in time).
 
I had my AS5 applied multiple times for over a month period of 24/7 use and Shin-Etsu immediately dropped temps (doesnt need the burn-in time like AS5). AS5 is just plain old. Yes, it works well still, but its by far top of its class.
 
I like AS5, works great for me. It does have a burn in time which might be why many of you think MX-2/3 is so much better (which has really no burn in time).

Nope, I've gone from a several month old application of AS5 directly to MX-2 only to have better temps. On top of that I can throw it anywhere unlike AS5, it also spreads much easier which is the most likely cause for my drop in temps, and clean up is also a million times easier.
 
Dont get me wrong, MX-2/3 is marginally better from everything I have seen, but it should not be OMG LOOK AT ME better. Unless you get that excited over 1-2C (hey, some might!) ;)
 
+1 for MX-2. For what it's worth, I've found the AS Ceramique to be about equal to AS5 for most applications. AS5 is definitely overpriced for the quality of the product in comparison to what else is out there, IMO.
 
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