Sapphire radeon 9800 pro thermal interface

I'm getting a new heatsink and some AS3 soon and I read that my motherboard uses a generic thermal pad on the northbridge so I thought I'd go on a mad AS3ing spree.

What I want to know is whether sapphire uses good quality thermal pads/paste on it's heatsinks or whether I should rip it off and AS3 it. (I'd rather leave it alone unless I'm likely to get quite a bit of difference)

I would do it regardless of the original TIM. Most video cards have very poorly applied TIM so a 'professional' application would yield better results by default. Crank it up with some high quality Ceraminique or AS3 and you'll definitely be happier.

I'm hardly a professional, I've only changed a CPU heatsink a couple of times before, so I don't want to mess with it unless I can get a change of more than a couple of degrees.

if you arent into hardcore video OCing, i would suggest you wait until you feel confident about it, then go for it!

Yes if you arn't comfortable you don't have to do it. But if you want to learn the proper (professional) application of the compound, heard here: http://www.arcticsilver.com/instructions.htm No better way to get more experiance than to apply it severtimes to differnt surfaces.

I'm fine with pulling it off and putting it back on, what I'm worried about is that what it has currently may be better than what I can do.

have some confidence man... dun worry about it, if you screw up most harm you could do is have to wipe it up again...

just relax and gun for it, i mean whats the fun outta not trying to smear toothpaste over two lego bricks eh?

relax, and have some confidence, cause i bet the dumb ****s who did the original pad proally can't do much as a better job than you... after all, it takes a lot to post here in these forums and ask right?