Thermal paste

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Does using thermal paste on the CPU really make a great deal of difference
in conducting heat to be dissapated? What sort of temperature differences
are we talking about between using an average thermal paste and a CPU using
no paste whatsoever?

 

[DaveW]

The difference between possibly burning out your CPU, and not...

 

[Ewan Sinclair]

Does using thermal paste on the CPU really make a great deal of difference

in conducting heat to be dissapated? What sort of temperature differences
are we talking about between using an average thermal paste and a CPU using
no paste whatsoever?

Yes it does. Air does not conduct heat well at all, and that's what will be
sitting between you processor and heatsink unless you use thermal paste of
some sort. Here are the various thermal conductivities for some materials.
The smaller they are, the slower they transfer heat, and thus the hotter you
CPU will get. As you can see, air is like dressing you processor up in a
wooly jacket and mittens:

Air 0.02 W/mK
Conventional thermal paste ~ 1 W/mK
Silmore thermal paste ~ 2.80 W/mK
Arctic Silver II thermal paste ~ 8.00 W/mK
Arctic Silver III thermal paste ~ 9.00 W/mK
Aluminum 220.00 W/mK
Copper 382.00 W/mK

You'll also note that the thermal paste is considerably worse than the metal
of your heatsink for transferring heat, so you should be putting on as
little as possible: just enough to replace the air gaps between the two
surfaces.

Ewan

 

[stacey]

Yes it does. Air does not conduct heat well at all, and that's what will
be sitting between you processor and heatsink unless you use thermal paste
of some sort. Here are the various thermal conductivities for some
materials. The smaller they are, the slower they transfer heat, and thus
the hotter you CPU will get. As you can see, air is like dressing you
processor up in a wooly jacket and mittens:

Air 0.02 W/mK
Conventional thermal paste ~ 1 W/mK
Silmore thermal paste ~ 2.80 W/mK
Arctic Silver II thermal paste ~ 8.00 W/mK
Arctic Silver III thermal paste ~ 9.00 W/mK

Where did you get these figures?? Several places I've seen on the net, they
found almost ZERO difference between "artic" thermal paste and the regular
white stuff sold at Radioshack for pennies.

http://thecrucible.ca/reviews/thermal/performance2.php

Actually in this test the cheapo radioshack grease outperforms ALL the Artic
silver products!! LOL!!

Another test I saw showed in a few days of use the artic stuff was already
breaking down and causing higher temps than regular type thermal compounds.

 

[philo]

Does using thermal paste on the CPU really make a great deal of difference
in conducting heat to be dissapated? What sort of temperature differences
are we talking about between using an average thermal paste and a CPU using
no paste whatsoever?

get a good magnifying glass
then have a look at your heatsink's surface

you may be surprised !

 

[Martin Nikolaj Bech]

Where did you get these figures?? Several places I've seen on the net,
they

found almost ZERO difference between "artic" thermal paste and the regular
white stuff sold at Radioshack for pennies.

http://thecrucible.ca/reviews/thermal/performance2.php

Actually in this test the cheapo radioshack grease outperforms ALL the Artic
silver products!! LOL!!

Another test I saw showed in a few days of use the artic stuff was already
breaking down and causing higher temps than regular type thermal compounds.

Stacey

Hi.

That is most likely because they used to much of it, when you use Arctic or
similar cooler paste then you should only use a drop or two and then spred
it out in a very thin layer. Otherwise you will get the exact opposite
effect.

You don't get the same effect when using to much of normal cooler paste.

Regards
Martin Bech
Copenhagen, Denmark

 

[kony]

Where did you get these figures?? Several places I've seen on the net, they
found almost ZERO difference between "artic" thermal paste and the regular
white stuff sold at Radioshack for pennies.

The figures look about right, but relatively speaking, most of the
thermal compounds are close enough. Contrast them to air in a
worst-case or heatsink as best, and the thin, pressurized layer of
compound makes little difference so long as it's consistency allows it
to spread thin and even but not run out or degrade over time.


Dave

 

[Hank]

Does using thermal paste on the CPU really make a great deal of difference
in conducting heat to be dissapated?

YES

What sort of temperature differences

are we talking about between using an average thermal paste and a CPU using
no paste whatsoever?

TOO MUCH

Hank

 

[stacey]

Hi.

That is most likely because they used to much of it, when you use Arctic
or similar cooler paste then you should only use a drop or two and then
spred it out in a very thin layer. Otherwise you will get the exact
opposite effect.

The only place I've seen Artic silver beat radio shack type paste is on
Artic silvers website or from people who paid $$$ for that stuff. The clear
REALLY cheapo paste isn't very good but any of the white silicon thermal
pastes work as well as the $$$$ ones do.

You don't get the same effect when using to much of normal cooler paste.

So normal cooler paste isn't a "problem" when it's too thick but the "high
conductive" stuff is?

 

[Ewan Sinclair]

Where did you get these figures?? Several places I've seen on the net,
they

found almost ZERO difference between "artic" thermal paste and the regular
white stuff sold at Radioshack for pennies.

I just got them off a random Tom's Hardware Guide page. They throw them on
all the time. here's one:

http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20020916/cooler-02.html

I'd certainly say that they're a credible source.

Actually in this test the cheapo radioshack grease outperforms ALL the Artic
silver products!! LOL!!

Aha, so this site would be a stealthy Radioshack marketing ploy then

Another test I saw showed in a few days of use the artic stuff was already
breaking down and causing higher temps than regular type thermal

compounds.

I have heard of silicone based thermal pastes being subject to "creep" over
periods from 3 months to a year, where air gaps get left as the paste
shifts. Arctic Silver II was silicone based, but Arctic Silver III and
greater aren't. However, in the 3 day range, this is more likely to be the
compound adjusting before finally settling in. From the Arctic Silver 5
page:

"During the CPU's initial use, the compound thins out to enhance the filling
of the microscopic valleys and ensure the best physical contact between the
heatsink and the CPU core. Then the compound thickens slightly over the next
50 to 200 hours of use to its final consistency designed for long-term
stability."

 

[stacey]

Aha, so this site would be a stealthy Radioshack marketing ploy then

Ever compared them? A friend got -all weird- when I told him I used RS
grease and demanded I remove it and apply his fancy "artic silver". I saw
zero change in the temps.

From the Arctic Silver 5
page:

"During the CPU's initial use, the compound thins out to enhance the
filling of the microscopic valleys and ensure the best physical contact
between the heatsink and the CPU core. Then the compound thickens slightly
over the next 50 to 200 hours of use to its final consistency designed for
long-term stability."

And you expect them to explain that grease sold elsewhere for 5% the cost of
theirs is just as good?

 

[Ewan Sinclair]

Ever compared them? A friend got -all weird- when I told him I used RS

grease and demanded I remove it and apply his fancy "artic silver". I saw
zero change in the temps.

Heh, well, I guess the proof is in the pudding rather than the
manufacturer's claims

And you expect them to explain that grease sold elsewhere for 5% the cost of
theirs is just as good?

No, but it would explain the so-called breakdown effect that occured within
3 days.

I wouldn't be suprised if the Radioshack stuff was just as good though.
Making cheaper versions of fancy good stuff is a profitable business

Ewan

 

[kony]

I wouldn't be suprised if the Radioshack stuff was just as good though.
Making cheaper versions of fancy good stuff is a profitable business

Don't you mean, "making expensive fancy versions of normal stuff is
profitable"?

Radio Shack has been selling heatsink grease for a few decades at
least, long before any designer-retail heatsink compounds hit the
market.



Dave