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[HardOCP] Thermal Paste Shootout - Q209

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IKIKUINTHENUTZ

Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2006
Thermal Paste Shootout - Q209

We take 10 high profile thermal pastes used for mating heatsink surfaces to CPUs and other components and subject those to over 1200 hours of testing to find out which one reigns supreme. Drop or spread? And we tried American cheese too, just in case you find yourself in a pinch.

Source
 
You're using the wrong kind. A good Brie or Boursault is good. Even a good mozzarella can do in a pinch.

I would suggest you stay away from the Muensters and Jarlsberg variety, and *never* use Swiss.
 
Another review however I have yet to see, IC Diamond 7 Carat Thermal Compound.

Stuff is supposed to be quite a bit better than AS5, Tuniq TX-2, and the others. Hard to find reviews on it though, only found about 2 or 3 with it either as #1 or #2.
 
Cheese did pretty well at idle.

Still using Ceramique myself. I've had a large 22 gram tube of it for a quite awhile now.
 
Cheese did pretty well at idle.

Still using Ceramique myself. I've had a large 22 gram tube of it for a quite awhile now.

Yes, me too. I don't know how many videocard, northbridge, and CPU heatsinks I've done since I bought it 4 years ago, but its not even half way there.
 
I've been using MX-2 for about a month now and I have had to reapply twice and it not only cools great, but it cleans off so easy.
 
I've been using AS5 since 2001. It has found a home in many, many rigs i've put together for personal use and for others. I am glad to see AS5 is still up there with the new dogs in town.
 
I've been using MX-2 for about a month now and I have had to reapply twice and it not only cools great, but it cleans off so easy.
+1. Switched to MX-2 from AS:5 about a year ago and I'll never go back. It cools better (by a solid 1-2c from my non-scientific testing) and doesn't require the burn-in period to get that low. Before AS:5 decides to settle in, the difference is even greater. Plus, no capacitive properties to worry about.

Note - this was not to incite a war over AS:5 vs MX-2, just extolling the virtues of MX-2 as I see them. I also have a tube of AS:5 to use if I ever run out of MX-2. :beer:
 
W1zzard from techpowerup.com has a interesting objection to the article he replied at XS. Although his argument is a bit fallacious.

completely wrong way to measure this. they just looked at how intel suggests coolers should be qualified (qualify == keeps the system stable != scientific measurement)

only one application per thermal paste? or did i miss something?

a $60 multimeter to measure temperature? wtflol. that meter has an accuracy of +-1°C

"Ambient temperature will be kept at 25C for the duration of the tests and measured with a MicroTemp EXP non-contact infrared thermometer." - that meter has something like +-2° accuracy...

total that's +-3°C .. as a result those charts are pretty worthless since all pastes are within 3°C of each other.

great review. pick 6 pastes, roll dice, less work. if you have no idea how to review something, stay away from it.

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=222440
 
W1zzard from techpowerup.com has a interesting objection to the article he replied at XS. Although his argument is a bit fallacious.



http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=222440

Exactly. :) There's almost no way to isolate the case. I recently ordered some OCZ freeze just to test it with... to see if I could lower my temps at all. As cheap as it is... I'm glad to give it a try. But AS5, NT-H1, and OCZ Freeze will all be in my trust tool box. I'll have to see which one handles best on VGA, and CPU. I imagine in the end there should be no preference to application type... but who knows.

Personally though... you shouldn't even be using a multimeter. The tempuratures in the end may be more accurate, but what is important is a consistent testing method. No matter how hard you try, that toy you bought may not be a ble to accurately test the tempuratures. The Built in hardware is probably better for this purpose... simply because even with the variations on it, it's a consistent and static testing point.
 
Another review however I have yet to see, IC Diamond 7 Carat Thermal Compound.

Stuff is supposed to be quite a bit better than AS5, Tuniq TX-2, and the others. Hard to find reviews on it though, only found about 2 or 3 with it either as #1 or #2.

I'm using ICD7 on my new rig. Heard / read many good things, but it is often overlooked in many reviews, and I think that is sad. :confused:

Have a look at the Innovation Cooling Website, it shows a few recent reviews.
HERE
 
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