thermal paste question

[RHKCommander959]

double post

[ir_cow]

I like the Antec Dinmond 7 the most just because all the method like bee-bee size , 5 dot and spread it on yeild the same results . thefore you can be lazy on how you apply it. even "too" much doesn't change the temp very much compared to others.

 

There is a always too little but that applies to mostly all pastes

[RHKCommander959]

smooth peanut butter, toothpaste work fine too. I've never done the peanut butter, but I have done toothpaste back in the day when I was running for only a few hours. Worked fine and didn't run - i feel like mayo and peanut butter might run if things get HOT . I've heard of people using other things, zinc oxide or zinc pyrithione for example.

 

More on topic, Deepcool Z5 is rated at Greater than > 1.46W/mk, not exactly 1.46. Different companies, different tests, and different testing conditions. Application methods can vary too, and both have very different viscosities than can cause fluctuations with application methods. Something very thick doesn't like to spread as readily as something thin - using the rice-grain/pea blob in the middle of the IHS would have the thinner spread better with heat sink force.

 

Any modern, reputable thermal paste will do a good job. Differences will only be a couple degrees at worst unless you pick a "bad" performing TIM. Just check multiple reviews and make sure it is close to the best. Ultimately you will be limited by the flatness of the IHS and heat sink base, and the thermal paste (or solder depending on what processor we are talking about, which is a much better conductor than paste ...) used under the IHS. And if the heat sink is already at its limitations then spending cash on TIM is kind of silly

[GabrielT]

I saw a very comprehensive test somewhere once before, and it turns out that in a pinch...mayonnaise works well as a tim.   Mustard, not so much.  

I think the mayo worked as well as some store bought stuff,  at least for a little while.  The article is out there somewhere if you want to read it for a laugh.  

Well you might be thinking of my thread from back in the day. http://forums.overclockersclub.com/?showtopic=164465

I tested a lot of things but mayo and mustard weren't included. Also peanut butter was one of the worst to actually use, it was all oozy. 

[AkakmanH]

Here is a list and comparison for the top 17 pastes

http://ttp://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/geek_tested_17_thermal_pastes_face

 

Artic silver works pretty well and is not extremely expensive.

I have used it for years with no complaints.

[red1776]

I have used a great many of them and found IC Diamond to be superior to almost all

 

http://www.innovationcooling.com/

 

[RedFury77]

 

I saw a very comprehensive test somewhere once before, and it turns out that in a pinch...mayonnaise works well as a tim.   Mustard, not so much.  

I think the mayo worked as well as some store bought stuff,  at least for a little while.  The article is out there somewhere if you want to read it for a laugh.  

Well you might be thinking of my thread from back in the day. http://forums.overclockersclub.com/?showtopic=164465

I tested a lot of things but mayo and mustard weren't included. Also peanut butter was one of the worst to actually use, it was all oozy. 

 

Ha!  That wasn't the one...but you clearly have way too much time on your hands!  Good fun though

Edited April 3, 2014 by RedFury77

[Puck]

Almost all paste based TIMs are similar to each other enough to not be a big deal.

 

Coolabratory Liquid Pro/Ultra are liquid metal TIMs, which blow EVERYTHING else out of the water. Significant temp drops, but terribly corrosive to aluminum so make sure your heatsink base is copper or nickel.