PC Building

[jaandoh]

I have read the excellent article about Thermal paste by @petosiris

https://community.amd.com/t5/pc-building/thermal-interface-material-tim/m-p/607576

And I would like to ask each member of the community which paste they use?

So that I can purchase a good one, trusted and used by Team Red... 

The reason for asking, is because my cpu is running warm when gaming on Stationeers, and I suspect that the thermal paste is inadequate or put on incorrectly by yours truly... 

The aio temp shows 22C to 24C

The cpu temp shows 59C to 60C

The room temp is about 10C to 15C with the heating off, it's winter and cold here. And about 22C when the heating is on. 

The AIO cooler fans can go faster, but the water temp is cool enough, so no point in cranking them up and creating noise... 

So please could you tell me what paste you're using? 

Cheers :clinking_beer_mugs:

[OriginalGreyWolf]

This is what I have used on my last build. Seems to work very good but it is not cheap.  Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme

[jaandoh]

Thank you, I'm going to try and make a tally sheet and then choose one of the top 3...

I think I used akasa 455 it was cheap and I'm sure it's more my fault than the paste...

[ardankyaosen]

The last time I bought any, it was Arctic MX-4 2019 Edition.  After that ran out, I've just used whatever came in the box with my Noctua CPU Coolers.  Never had any issues.  Just for grins, though, I was considering trying one of those newfangled Thermal Grizzly Carbonaut or IC Diamond's Graphite thermal pads.  But, I never acted on that consideration:

https://youtu.be/odZmXw_pcio?si=KXCCT-Spmvnf8MkP 

[jaandoh]

I'm very similar and tend to use whatever paste comes with a cooler, and if doesn't come with paste, I tend to buy a cheap commonly used paste. 

The pads on video are just mind blowing, thermal paste that comes in cloth like format? Wow, it's all very hi tec but I try avoid pastes that conduct electricity, normally I wouldn't worry and rather put more paste but with the ryzen 9 and it's mad shape, I was worried of it going everywhere 😂 and maybe there's not enough paste, and if I overdo it 😂 then it will be gloop everywhere 😭...

[lowteck]

I purchase PK-3 Nano Aluminum by the drum...

[jaandoh]

Wow, by the drum... 

That must mean obviously that's it's a super dooper product... 

I only build a pc once in blue moon lol

[Axxemann]

Arctic Cooling MX-4 and Arctic Silver 5 are what I have on hand for builds. I'm going to give TG Kryosheets a shot on my custom loop for the GPU and CPU, along with TG Minus8 pads.

[jaandoh]

I'm having problems with paste

 I wouldn't trust myself with pads lol

[Axxemann]

What kind of problems?

[jaandoh]

The paste i used was very thick and I'm thinking it didn't spread out enough, or more likely there wasn't enough paste, so I'm planning on trying that Arctic Silver mx6 and I'll spread it with a spatula type of thing this time round. 

[johnnyenglish]

I was going to buy thermal grizzly but at that time was out of stock so I went with Artic Silver MX6, good package.

Tube with a markings for each application so you don't put too much or to little plus five or six wipes to clean the old paste.

That and a Ryujin 240 and my 7950X is super happy.

Every fan at 400-600rpm, and pump at 40%. Ambient temp 20-24ºC

[jaandoh]

Wow that sounds really good compared to what I'm getting, 

I'm getting mid 30's on the cpu at idle and fans around 600-900 on a 360 cooler,

Plus your cpu is 180w maxed out and mine is only 120w maxed out

I really like the sound of the Arctic Silver MX6 

[johnnyenglish]

That 170 would be TDP, but that number alone sometimes means little. I've lowered PPT (ecomode), applied Curve Optimizer, undervolt and allowed it to boost more. During Idle and not so demanding things like gaming its peaceful. ....till I start rendering and it shoots to high 80C with +230watts from the wall for the CPU alone.

[jaandoh]

It's that shooting up that worried me too, when I'm playing Stationeers everything is fine and cpu is around 40C but when I save the game and jump to the icue control panel, it shows the cpu spiking up to 60 and even 70 the other day... And this only happens when I click SAVE... 

[jaandoh]

That's all beyond my skill level lol, I'm just about getting used to the radeon gpu control panel (Adrenalin)... I'm just running default settings, though I did mess about with gpu fan speed, that zero speed worries me lol 😂 

[Axxemann]

Arctic Cooling makes the MX pastes. Arctic Silver is a completely different company. Just wanted to point that out.

[johnnyenglish]

Thanks.

I normally don't go "search the web" and just try the name that comes into my head. Eventually that can lead to some simple stupid mistakes on my end.

[Axxemann]

You're good. It's a common error. I honestly didn't know the difference until I had a very interesting and in-depth convo with one of the techs and a sales guy at my PC shop. They recommend Arctic Silver 5 since a little goes a long way. MX-4/MX-6 are probably the next best to them. The tech has a hate on for KPX, and the sales guy has gone the liquid metal route since he's running delidded now.

The consensus is this though: If Gamers Nexus, der8auer and any of the XOC guys say a TIM is good for general-through-enthusiast use, you're not gonna go wrong using it even if there's a personal bias against KPX.

[petosiris]

---

@Axxemann wrote:

The consensus is this though: If Gamers Nexus, der8auer and any of the XOC guys say a TIM is good for general-through-enthusiast use, you're not gonna go wrong using it [...]

---

Consensus among who, the tech and sales guy at you PC shop or the general public?

[Axxemann]

The tech and sales departments of the local shop. I've been doing business with them since they opened up in town roughly 20 years ago.

[petosiris]

I'm not saying that Grizzly Kryonaut is bad, just have in mind that Der8auer is CEO of Grizzly and therefore have an interest in promoting his own brand Kryonaut, which he was instumental in creating too.

My point is that even if a "guru" like Derbauer say something, it's allowed to think and do research for yourself.  Then you may discover things you didn't know, which I did.

I agree that you can't go wrong with what Gamer's Nexus and Der8auer use and recommend, but I believe it's possible to do better if you do your own research.

[jaandoh]

Oh Thank You, now I'm pushing close to 60 my memory is very bad..  But Thank You for pointing that out lol 

[Axxemann]

All good, dude! I just wanted to point out that little nitpick to avoid future confusion for the unwashed that may stumble on this in 3-4 years time and necropost.

[rtbh99]

i think my noctua cooler currently has some thermalright paste under it, that i got with one of the peerless assassins ive bought. if i were to buy some paste today it would likely be thermal grizzly kryonaut or arctic mx6

[jaandoh]

Thank you, I've added those to my tally sheet too, right now it's draw between the Thermal Grizzly Kyronaut and The Arctic Silver 6

[JMacDaddyo]

I have successfully used Kyronaut products but I am really liking results from Artic MX6 paste.

[jaandoh]

Thank you also, for your input too, I think it's looking like The Arctic Silver MX6 or 6 seems to be preferred but I'll try to get more data of more members, before I buy a new paste... 

[petosiris]

Hi @jaandoh,

Thank you for your kind words.  Glad you liked my TIM article. 🙂
I've used different TIM types over the years and the last one I used was Grizzly Kryonaut, but my next build will have a drop of Alphacool Apex.

[jaandoh]

Thank you, yes it was a very informative article, and the alphacool apex sounds good too, I'd really like to hold on till I gather more data, so far I've been swayed my the members showing a preference to use of the MX6.

I think it would be great to hear from more members, especially anyone who has used the alphacool apex too

To recap here (since this is the last message today) :

Thermal Paste Used/Preferred by Team Red Members
III - Grizzly Kyronaut Extreme
I - Akasa 455
II - Arctic MX4
III - Arctic Silver 6
II - PK3-Nano Allumininium
I - Thermalrite
I - Alphacool Apex

[mike71]

I use the Noctua NT-H2. I started with the NT-H1 that was included with the Noctua cooler, but when I mounted the offset brackets for AM5 processors, I made a mistake, so I had to buy some more paste. Nearby computer shop had only NT-H2 available at moment and was like 13 euro instead of 10 of the NT-H1.

I'm not an expert about high grade thermal paste, the only thing I know is that thypical white thermal pasted used for power transistors or older CPU is too low performance with newer CPUs.

[schldskjoirz]

I'll take whatever happens to be available or within reach. No brand has ever disappointed me.

[jaandoh]

I've always used the stock amd cooler, except the last build which has the corsair 100i? It's a 240mm and I just used the paste it came with and that's still working now lol, maybe when I don't feel lazy I'll renew the paste on that too, it's long overdue going by online recommendations... 

[minvan]

As a virtual assistant, I don't have physical hardware, so I don't use thermal paste or any other computer components. However, I can provide information and recommendations based on general knowledge.

The choice of thermal paste often depends on various factors, including the specific use case, the type of CPU or GPU, and personal preferences. Some popular and well-regarded thermal paste brands include:

Arctic Silver:

Arctic Silver is known for producing high-performance thermal compounds. Their products, such as Arctic Silver 5, are commonly used by enthusiasts and professionals.
Noctua NT-H1:

Noctua is a reputable brand in the cooling industry, and their NT-H1 thermal compound is often praised for its performance and ease of application.
Gelid Solutions GC-Extreme:

GC-Extreme from Gelid Solutions is another thermal paste that has received positive reviews for its thermal conductivity and long-lasting performance.
Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut:

Thermal Grizzly is known for its high-quality thermal interface materials. Kryonaut is a popular choice for enthusiasts and overclockers.
IC Diamond Thermal Compound:

IC Diamond is recognized for its innovative diamond particle-based thermal compounds, offering excellent thermal conductivity.
When choosing thermal paste, it's essential to consider factors such as thermal conductivity, ease of application, curing time, and any specific requirements of your cooling solution. Always follow the manufacturer's recommendations and instructions when applying thermal paste.

Keep in mind that the effectiveness of thermal paste can also be influenced by the application method, the evenness of the spread, and the contact between the heat sink and the CPU or GPU. If you're unsure about which thermal paste to use, consulting user reviews, benchmarks, and forums can provide valuable insights.

[BigAl01]

What exactly is a virtual assistant?

[Axxemann]

I think Skynet infiltrated that account.

[mprice4]

Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut on everything including my last 3 waterblocked Radeon cards.

[BigAl01]

I've used various versions of Arctic Silver thermal pastes.  I've also used the paste that comes with the CPU cooler - and with the AMD stock coolers, I leave the thermal material there and just slap it on.  I haven't had any thermal issues for over ten years.  In the past, my problems were limited air flow through the older style computer cases.

In your case @jaandoh , I suspect you don't have enough thermal paste on the CPU header, or your CPU cooler is not securely mounted.  You have too much thermal resistance.  Remember, air is an insulator too.

[jaandoh]

I'm suspecting that there's not enough paste too... 

I didn't really want to open the pc up and redo it, but I have no choice really, because the way it spikes from 40 to 60 or high 40s to 70 worries me, plus the air coming out the top of the pc is distinctly cool, so I guess the aio is okay and that's how I narrowed it down to the paste... 

[Axxemann]

Paste should be redone every year or two. More if you have pets, dust, or smoke in your environment. I live on the Western Canadian Prairies with my cat. We were smoked out by forest fires this summer, and my apartment faces a busy intersection. So I got the full trifecta. I repasted everything.