Thermal paste

I am Penguin said:
Sorry to bust the bubble. There are real differences between the white silicone compound and the compounds containing microcsopic size metal particles. I work with electronics and can confirm it is so.

Here is and interesting review for you to read.

http://www.techwarelabs.com/reviews/cooling/thermal_paste/index_3.shtml Reviewed by Jason Jacobs on 08.13.2003


It does not stop there. Polishing the CPU and Heatsink contact surfaces (the shinier the better) with waterpaper also makes a huge difference. Remember a huge differenc in electronic's may be less than a degree celcius.
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Yeah sure the point of the compound is to remove any air pockets that's why polishing improves the performance. However my point is colouring it with blue or silver is all hype and people are paying a premium for that believing it works any better than the stuff that's been around for ages.
http://www.fongyong.com.tw/en_product-silicone-thermal-compound.htm

Heat sinks compound / thermal compound is a white paste silicone product heavily filled with heat-conductive metal oxides. The incorporation of high efficient heat-conductive metal oxides promotes high thermal conductivity, low bleeding, and high-temperature stability. Up to approximately 300oC, the product is very stable to changes of temperature. It helps to maintain a positive heat sink seal that improves heat transfer from the electrical / electronic devices to the heat sink or chassis, thereby increasing overall efficiency of the devices.
 
Drake2007 said:
Yeah sure the point of the compound is to remove any air pockets that's why polishing improves the performance. However my point is colouring it with blue or silver is all hype and people are paying a premium for that believing it works any better than the stuff that's been around for ages.
http://www.fongyong.com.tw/en_product-silicone-thermal-compound.htm

Heat sinks compound / thermal compound is a white paste silicone product heavily filled with heat-conductive metal oxides. The incorporation of high efficient heat-conductive metal oxides promotes high thermal conductivity, low bleeding, and high-temperature stability. Up to approximately 300oC, the product is very stable to changes of temperature. It helps to maintain a positive heat sink seal that improves heat transfer from the electrical / electronic devices to the heat sink or chassis, thereby increasing overall efficiency of the devices.
Click to expand...

Here is another. Note in all of them the standard white silicone compund performed worse. The colouring is not the issue. Its the microscopic content and viscosity rather!

http://www.bcchardware.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=7188&Itemid=40&limit=1&limitstart=1

In that list, although the colour is all white you can see the difference in the thermal conductivity, How do you know what is in the white stuff you buy? therefore the colouring. Its rather a point of again you get what you pay for! The white stuff we buy locaaly are generally the cheap silicone cr@p and as you can see in all the reviews it makes a few degrees difference.
 
Drake2007 said:
OK yes that Tuniq goo looks alot better
"go with performance thermal paste that conducts heat better, isn't electrically conductive"
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That is the point I am trying to make. Therefore I always try to read reviews before I buy a product. The difference between them all are small but the difference to the standard stuff the manufacturers use are big normally. Manufacturers go for cost saving normally where we go for performance, at a price that is.

You do not want electrically conductive paste. It could be a problem if you spill on the CPU socket or motherboard.
 
I have to ask, why are all those sellers reviews set up with elaborate tests with some arb. PC specs where they can just quote the products thermal conductivity and be done with it?
Hype is the only conclusion I can see.
 
Drake2007 said:
I have to ask, why are all those sellers reviews set up with elaborate tests with some arb. PC specs where they can just quote the products thermal conductivity and be done with it?
Hype is the only conclusion I can see.
Click to expand...

Anyone hypes their own products. Therefore reading properly done reviews of different companies withdifferentopinions are the real mcoy, the results is what counts. The thermal conductivity is not the only issue here. The viscosty, tendency to retain form and structure, how it performs a few months down the line ect all is important factors.
 
geez, ok, so I took my cpu fan off to check the processor, wasnt much off that paste there to start with it seems, should one in fact wipe it off and reapply or just invest in a decentish cooler? Does one still apply paste when making use of a 3rd party cooler?
 
dudleygb said:
geez, ok, so I took my cpu fan off to check the processor, wasnt much off that paste there to start with it seems, should one in fact wipe it off and reapply or just invest in a decentish cooler? Does one still apply paste when making use of a 3rd party cooler?
Click to expand...

Some coolers have heat transfer substance already on the CPU block. It woild melt underheat. Those you may just install directly. You have to remove and clean the CPU contact area properly before applying the new cooler or if you are placing the original cooler back you have to clean the contact surface too, the shinier the better. You should not remove and replace the CPU cooler without new paste. I use waterpaper 600-800+ on a flat true surface to lap the contact area of the CPU and Cooler base. Then apply one bigish drop of the new paste in the center of the installed CPU contact area and then install the cooler. Do not lift, remove or twist the cooler round and about. Just install, tighten, check and test.
 
I am Penguin said:
Some coolers have heat transfer substance already on the CPU block. It woild melt underheat. Those you may just install directly. You have to remove and clean the CPU contact area properly before applying the new cooler or if you are placing the original cooler back you have to clean the contact surface too, the shinier the better. You should not remove and replace the CPU cooler without new paste. I use waterpaper 600-800+ on a flat true surface to lap the contact area of the CPU and Cooler base. Then apply one bigish drop of the new paste in the center of the installed CPU contact area and then install the cooler. Do not lift, remove or twist the cooler round and about. Just install, tighten, check and test.
Click to expand...

excellent thank you, ya, this is definitely a paste, not much actually there when I lifted the fan, so I'm going to have to clean it up and reinstall, sounds like a pain, especially when I'm not very good with my hands...eeek :)
Isnt there like like something better to use nowadays? Does one still need paste even if i'm getting one of these cooler jobs?
 
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