Thermal Paste Specification Comparison

[watzup_ken]

I generally don't look at the specs of the thermal compound or pads. The specs don't tell you how the paste performs longer term. As elmariachi mentioned, some of these thermal compounds and pads comes with very impressive specs. Sounds good on paper, but performance degrades quickly due to the high heat even though you may observe a few degrees drop in temps at the start. Personally, I prefer MX4 in the past over Thermal Grizzly (which cost a lot more, defaced a few of my coolers' coldplate, and degrade quite quickly over time). Now I am using SYY, which is harder to apply, but works just as well and more durable. I feel the more "runny" the thermal compound, the faster it dries up.

Just to share the results between MX4 and SYY in my Maibenben MiniPC,
MX4 - CPU max @ 87.1 deg C
SYY - CPU max @ 83.9 deg C.

MX4 - GPU max @ 80.7 deg C
SYY - GPU max @ 75.9 deg C

Results taken after looping Heaven benchmark for a couple of runs. Application of thermal compound is also fresh for each test.

Over time, I've not heard the PC ramp up its fan speed, unlike when I was using stock and MX4 thermal compound. It has been at least 5 to 6 months since I've used SYY on this PC.

 

[elmariachi]

I generally don't look at the specs of the thermal compound or pads. The specs don't tell you how the paste performs longer term. As elmariachi mentioned, some of these thermal compounds and pads comes with very impressive specs. Sounds good on paper, but performance degrades quickly due to the high heat even though you may observe a few degrees drop in temps at the start. Personally, I prefer MX4 in the past over Thermal Grizzly (which cost a lot more, defaced a few of my coolers' coldplate, and degrade quite quickly over time). Now I am using SYY, which is harder to apply, but works just as well and more durable. I feel the more "runny" the thermal compound, the faster it dries up.

Just to share the results between MX4 and SYY in my Maibenben MiniPC,
MX4 - CPU max @ 87.1 deg C
SYY - CPU max @ 83.9 deg C.

MX4 - GPU max @ 80.7 deg C
SYY - GPU max @ 75.9 deg C

Results taken after looping Heaven benchmark for a couple of runs. Application of thermal compound is also fresh for each test.

Over time, I've not heard the PC ramp up its fan speed, unlike when I was using stock and MX4 thermal compound. It has been at least 5 to 6 months since I've used SYY on this PC.

SYY-157 is really value for money. Since it's popularity, prices have gone up on Amazon.
But no where near what you pay for Thermalright TFX. Plus, SYY-157 comes with templates for you to use if you do not want things to be messy and generous amount of paste as well. It is not as difficult to apply as compared to Thermalright TFX but you still need to heat the paste up somewhat if you want to do a thin spread. No way around for this kinda paste spread.

 

[watzup_ken]

SYY-157 is really value for money. Since it's popularity, prices have gone up on Amazon.
But no where near what you pay for Thermalright TFX. Plus, SYY-157 comes with templates for you to use if you do not want things to be messy and generous amount of paste as well. It is not as difficult to apply as compared to Thermalright TFX but you still need to heat the paste up somewhat if you want to do a thin spread. No way around for this kinda paste spread.

Yeah, I still find it hard to apply because when I use the spatula provided, the thermal paste may stick to it. Haha. So I ended up using more than usual to spread it evenly. I got no skill, that's why.

 

[elmariachi]

Since I have not updated my channel for a while, thought this would be a good time.
Here are my in-game temps with room temp ac set to 24 degrees.

 

[说好不打脸的]

As I recently bought the Cooler Master Cryofuze thermal paste and apply to my new EK 360 Basic AIO noticed its good cooling performance (spoiler with screenshot normal operating non gaming), I started to get interested in the thermal paste specification and below are some of the popular thermal paste comparison for quick reference:

Cooler Master Cryofuze: maintaining stability from -50°C up to 250°C.

View attachment 30457


Arctic MX-5: maintaining stability from -40°C up to 180°C.

View attachment 30458



Arctic MX-4: maintaining stability from -50°C up to 150°C.

View attachment 30460



GD900: maintaining stability from -58°C up to 392°C.

View attachment 30459


Noctua NT-H1: maintaining stability from -50°C up to 110°C.

View attachment 30461


Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut: maintaining stability from -250°C up to 350°C.

View attachment 30463

Spoiler: EK AIO 360 Basic + R7 3800x

View attachment 30465

The Cryofuze application feel is more like their past softer thermal paste which are easy to apply. Their last Mastergel Maker with oval shape syringe with purple wordings was very hard for user to spread across the cpu HS due to thick viscosity, which result in bad temp if user did not apply well. This Cryofuze is like a upgrade version of Mastergel Nano, you will not go wrong with it...

 

[说好不打脸的]

Grizzly breaks down past 80c. No one uses that anymore. Even Noctua and Arctic performs better in that sense

Very true, Grizzly Kryonaut dries up and harder way too fast liao. If the contact surface is not even, the large exposed gap on the side of the cpu heat spreader or direct die will make it dries up even faster. Also, Kryonaut is a no no on gpu VRM, The gap is too big between the heatsink and will become like soft plasticine in 3 months even the temp is not high...

 

[Yongkit]

The Cryofuze application feel is more like their past softer thermal paste which are easy to apply. Their last Mastergel Maker with oval shape syringe with purple wordings was very hard for user to spread across the cpu HS due to thick viscosity, which result in bad temp if user did not apply well. This Cryofuze is like a upgrade version of Mastergel Nano, you will not go wrong with it...

the main reasons i changed the thermal paste was because the original EK AIO paste on the pump does not really show obvious cooling improvement of temperature for normal usage about 65c range (non gaming) compare to my air cooler even though it is 360mm AIO.

I keep wondering why and it was not perform better even after playing with fans setup and I even have plan to buy new 140mm case fans.

Coincidently I have a walk on Sim Lim this Tuesday saw this new paste on the shelf and curious about its performance so I bought and to my surprised the AIO now performing much better below 60c even under 29c room temperature without aircon.

now I can forget about the 140mm case fan for sure

 

[ragnarok95]

I came to a stage whereby i just use whatever my noctua heatsink include inside the package.

 

[KleoZy]

hmm if you OC, yes, thermal paste is important. daily drive and work.. all paste work, just a matter of how much you trust the paste will work for you. I just stick to MX4 and MX5 as for GPU paste, since I don't OC, I just use GD900 cheap and easy to apply.

sorry, out of topic but I like this

 

[elmariachi]

hmm if you OC, yes, thermal paste is important. daily drive and work.. all paste work, just a matter of how much you trust the paste will work for you. I just stick to MX4 and MX5 as for GPU paste, since I don't OC, I just use GD900 cheap and easy to apply.

sorry, out of topic but I like this

Thanks. It's a different theme now actually. Got sick of red.

 

[Ark Law]

CPU not so much issues. It's only with direct die and specific type of dies that you'll have problem with the usual popular type of pastes. The thicker harder to apply pastes are always better for direct die and dies used on the rtx3000 series cause they aren't entirely flat. Only problem with these pastes is it's annoying to apply and you need to heat up the paste with a hairdryer and apply it. Alot of patience needed. See how thick and dry the paste is below? Like spreading bubble gum.

Avoid MX5 if manual spreading is needed. Paste is quite non-viscous, fairly solid and more sticky. Like way more than NT-H1.

Even cleaning a fresh blob of MX5 with alcohol swabs is a biatch. Looks like toothpaste, but it's as removable as bubble gum.

 

[说好不打脸的]

Some CM pastes have really good performance, it seems (MasterMaker Pro iirc). But I've read some instances where the paste has some issues of scratching the die. Not sure if the new cryofuse has the same issue, but might be worth paying attention to.

Yup, that's the Cooler Mastergel Nano, i got few scratches before, they say got diamond inside 1...
https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/coolers/thermal-grease/mastergel-maker/
Recently i had tried Noctua NT-H2 last few months when i purchased it tgt with my PC fan, it's much easier to apply and perform quite well....

 

[watzup_ken]

Yup, that's the Cooler Mastergel Nano, i got few scratches before, they say got diamond inside 1...
https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/coolers/thermal-grease/mastergel-maker/
Recently i had tried Noctua NT-H2 last few months when i purchased it tgt with my PC fan, it's much easier to apply and perform quite well....

I think it depends on how fine are these "carbon" based materials. Thermal Grizzly as I know should not have any "diamond" particles in there, yet it was scratching the base plate of 3 different coolers I tested. And these are not fine scratches but very obvious ones which looked like the copper base is corroding. I've used IC Diamond in the past for a few builds, but have never ran into this scratching issue before. But the flip side of IC Diamond is that when it hardens, it is very difficult to remove the cooler due to the strong bond.

 

[Lastwishes]

Avoid MX5 if manual spreading is needed. Paste is quite non-viscous, fairly solid and more sticky. Like way more than NT-H1.

Even cleaning a fresh blob of MX5 with alcohol swabs is a biatch. Looks like toothpaste, but it's as removable as bubble gum.

This sounds great for re-pasting gpus, or in cases where the surfaces aren't really flat. Also sounds like TFX (I don't look forward to ever having to clean mine out, lol).

 

[KleoZy]

Avoid MX5 if manual spreading is needed. Paste is quite non-viscous, fairly solid and more sticky. Like way more than NT-H1.

Even cleaning a fresh blob of MX5 with alcohol swabs is a biatch. Looks like toothpaste, but it's as removable as bubble gum.

That's where you got good consistency spread and good temps
It does not mean non-viscosity type of paste is bad. it's sometime even better.
At least I've use that and it does not dry up as compared to other paste, which will dry up when doing re-paste after 8 months usage. I don't even bother to use alcohol, just wipe and the left overs, use electronic contact cleaner.. which I use to preserve the new look of the board and to replace the thermal pads on VRMs.

 

[watzup_ken]

This sounds great for re-pasting gpus, or in cases where the surfaces aren't really flat. Also sounds like TFX (I don't look forward to ever having to clean mine out, lol).

I feel you don't have to remove thick thermal paste like TFX out often. Depending on how long you keep your hardware, it is possible that you just have to apply it once and forget about it even when you sell it away after 2 to 3 years.

 

[watzup_ken]

Avoid MX5 if manual spreading is needed. Paste is quite non-viscous, fairly solid and more sticky. Like way more than NT-H1.

Even cleaning a fresh blob of MX5 with alcohol swabs is a biatch. Looks like toothpaste, but it's as removable as bubble gum.

I've not tried MX5, but I've used a Thermal Right thermal compound (I don't think it is TFX) a decade back and it was so hard to spread, I generally don't bother to spread it. Just squeeze in the center and let the pressure distribute it. The same applies to the IC Diamond paste. With the SYY paste I am using now, it is hard to spread, but I still make it a point to spread it so that the paste will be better distributed. As some pointed out, thick paste have their advantage in the sense that they are harder to dry out. So to me, that 1 time pain of applying it is worth the trouble,

 

[KleoZy]

hmm.. pardon me. besides thermal paste, not too sure if anyone is aware of this. Maybe is to the extreme but electronic contact cleaners not only clean the surface of your PCB boards, but it does degrease dust or corrosion between soldering points. I have tested a few boards and found out that it does help further in under-volting.. Maybe someone here can give it a try to see if it yield better OC results, Besides this, I have a friend who was having issues with a pair of working ram sticks, but the board did not recognize it at first. After applying this spray. things just work out fine.

Spoiler: Example of electronic contact cleaner or spray.

 

[说好不打脸的]

I think it depends on how fine are these "carbon" based materials. Thermal Grizzly as I know should not have any "diamond" particles in there, yet it was scratching the base plate of 3 different coolers I tested. And these are not fine scratches but very obvious ones which looked like the copper base is corroding. I've used IC Diamond in the past for a few builds, but have never ran into this scratching issue before. But the flip side of IC Diamond is that when it hardens, it is very difficult to remove the cooler due to the strong bond.

Very true, sometime when "carbon" or "diamond" particles are bigger than normal within the paste, it will also create dents on the contact surface of the CPU heat spreader and heatsink base when heatsink fasten pressure is enough. So normally before i apply, i would use the paste spatula to spread the paste thinly on a clean flat glass to pick up any big particles (out of 10 times application, i can find it within 6-7 times), then scoop up the clean paste bit by bit until enough quantity for use. Then use a Credit or ATM card to apply nicely on the CPU or GPU die for thin smooth surface possible.

I only try IC Diamond once, it's really hard to remove as what you described. I remember i had to use a hair dryer to heat up the heatsink for about 3 min first, then able to remove it.... .

 

[Lastwishes]

I feel you don't have to remove thick thermal paste like TFX out often. Depending on how long you keep your hardware, it is possible that you just have to apply it once and forget about it even when you sell it away after 2 to 3 years.

My FX8350 and ATI 5870 is still running as a secondary system, so probably 10 years?

But I agree. I like TFX because it seems to be 'set and forget'.

hmm.. pardon me. besides thermal paste, not too sure if anyone is aware of this. Maybe is to the extreme but electronic contact cleaners not only clean the surface of your PCB boards, but it does degrease dust or corrosion between soldering points. I have tested a few boards and found out that it does help further in under-volting.. Maybe someone here can give it a try to see if it yield better OC results, Besides this, I have a friend who was having issues with a pair of working ram sticks, but the board did not recognize it at first. After applying this spray. things just work out fine.

Spoiler: Example of electronic contact cleaner or spray.

I've tried out Caig Deoxit on my really old rams and gpu contacts that had been giving issues due to oxidation (been bsoding), and it's been working fine ever since.