10-Way Thermal Paste Shootout
 

When it comes to setting up a new rig, most of us if not all of us, understand that each component plays an important role in the larger system. Skimping on one item can have drastic effects on another, as in the case of an inadequate power supply and a high end GPU. The same also goes for the type of thermal paste we use. Most enthusiasts know to stay away from the generic stuff that comes packaged with CPUs and heat sinks but there are also a lot of inconsistencies when it comes to retail thermal paste. "How much is too much?" "How should it be applied?" "Does it need time to reach maximum performance?" These are just a few of the questions that many of us ask. Searching the Internet only serves to make these issues even more unclear further as manufacturers and users alike all have their own ideas when it comes to dealing with thermal paste.


Of all the pastes tested today the largest difference was 3.9º Celsius from "best to worst." This tells me that I can be sure that as long as I am using an aftermarket paste in good condition my CPU will be safe.

http://enthusiast.hardocp.com/articl...50aHVzaWFzdA==

the outcome is exactly what I'd expected; a ~4°C difference negligible for 99% of users out there.

TIMs are at a point they can hardly get any better... Only 4 degrees isn't much but there are still some people who do care about these 4 degrees. What I miss is a price vs. performance graph or something similar, because $10 for 1gr is too expensive in my humble opinion :no: .

price vs performance is way too region minded, meaning that pastes which cost a lot in USA can be had cheaper in EU and vice-versa

Is the difference realy that big ?

between $1 and $10 there's a world of % difference:)

same can be said for every hardware

ATI cards are a way better deal in Europe than the Us compared to the NV ones.


Interesting to see AS5 still playing with the new guys on the block, considering I have run out of ceramique but still have a sringe of AS5.

uhm here we're talking about $10 price range, VGA/CPU/other hardware, difference is several times $10 some times;p

for thermal paste, even that cheese did pretty good in my humble opinion; as long as you don't use white no-name goop, you're safe, so just get something aftermarket at the best price you can find it in your region.