Arctic Silver 5 or Zalman White Thermal Grease

[GLeger]

Actually, since most of them don't dry out in the first year, it's a close
call for most testing. Sure, they lose some of their gunk, but as thin as
the layer is (as it should be) it's not that big a difference. Don't
believe everything you read, do some testing yourself - I have.


I love AS, and I use it a lot, also use the stuff that Intel sends with
their CPU's in the syringe, it more about properly applying it than the
small differences in the composition at the two ends - meaning that cheap
is always low quality and expensive is always high quality, and that cheap
means less heat transfer and more expensive means better transfer. Now, if
you have some nice AS5 and apply it wrong it could yield worse results
than properly applied cheap HSP.

I just purchased a new Intel boxed processor and I noticed they no longer
come with a
syringe with thermal paste. There now is a pad of paste on the bottom of
the HSF.
I assume this is ok to use as I did!! Unfortunately the new processor was
DOA and have
to send it back for replacement

Gary

 

[Larry Gagnon]

Then, Larry, why have I seen so many sites revealing at least 12 degree
Centigrade improvements over cheap off the shelf thermal compounds? There
IS a big difference. The advanced thermal compounds are made by scientists
and engineers that know what they are doing, not by marketing experts.
They do cool things such as using several different particle sizes so that
there is a maximum surface area contact for best thermal transfer. They
also use much more chemically and mechanically advanced materials. The
goop that they use to hold the suspension is more advanced, the suspension
material is engineered through lots of research to hold up to high heats,
long use, etc. etc.

For the tiny increase in money for good, trustworthy thermal compound, it
is insane to not use it. Many years ago I made the mistake of using stuff
that I got from Radio Crap Shack. I lost a CPU because of it, it dried up
and crubled (the thermal compound), and I would have been better off if I
had not used ANY compound back then.

Larry, it is beyond me how someone who knows computers would advise against
such a cheap but wise investment in protecting HUNDREDS of dollars in
computer hardware.

[snip]

Nonsense. Perhaps you should read these studies below. They are just two
of many, which, if you spend a bit of time reading, indicate not
much difference between compounds:

http://www.dansdata.com/goop.htm

http://www.overclockers.com/articles907/

Larry Gagnon

 

[Chuck]

Then, Larry, why have I seen so many sites revealing at least 12 degree
Centigrade improvements over cheap off the shelf thermal compounds?
There
IS a big difference. The advanced thermal compounds are made by
scientists
and engineers that know what they are doing, not by marketing experts.
They do cool things such as using several different particle sizes so
that
there is a maximum surface area contact for best thermal transfer. They
also use much more chemically and mechanically advanced materials. The
goop that they use to hold the suspension is more advanced, the
suspension
material is engineered through lots of research to hold up to high heats,
long use, etc. etc.

For the tiny increase in money for good, trustworthy thermal compound, it
is insane to not use it. Many years ago I made the mistake of using
stuff
that I got from Radio Crap Shack. I lost a CPU because of it, it dried
up
and crubled (the thermal compound), and I would have been better off if I
had not used ANY compound back then.

Larry, it is beyond me how someone who knows computers would advise
against
such a cheap but wise investment in protecting HUNDREDS of dollars in
computer hardware.

[snip]

Nonsense. Perhaps you should read these studies below. They are just two
of many, which, if you spend a bit of time reading, indicate not
much difference between compounds:

http://www.dansdata.com/goop.htm

This one though it seems to start as a serious comparison falls off when the
author states he applied the thermal paste with his finger. anyone with any
brains knows that the oils in human skin contaminates any thermal compound
thereby reducing it's ability to transfer heat, prefered way is to use a
razor blade, edge of a card or even a finger covered in plastic wrap, but
never direct contact with human skin.

 

[DD]

Generally, the difference between one HSC and another has a lot to do with
the capacity of the installer to not **** it up, but there is a demonstrated
and significant difference between AS5/S-E and most other HSC's when the
installer has a level of competence greater than Bonobo

http://williamcalvin.com/teaching/bonobo.htm

 

[DanO]

IPA = IsoPropyl Alcohol ?

Homer, thanks for saying what I was about to. Follow the AS instructions,
TO THE LETTER!

Chuck, spread it, but don't apply it in any way that would let any of it
drip where electrical connections are because then it will cause a short.
Use a VERY thin application, and YES, transferring lots of heat is great,
but won't make much difference if a stock heat sink is used. It is using
a
high performance heat sink-fan paired *with* AS or S-E that makes the
difference.

Here is part of a reply that I got from the people at Shin-Etsu MicroSi
about use of their compound:

"It is very difficult to say which product you have in hand.
As for cleaning, we can suggest Toluene, Acetone and IPA.
As for newer products, we have an MOQ of 50-75units.

As for how often you should change the material, I would say once you
notice a change in the performance of your computer, it might be one of
the areas to consider."

I had asked them which compound I got because it didn't have a label on
it.
So they recommend Toluene, Acetone, and IPA (what that is I don't know) to
thouroughly clean the stuff.

Hope that I have helped.

 

[DD]

This one though it seems to start as a serious comparison falls off when
the

author states he applied the thermal paste with his finger. anyone with any
brains knows that the oils in human skin contaminates any thermal compound
thereby reducing it's ability to transfer heat, prefered way is to use a
razor blade, edge of a card or even a finger covered in plastic wrap, but
never direct contact with human skin.

Apparently you didn't read the review very thoroughly, the author did one
specific test of a poorly installed layer of thermal paste done with a bare
finger to compare it to the others, which he applied with metal blade.

One quote I did find interesting in the article, however:

" Both Nanotherms give you two grams of goop in a syringe with a nifty
shrouded tip that ought to reduce the amount of goop you get on your
fingers, and then transfer to your nose/forehead/fly zipper. Both Nanotherms
also have the usual list of good qualities. The only unusual thing on the
list, from the point of view of PC users, is the claim that they allow
"Fast, Easy Cleanup - No Mess". That's an attractive quality in a thermal
goop, let me tell you; I've gone through quite a lot of naphtha (it's useful
for so many things!) cleaning goop off CPU-related paraphernalia, and off
bits of myself. "

Personally I have installed hundreds of HSFs and other cooling
paraphernalia, and I've never gotten the slightest bit of HSC on my clothes,
skin or much of anything but the CPU, HS, blade and the paper towel I wipe
the blade on.

 

[signmeuptoo]

Sounds about right Dan. I will ask a chemistry major I know, she only went
through two years, but maybe she will know... In any event, that makes
sense, good one!

Gosh, if only I had the cash, I'd do a lot of testing to compare products
and build an authoritive site. Tom's and Anand aren't really doing a good
enough job. Heck, the test power supplies, but only for efficiency. They
don't do holistic enough tests and they don't control outside variables
enough.

Oh if only I had $100K I'd start something more complete. These other
sites refuse to buy products, so they only test what they get in. That is
no way to really give us the full scoop of what is out there!

Someone with some time and money and lab conditions needs to do some
testing. A clean room with a controlled humidity and temperature would be
perfect for testing the thermal greases and pads. And that is another
thing, no one is testing the pads to compare!!!

Blast it all!

 

[Leythos]

I just purchased a new Intel boxed processor and I noticed they no
longer come with a syringe with thermal paste. There now is a pad of
paste on the bottom of the HSF.
I assume this is ok to use as I did

The Retail Xeon ones I ordered last month came with it, did you order
retail or OEM?

 

[pisser]

Then, Larry, why have I seen so many sites revealing at least 12 degree
Centigrade improvements over cheap off the shelf thermal compounds?

I think you'll have to offer a link to that claim

Sounds like extreme bullshit.