AS5, Phobya HeGrease, Indigo Xtrme: My experience

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Hi!

I recently was in the process of a new build (a little self-advertisement: Project Vitis)




So I decided to try some new thermal compound.



I’ve used Arctic Silver 5 for what like a decade, but after poking around other reviews I decided to try Phobya HeGrease and the radical Indigo Xtreme.











http://www.arcticsilver.com/as5.htm















http://www.phobya.com/eng/phobya.html

















http://indigo-xtreme.com/








For those of you not in the know, Phobya HeGrease is another thermal compound.

Indigo Xtreme is a whole nother beast. It comes as strip of low-melting-temp metal compound in a pre-packaged plastic unit. You stick the plastic unit on the IHS of the cpu, then install your heatsink. Then you must run the system without a fan to intentionally heat the metal compound, causing it to liquefy and reflow between the IHS and heatsink forming a voidless contact pad.



I’m going to emphasize here, this is not a scientific review. I was really doing a build and since I was going to try some new compounds, I figured I’d just put my numbers and experience out there.





Rules of Engagement



Hardware for the main system in question is:
Asus Maximus Extreme IV P67
2x 4gb G.Skill
Corsair HX Powersupply
260 GTX video card

i7 2500k at 4.5ghz, core at 1.3v, as measured by DMM Idle 1.293v, Load 1.289v
Open benching station
Thermalright Ultra Extreme
2 Yate Loon D12-SL12 run at 12v in Push-Pull


Temperatures were measured with Realtemp.

System was powered on and left idle for an hour. Realtemp logs for the minimal temps for each core were noted, then averaged. This was the Idle temp.

Load was generated by OCCT for 15 minutes.

Realtemp logs for maximal temps were noted then averaged. This was the Load temp.

Regarding curing time. AS5 systems (being my original applications) were cured for months. All else were not.

Application. I apply my AS5 and HeGrease by making a very thin square in the middle of the IHS approximately ½ the length and width of the IHS. That’s how I do it.

Indigo Xtreme—see specific notes.

Because of my success with Phobya HeGrease, I also changed over my personal system (System#2) and I included the data from that change from AS5 to HeGrease. System#2 is an Asus P67 Sabertooth, i7 26k at 4.8ghz 1.35v, Thermalright Venemous X, 2 gelid fans bios controlled.

 

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Experience Notes



AS5

Nothing really to note here. Its AS5.






Phobya HeGrease

Comes with a convenient mini-spoon applicator. The name is somewhat disconcerting, I mean it sounds like something a body builder slathers on before hitting the competition stage.









Indigo Xtreme

This is going to take some time…
First of all, it is expensive. I purchased 2 boxes, which means 4 applications. At roughly US$20 apiece. For 4 tries.
It does come with some nice cleaner, gloves, and cleaning cloths.

It took me all 4 attempts to get a working application.




Attempt #1

Noted, the website recommends AGAINST Thermalright products as their heatsink mounting mechanism allows some rotation after installation, which might break the liquid metal seal. I was using an open benching system and was very careful not to do any jarring or rotation:

This was my actual bench, also note the orientation of the heatsink:











I began the reflow process by powering the system and loading with OCCT.

I felt I got the appropriate rise, then drop in temps at about 3 minutes. But then thereafter the temps hit the 90s and the cores cut out from over-temp. I ran it for maybe 10 minutes before getting scared. I let the system cool and sacrificed this install to check on the pad:




No surprise, poor contact.







So I removed this install. I will mention removing was NOT easy. I had to pick at particles of the foil metal with my fingernail to get it off.







Attempt#2

I carefully repeated the process, thinking perhaps I had jarred the system during install.

Exact same results.






Attempt#3

This time I thought that maybe Thermalright’s mounting mechanism had too much pressure thus preventing the reflow to occur. So I loosened the hold-down system as much as possible.

Results: Fail.






Attempt#4

This time I re-oriented the heatsink:



Low pressure contact.

AND I noticed that it was mentioned that large heatsinks might need longer reflow time due to their efficiency.

So I said screw it and ran OCCT for 1 hour.


Success! This was how I generated my numbers.

Later, when I took down the application, there was excellent even spread of the metal, but it was super difficult to remove.

 

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Data



System #1 Idle and Load temps



















System #2 Idle and Load Temps


















As you can see, AS5 was generally beaten across the board. So I generated this final table.

AS5 temps are the baseline zero, with the difference of temps of the other compounds charted:

 

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Conclusions




1) Guess it's time to retire AS5 for me. Phobya HeGrease (name issues withstanding) costs about the same, is just as easy to use, and seems to consistently thrash AS5

2) Indigo Xtreme gave the best performance. But it is orders of magnitude more expensive and very finicky. I believe the cause of my application problems are a consequence of not letting the reflow process go long enough, but I’m not sure.

 

[txus.palacios]

There's barely a one degree Celsius difference between Indigo and HeGrease, is Indigo still worth it?

 

[Navig]

I present the data! I'll let you make the decision.


On the one hand, swapping fans from a $3 to a $20 might at best yield you a difference of 1 degree.


If you are benching and going for ultimate performance, then I would go for the Indigo Xtreme.

For typical real world cases and installs, I'd probably go for the Phobya.

 

[txus.palacios]

Ye, I mean for real world installs.

For benching and breaking records, ye, Indigo would be the way to go. That degree may be the difference between being the best or being the second.

 

[Conumdrum]

Nice post Navig. I think IGX has done better in other tests. Meaning a larger difference in pastes. Or is it that pastes are closer to IDX now? I'm sure you have read Skinne and Vapors input.

Application is the key for IGX. I think you got it right and pastes are close to max in engineering best thermal xfer.

I'll still vote for good premium paste, and not worry about the last 2C. If I worry about that, then ambient cooling isn't enough any more.

 

[txus.palacios]

Sudden question about Indigo.

That thing is a metal, and it's supposed to melt inside a little bag. What if the bag breaks and the melting metal pours into the socket. Dead?

 

[hokiealumnus]

Excellent post Navig! I'll have to try the Phobya stuff some time. I've got MX-2 (for ambient; haven't found anything better for application & removal) and AS: Ceramique (for sub-zero; not the best but it's $7 for 20g and doesn't break down at -196°C) coming out my ears right now, so it may be a while, but this gives me a direction in which to head. Thanks.

Also, re: the rather costly Indigo Extreme, a big +1 to Conumdrum...

I'll still vote for good premium paste, and not worry about the last 2C. If I worry about that, then ambient cooling isn't enough any more.

...especially if you swap heatsinks nearly as much as I do.

 

[Navig]

Its been a while since I've bothered to look at changing what paste I use. Previously all I've ever had around the place was AS5 and AS Ceramique (never really saw much difference between those 2).

Definitely convinced better TIMs exist out there.


Regarding melting into the socket. I'm not entirely sure how it works, but I think the plastic matrix dissolves into the metal, because after reflowing it, all that is left is the external rim of plastic around the socket. The metal turns into a sheet of something like aluminum foil, altho more dense and sturdy. I did find some extension off the top edge of the IHS like a drip edge, but it was fairly easily peeled off. Never really very concerned about leakage beyond the IHS--there's just not enough liquid metal there, and it probably solidifies anywhere beyond the IHS. If you are doing some sort of remove-the-IHS deal, well then the system isn't going to fit anyways.


I actually didn't (but probably should have) tested electrical conductivity.

 

[Navig]

I'm sorry, I should explain my terms for folks who might not know:


IHS=Integrated Heat Sink--the metal shielding that the cpu core comes packaged in.

Example: Legit review.