A few months ago, the first review of thermal interfaces on the site in two years was published. After testing 22 pastes, it seemed that it would be possible to take a break for the same number. But the release of this material only increased the influx of new thermal interfaces into our laboratory. And when by the New Year the number of unconsidered pastes again approached two dozen, it was decided to force a new summary test. As a result, today your attention is presented with an overview of the next 25 new thermal interfaces. I added three more from the last study, they will become some kind of "reference point" for comparing the results of pastes in different materials. It turns out that a total of 50 (fifty!) thermal interfaces were tested over six months.
Here they are, all 28 participants:
Let's start with a brief introduction to each of them.
Arctic Cooling MX-4
Perhaps the main novelty of the end of 2010 was the fourth Arctic Cooling paste - MX-4. In past testing, its predecessors have shown excellent results. MX-3 has become the best non-liquid-metal thermal interface, lagging behind Coollaboratory Liquid Pro by only two degrees (against four for MX-2). The manufacturer was one step away from ensuring that computer enthusiasts around the world could, with a clear conscience, abandon the impractical and inconvenient to use "liquid metal". Is it finally done? We'll find out soon!
MX-4 is supplied in a transparent rectangular plastic blister, standard for Arctic Cooling, molded on the front side for a syringe with a thermal interface. The packaging of the paste is quite informative. In addition to the standard marketing husk, some real technical characteristics of the product can also be gleaned from it. And besides, here are data on the performance of the MX-4, and in comparison with very real competitors. Many of them took part in this testing. According to its results, each reader will be able to independently assess the reliability of this information.
A four-gram syringe with a thermal interface is tightly sealed with a label, it will not be possible to determine how much paste you have left. As if specifically for testing purposes, the MX-4 also comes in 20g syringes (when I run out of my 30g MX-2 I'll be sure to look for one). There are already round cutouts on the reverse side.
The manufacturer guarantees trouble-free operation of its thermal interface for eight years.
Thermal conductivity of MX-4 is stated at 8.5 W/(m K). This is a little more than the MX-3 (the main thing here is that it is still more). Another major advantage of the new paste is its consistency: it is noticeably thinner, so MX-4 is uncommonly easier to apply and evenly distribute over the processor cover.
In the case of the fourth version of the Arctic Cooling thermal interface, I managed to get more or less “intelligible” prints the first time (the components of the test stand are listed before the test report itself):
In conclusion, I will add that the manufacturer recommends selling the MX-4 for $10 and $20 (small and large packages, respectively).
Against this background, the price of the MX-3 looks interesting, even intriguing. With the release of the new version, this paste was discontinued, and its remnants in retail have fallen in price from the initial $ 19, but are still more expensive than their successor - almost $ 13. Perhaps everything is not so clear in terms of their comparative performance?
Of course, I could not help adding both Arctic Cooling MX-3 and Coollaboratory Liquid Pro to this test. We are already familiar with them, so we will briefly refresh the information about these thermal interfaces.
Arctic Cooling MX-3
This paste comes in almost the same blister pack as its "younger sister" and is very similar in design. Only the graph behind here is less meaningful. The really useful comparative data on the Arctic Cooling MX-4 packaging is only related to the "cheat" presentation with a non-zero lower temperature limit: if you do not look at the numbers, it seems that the MX-3 provides a good 20% lower temperature than the MX- 2.
But what we have before us is a syringe with the same four grams of thermal interface, only this time with a slightly lower thermal conductivity (at the level of 8.2 W/(m K)), one can understand from the package of Arctic Cooling MX-3.
Thermal paste is a thick, viscous gray substance. It sticks badly even to the perfectly cleaned and degreased surface of the processor heat spreader, it is very difficult to smear it with a thin even layer over the lid.
The clamping force of the bench cooler comes to the rescue here - it is such that the remaining paste is simply squeezed out along the edges:
Fortunately, the thermal interface is removed without any problems. You can't say the same about the next participant in this test - Coollaboratory Liquid Pro.
However, the new Arctic Cooling paste needs to be compared in terms of efficiency. And just a "reference" never hurts.
Thermal paste test | Thermal pastes: Cooler Master
Cooler Master IC Value V1
This is the cheapest thermal paste from Cooler Master. It is very easy to use, but its effectiveness is not higher than that of various nameless compounds. Despite the pleasant price, the level of efficiency leaves much to be desired. We can only recommend this product for experimentation. Fortunately, it is not widely represented on the market and there is a great chance that you simply will not meet it.
| Cooler Master IC Value V1 | |
| Thermal conductivity | 1.85 W/(m*K) |
| CBO CPU, high pressure | |
| GPU cooling | 79.5 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| electrical conductivity | No |
| Viscosity | |
| Convenience | |
| Application tricks | |
| Price (approximate) | n/a |
Cooler Master's mid-range paste is about twice the price of the previous product, but how does that affect performance? Judging by our results, these pastes are very close in properties. The difference is noticeable only when applied to the GPU. In any case, the paste is very mediocre, and in the syringe you get only 1.5 grams, and the price per gram is quite significant. IC Essential E1 cannot be called advantageous in terms of price / performance ratio. But it's easy to use.
| CoolerMaster IC Essential E1 | |
| Thermal conductivity | 4.5 W/(m*K) |
| CBO CPU, high pressure | 33 delta T (22 °C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, high pressure | 38 delta T (22 °C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, low pressure | |
| GPU cooling | |
| electrical conductivity | No |
| Viscosity | 2 (1-10, lower number means more comfortable use) |
| Convenience | 9 (1-10, higher number means better use) |
| Application tricks | This paste seems to work best for "drop" application and can be used in cool rooms with temperatures as low as 15 degrees Celsius. |
| Price (approximate) | n/a |
This is the most expensive Cooler Master solution and should outperform the older thermal pastes from this manufacturer. The Extreme Fusion X1 achieves this goal by taking the position behind the Gelid GC-Extreme. Just remember to warm up the paste before applying.
| Cooler Master Extreme Fusion X1 | |
| Thermal conductivity | 9.5 W/(m*K) |
| CBO CPU, high pressure | |
| CPU air cooler, high pressure | 35.8 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, low pressure | 37.2 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| GPU cooling | |
| electrical conductivity | No |
| Viscosity | |
| Convenience | |
| Application tricks | |
| Price (approximate) | $12 (4.15 g) |
At first, we thought that the thermal paste supplied with Cooler Master heatsinks is the same as be quiet!, since the syringes are almost identical. However, when applying the paste, we found different viscosities, although the color was the same. This means that we are dealing with a different product or the same product, but from a different production batch. Such differences between batches are common, especially among cheap products.
Anyway, Cooler Master paste has a higher viscosity and is inferior to be quiet! according to test results. However, it turned out to be better than some third-party thermal pastes.
| Cooler Master (paste included with Cooler Master coolers) | |
| Thermal conductivity | n/a |
| CBO CPU, high pressure | 34.2 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, high pressure | 38.3 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, low pressure | 39.1 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| GPU cooling | 76.5 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| electrical conductivity | No |
| Viscosity | 2 (1-10, lower number means more comfortable use) |
| Convenience | 9 (1-10, higher number means better use) |
| Application tricks | This paste seems to work best for "drop" application and can be used in cool rooms with temperatures as low as 15 degrees Celsius. |
| Price (approximate) | n/a |
Thermal paste test | Thermal pastes: Gelid Solutions, Noctua and Phanteks
Gelid Solutions GC-2
We'll start with Gelid's most budget-friendly solution. Temperature performance is not bad, and is adjacent to the results of Arctic MX-2, MX-4 and Arctic Silver 5. But the paste is noticeably thicker, and it is more difficult to apply at room temperature. In any case, Gelid Solutions GC-2 is a worthy product with a price of less than $1/g - this is the most profitable solution in terms of price / performance.
| Gelid Solutions GC-2 | |
| Thermal conductivity | 3.8 W/(m*K) |
| CBO CPU, high pressure | 32.7 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, high pressure | 36.5 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, low pressure | 37.7 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| GPU cooling | 66.5 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| electrical conductivity | No |
| Viscosity | 6 (1-10, lower number means more comfortable use) |
| Convenience | 4 (1-10, higher number means more comfortable use) |
| Application tricks | The paste is easier to spread if preheated to 35-50 degrees Celsius in a cup of water |
| Price (approximate) | $6.50 (7g) |
Gelid Solutions GC-Extreme
GC-Extreme is the best thermal paste in our review. With it you will get some cooling advantage if the radiator is mounted with high pressure. I would like the paste to be a little softer, then it will not need to be heated before application. However, the heat produces a noticeable result, and we recommend it to enthusiasts and overclockers. Due to its high viscosity, GC-Extreme is probably less suitable for beginners.
| Gelid Solutions GC-Extreme | |
| Thermal conductivity | 8.5 W/(m*K) |
| CBO CPU, high pressure | 31.8 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, high pressure | 35.3 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, low pressure | 36.7 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| GPU cooling | 65 delta T (22 °C ambient) |
| electrical conductivity | No |
| Viscosity | 6 (1-10, lower number means more comfortable use) |
| Convenience | 5 (1-10, higher number means more comfortable use) |
| Application tricks | The paste is easier to spread if preheated to 35-50 degrees Celsius in a cup of water |
| Price (approximate) | $11 (3.5g) |
Noctua NT-H1
This pasta has almost become a classic, and it is still universally recommended. Is it deserved? Tests show that in terms of price / efficiency ratio it is practically not inferior to Gelid Solution GC-2, and the temperature characteristics are even higher. As a result, Noctua thermal paste finishes among the leaders of today's review, and the low price only adds to its attractiveness.
| Noctua NT-H1 | |
| Thermal conductivity | n/a |
| CBO CPU, high pressure | 32.2 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, high pressure | |
| CPU air cooler, low pressure | |
| GPU cooling | 68 delta T (22 °C ambient) |
| electrical conductivity | No |
| Viscosity | 6 (1-10, lower number means more comfortable use) |
| Convenience | |
| Application tricks | The paste is easier to spread if preheated to 35-50 degrees Celsius in a cup of water |
| Price (approximate) | $6 |
The thermal grease supplied with Phanteks coolers contains diamond nanoparticles. In terms of thermal efficiency, it approaches Gelid GC-Extreme, and is even easier to apply. TH-NDC is close to Cooler Master Extreme Fusion X1, but suitable even for beginners. Phanteks needs to be commended for what TH-NDC provides along with the coolers.
| Phanteks TH-NDC (paste included with Phanteks coolers) | |
| Thermal conductivity | n/a |
| CBO CPU, high pressure | 32 delta T (22 °C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, high pressure | 35.6 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, low pressure | 37 delta T (22 °C ambient) |
| GPU cooling | 65.5 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| electrical conductivity | No |
| Viscosity | 4 (1-10, lower number means more comfortable use) |
| Convenience | 5 (1-10, higher number means more comfortable use) |
| Application tricks | The paste is easier to spread if preheated to 35-50 degrees Celsius in a cup of water |
| Price (approximate) | n/a |
Thermal paste test | Thermal paste: Prolimatech
Prolimatech PK-1
Judging by the price, this paste definitely does not belong to the entry level. But what is its effectiveness? The name Nano aluminum sounds impressive, but we are interested in the test results. Paste PK-1 performed quite well, but there is nothing outstanding in its results. Everything is spoiled by the high price. At this price, there are better solutions, even if you take into account the ease of application.
| Prolimatech PK-1 | |
| Thermal conductivity | 10.2 W/(m*K) |
| CBO CPU, high pressure | 32.8 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, high pressure | 36.3 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, low pressure | 37.3 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| GPU cooling | 67 delta T (22 °C ambient) |
| electrical conductivity | No |
| Viscosity | |
| Convenience | 8 (1-10, higher number means more comfortable use) |
| Application tricks | This paste seems to work best for "drip" application and can be used in rooms with temperatures as low as 21 degrees Celsius. |
| Price (approximate) | $9 (5 g) |
Prolimatech PK-2
Prolimatech offers more than one thermal paste. The PK-2 blend in the green box provides a higher potency than PK-1. Although she is not among the leaders, the results still make a good impression.
| Prolimatech PK-2 | |
| Thermal conductivity | 10.2 W/(m*K) |
| CBO CPU, high pressure | 32.5 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, high pressure | 36.1 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| CPU air cooler, low pressure | 37.1 delta T (22°C ambient) |
| GPU cooling | 66 delta T (22 °C ambient) |
| electrical conductivity | No |
| Viscosity | 3 (1-10, lower number means more comfortable use) |
| Convenience | 8 (1-10, higher number means more comfortable use) |
| Application tricks | The paste is easier to spread if preheated to 35-50 degrees Celsius in a cup of water |
| Price (approximate) | $9 (5 g) |
- a multicomponent plastic substance that serves to improve thermal conductivity between the central chip and the cooling system. During operation, the processor crystals become very hot, the heatsink receives the generated heat and transfers it to the environment using a fan. In order for this process to take place with the greatest efficiency, there should be no air spaces between the processor and the heatsink. CPU thermal paste improves heat transfer between these two surfaces, and when properly applied, completely eliminates the appearance of air bubbles.
The high heat-conducting properties of the pastes are provided by micro-dispersed additives, which provide the required level of heat transfer. Types of thermal pastes for the processor may differ in the components included in their composition:
- aluminum or zinc oxides;
- metals (silver, tungsten);
- diamond microcrystals;
- boron or aluminum nitrides;
- graphite;
- liquid metals (indium, gallium) or their alloys.
The basis for any thermal paste is synthetic (sometimes mineral) oil or a mixture with low volatility.
Different in component composition, thermal pastes can give different degrees of heat transfer. Thermal conductivity, viscosity and thermal resistance are the main characteristics of thermal pastes for the processor. The effectiveness of the lubricant will depend on the level of these indicators.
Thermal conductivity is a quantitative characteristic of a substance that determines the ability to transfer heat from more heated particles to less hot ones. The higher this parameter, the better the thermal paste for the processor.
The thermal conductivity coefficient is expressed in W/m*K (Watts per meter per Kelvin). It characterizes the amount of heat passing per unit of time through a unit area at a unit temperature difference of 1 K.
On average, the thermal conductivity of the most popular thermal pastes ranges from 3 to 10 W / m * K, but can reach up to 75 W / m * K.
Thermal resistance is the ability of a substance to prevent the spread of thermal energy. We can say that this is the reciprocal of thermal conductivity. In a good thermal paste, this indicator will be low (it is measured in K / W).
Viscosity is a dynamic characteristic of a substance that determines the degree of resistance of fluid bodies to the internal movement of particles.
Good thermal paste for the processor should not spread over the surface, but too thick a consistency will prevent proper application. Optimum viscosity from 160 to 500 Pa*s (Pascal per second). The thermal paste should look like thick toothpaste.
The thermal conductivity of thermal paste is 50 times higher than that of air, and several times lower than that of the metal part of the cooling system. Thermal lubrication should ensure uniform adhesion of the heatsink and processor, but at the same time not interfere with the tightest possible fit of these parts. Too thick thermal paste for the processor will prevent you from applying a perfectly thin layer, and too liquid thermal paste is unevenly distributed over the surface.
The above characteristics allow you to make a quality choice of lubricant for the processor. You can easily determine which thermal paste for the processor is better, guided by the manufacturer's data on the package:
- thermal conductivity must be at least 3 W / m * K, the higher this indicator, the better the heat transfer between the parts;
- the viscosity index should vary between 150-500 Pa * s, a substance with a lower and higher value will cause difficulties in application;
- the best option would be thermal paste for a processor on a metal and ceramic basis, carbon grease has the best characteristics, but its cost is high;
- it is important to pay attention to the wear resistance of the product, 12 months is considered normal.
cpu thermal paste price
Thermal pastes for the processor differ not only in quality characteristics, but also in cost. It would be wrong to say that only expensive lubricant will give the best result. The price of thermal paste for the processor is not a determining factor when choosing, because different circumstances affect the cost.
Budget thermal interfaces
They are known to any user who at least once tried to clean the computer on his own. KPT-8 and Alsil, cost around 100 rubles, have a silicone base and zinc oxide in their composition. Domestic thermal paste for the processor is inexpensive, but also has low thermal conductivity.
The silicone base dries quickly and the paste needs to be changed frequently. This paste can be used if the computer is not subjected to high loads. The tube is large enough for 20 applications.
We can note the thermal pastes for the processor from DeepCool, which do not have outstanding characteristics, but are still head and shoulders above their Russian counterparts. Their thermal conductivity is at the level of 3-4 W / m * K, they withstand temperatures from -50 to 300 ° C. Quite affordable price - 200-300 rubles per tube. Suitable for office computers and home budget models.
Conclusion: cheap thermal paste for the processor is better than running a computer without it at all.
Mid-Range Thermal Greases
Even the cost of shipping to our country can affect the price of thermal paste. The components included in the thermal paste for the processor are also significantly reflected in the price tag.
Carbon fiber is not cheap, but has a very high thermal conductivity. An excellent option for such thermal paste is Arctic Cooling MX-2 with 5.6 W / m * K. The price is about 50 rubles per gram. In all tests, this thermal interface exhibits the highest qualities: ease of application, high temperature range, long service life.
The popular Zalman paste today has a high viscosity and is difficult to apply, but does not lose its properties for a long time. Perfect for those users who often use the resources of their computer at full capacity. Zalman is not always found on the shelves of retail stores, more often it comes with branded cooling systems.
When choosing thermal paste, we must not forget that liquid metal based grease is only suitable for copper radiators, an aluminum part can simply be ruined. An example is Coollaboratory Liquid PRO + CS, high quality, the price per tube is around 1000 rubles. The entire line of thermal pastes from this company does an excellent job.
Conclusion: a correctly selected paste with the highest possible characteristics will cool the processor with high efficiency.
Expensive thermal pastes
The price of thermal paste for a processor can reach sky-high heights - up to 8,000 rubles. Before you buy a high-cost thermal paste, you need to decide if you need it. Often such lubricants are designed for water cooling systems. For example, Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut TG-K-100-R or Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut TG-H-100-R). These thermal pastes for the processor have the highest performance, but it is absolutely not necessary to use them for ordinary coolers. Of course, Thermal Grizzly grease is ideal for owners of top-end PCs and overclockers.
Conclusion: when choosing thermal paste, focus not on the price, but on the purpose and characteristics.
There are no unified rules about the timing after which the replacement of thermal paste becomes a necessity. Everything is individual and depends on the operating conditions of the computer. How often the processor overheats, in what temperature mode the system unit operates, and what was the quality of the thermal paste applied earlier.
You can understand how often you need to change the thermal paste for the processor, guided by a few general points:
- if the thermal paste for the processor has not changed for more than 2 years, then it is definitely time to apply a new one;
- if the system unit is opened for cleaning, then it is necessary to lubricate the processor;
- if the computer freezes, one of the possible reasons may be dried thermal paste for the processor.
A competent user knows that you can monitor the temperature of the processor using special programs or by installing a speed controller with a temperature control sensor in the computer case. In case of excessive overheating of the central chip, it may be necessary to immediately change the thermal paste, since the applied layer can simply dry out from high loads.
The thermal paste for the processor is applied in a very thin layer of 0.5-1 mm, too thick a layer will prevent the processor from tightly bonding to the heatsink. It is only necessary to squeeze out a drop of lubricant from the tube - that is how much thermal paste is needed for the processor. Usually, thermal paste comes with a special spatula for application.
How to apply thermal paste correctly:
- you need to clean the processor and the sole of the radiator from the remnants of the old thermal paste, for this purpose you can use a cotton napkin, you can moisten it with isopropyl alcohol;
- only the surface of the processor is lubricated;
- do not allow thermal paste to get on adjacent sections of the motherboard;
- the thermal interface layer must be very thin;
- The paste should be applied evenly, without gaps or gaps.
After the paste is applied to the surface of the processor, a heatsink is installed, which is firmly pressed against the central chip with special fasteners.
cpu thermal paste expiration date
When buying, keep in mind that if the thermal paste for the processor will be used for home purposes, then a large tube is completely unnecessary. For one application, about 1 gram of paste is used. The thermal insulation layer will have to be changed after 6-12 months. That is, a standard small tube of 3-5 grams will last for several years. During this time, the thermal paste will expire. On average, it is 3-4 years, with rare exceptions, such as Arctic Cooling, which retains all its properties for 8 years.
How to choose thermal paste for the processor
The first step when choosing thermal paste is to focus on the power and needs of the computer.
- For office and home machines that are used for everyday purposes, any cheap CPU thermal paste will do. It is better to opt for DeepCool products. Good consistency and heat-conducting characteristics at a budget price. It gives up to 20 ° C cooling to the processor.
- For gaming computers of medium and high power, it is worth choosing a carbon or ceramic-based thermal paste from good manufacturers. Arctic Cooling is one of the best on the market, good options are Noctua or Cooler Master. High thermal conductivity, good viscosity.
- For owners of top-end personal computers with copper coolers, it would be right to choose a thermal paste based on liquid metals, such as Coollaboratory Liquid.
- For cases with a water cooling system, Thermal Grizzly products are perfect. The price of such thermal interfaces can vary from 2000 to 8000 rubles.
Before choosing a thermal paste for the processor, you should carefully examine the packaging. Decide on the desired characteristics, check if the expiration date is coming to an end.
If there is no experience in applying thermal paste, you should not buy a lubricant with a high viscosity level. There may be too many difficulties during application, if the result is not very successful, overheating and malfunctions in the computer may occur.
You can buy high-quality interfaces only in specialized stores and large supermarkets of equipment. In such places, control over product quality is higher, managers monitor expiration dates and there is less chance of buying a fake instead of the original.
When deciding on the place where to buy thermal paste for the processor, it is worth considering the fact that there are no stale goods in places with high customer traffic. Shops on the outskirts cannot boast of a flow of customers; commodity items can lie on the shelves for several years.
In a good store they will give competent advice and sell thermal paste of exceptionally high quality.
Even enthusiasts who assemble computers themselves rarely pay attention to the brand of thermal paste and often use the one that comes with the cooler or is on hand. But are all thermal pastes equally effective? We will try to answer this question and, based on the results of testing, we will choose the best thermal paste from those that can be bought in the store.
Theoretical basis
Before looking at the test results, let's understand the theory and find out why thermal paste is needed at all.
First, let us remind readers of the general information from the thermophysics course.
According to Fourier's law, the amount of heat passing through an element of an isothermal surface (a surface, all points of which have the same temperature) dS for a period of time dτ, proportional to the temperature gradient:
The factor λ measured in [ Tue/(m· TO)], is called the coefficient of thermal conductivity.
In this expression, the minus sign indicates that heat is transferred from hotter bodies to less hot ones, that is, the temperature gradient is negative.
The amount of heat that has passed per unit of time through a unit of isothermal surface is called the heat flux density:
Thus, the heat flux density is directly proportional to the temperature gradient.
If we are talking about a stationary heat flow from one face of the parallelepiped to another, then the amount of heat passing through the isothermal face of the parallelepiped per unit time (heat flow) is equal to:
where λ - the length of the parallelepiped; S- face area; Δ T- temperature difference between the faces.
If we consider the transition boundary between two different media and assume that the boundary surfaces of both media are isothermal, then the amount of heat passing per unit time through the interface between two media is directly proportional to the temperature difference of the adjacent surfaces:
W= α 12 S · Δ T
where S- surface contact area; Δ T- temperature difference; α 12 - heat transfer coefficient, depending on the contacting materials.
And now let's try to apply the above equations to the "processor - cooler heatsink" system.
First of all, we note that if the processor surface and the heatsink surface adjacent to it were ideally smooth, then the heat flux through the processor-heatsink boundary would be determined by the formula:
W= α 12 S · ( T 1 – T 2)
where T 1 - processor surface temperature, T 2 - temperature of the lower surface of the radiator.
However, the surfaces of the processor cover and the heatsink sole are not perfectly smooth. When these surfaces come into contact, microscopic voids filled with air form between them. And air, as is known, conducts heat very poorly, and the efficiency of heat removal through the interface between two such media with imperfect surfaces is not very high. In order to level the roughness of the surfaces of the heatsink and the processor cover, thermal paste is used, which fills all the microvoids and displaces air from there. When using thermal paste, the process of heat transfer from the processor to the heatsink is as follows: heat transfer between the surface of the processor cover and the lower boundary of the thermal paste layer, heat transfer in the thermal paste layer itself, and heat transfer between the upper boundary of the thermal paste layer and the lower surface of the heatsink.
The heat flux through the processor cover-thermal paste boundary can be written as:
W= α 12 SΔ T 1
where ∆ T 1 - temperature difference at the contact boundary of the microcircuit and thermal paste; α 12 - heat transfer coefficient between the surface of the microcircuit and thermal paste.
The heat flow inside the thermal paste layer can be written as:
W = (λ SΔ T 2)/l
where λ is the thermal conductivity of the thermal paste; l- thermal paste layer thickness; T 2 - temperature difference between the lower and upper layers of thermal paste.
The heat flow through the boundary "thermal grease - radiator" is written as:
W= α 23 SΔ T 3
where ∆ T 3 - temperature difference at the contact boundary of the microcircuit and thermal paste; α 23 - heat transfer coefficient between the thermal paste and the surface of the radiator.
Taking into account the fact that the heat flow in all areas of heat exchange must remain unchanged, we have:
W= α 12 SΔ T 1 = (λ SΔ T 2)/l= α 23 SΔ T 3
Whereas the sum of the temperature differences is equal to the total temperature difference, that is, Δ T = Δ T 1 + ∆ T 2+∆ T 3 , we get:
If we designate
then the heat flow between the surface of the microcircuit and the heatsink through the thermal paste layer will be written as: W = kSΔ T.
Coefficient k is called the heat transfer coefficient. The higher it is, the more efficiently heat is removed from the processor. For effective heat dissipation (high heat transfer coefficient), thermal paste must have a high heat transfer coefficient between the processor cover and thermal paste and between thermal paste and heat sink, as well as a high thermal conductivity and as thin a layer as possible.
Hence the first conclusion: no need to apply thermal paste on the surface of the processor with a thick layer. The thinner the layer of thermal paste, the more efficient the heat dissipation will be.
As for the thermal conductivity coefficient of thermal paste, it must be understood that it is tens and even hundreds of times lower than the thermal conductivity coefficients of metals. Among metals, silver has the highest thermal conductivity (407 W / m K), and the typical thermal conductivity of thermal paste is a few W / m K.
In order to increase the thermal conductivity of thermal paste, various kinds of metal dust or dust of some metal oxides are added to it. In addition, there are thermal pastes containing diamond dust, because diamond has a very high thermal conductivity - 1001-2600 W / m K. In general, graphene has the highest thermal conductivity - (4840 ± 440) - (5300 ± 480) W / m K, however, we have not yet heard about thermal pastes with the addition of graphene (apparently, this is due to the high cost of its production). But, most likely, it is graphene that will be used as a filler for thermal pastes in the future, when its production becomes cheap.
So, we briefly outlined the theory of thermal pastes, and in conclusion, we emphasize once again that thermal paste is needed solely to reduce the negative effect of the surface roughness of the radiator and processor on heat dissipation, and the thinner the thermal paste layer, the better.
Now is the time to get to know the test participants.
Test participants
Arctic MX-2 thermal grease is manufactured by the Swiss company Arctic Cooling. It is available in syringes of 4, 8, 30 and 65 g. According to the technical specifications, the density of the thermal paste is 3.96 g / cm 3, and the dynamic viscosity is 850 P.
Thermal conductivity of Arctic MX-2 paste is 5.6 W/m K.
Arctic MX-4 is another thermal paste from the Swiss company Arctic Cooling. It is available in syringes of 4 and 20 g.
According to the technical specifications, the density of this thermal paste is 2.5 g / cm 3, and the dynamic viscosity is 870 P.
Thermal conductivity of Arctic MX-4 paste is 8.5 W/m K.
If we compare Arctic MX-4 paste with Arctic MX-2 paste, then in terms of technical characteristics it is better in terms of thermal conductivity, but a little thicker. In general, they are very similar to each other. The cost of Arctic MX-4 paste in a 4 g package is $9.90, and Arctic MX-2 paste in the same amount is $7.90.
Domestic thermal grease KPT-8 is perhaps the most common on the Russian market. It is produced by the Moscow LLC Soldering and Installation.
KPT-8 paste is a viscous white mass with organosilicon filling. The declared coefficient of thermal conductivity at a temperature of 100 °C is not less than 0.65 W/m·K, and at a temperature of 20 °C - not less than 0.7 W/m·K. The density of KPT-8 paste is 2.6-3.0 g/cm2. KPT-8 paste is non-flammable, non-explosive, chemically inert and does not have any irritating or toxic effects on humans.
In terms of characteristics, it is inferior to almost all of its competitors, but this is more than offset by its low cost and availability.
Thermal pastes from Cooler Master are available both as a separate product and as a bundle with the cooler. In particular, this applies to the Cooler Master ThermalFusion 400 thermal paste, which is included with the V10 cooler. The only difference is that when you buy thermal paste as a separate product, you get a syringe with a spatula for applying it, and the cooler comes with a tiny amount of thermal paste (at one time) in a plastic package.
The Cooler Master ThermalFusion 400 thermal paste is grey. Its declared thermal conductivity is 2.89 W / m K, which is quite modest by modern standards. Thermal paste is viscous, easy to apply to the surface of the processor, does not dry out and does not conduct electricity.
Another thermal paste from Cooler Master, which is not sold as a standalone product. This thermal paste, which we tentatively called Cooler Master Thermal Compound Kit, is supplied with many models of Cooler Master coolers.
It comes in a small syringe containing 1-2 g of the product. It is a thick gray paste. Unfortunately, no technical characteristics of this thermal paste are given.
Thermal grease NT-H1 from the Austrian company Noctua is supplied both as a kit with coolers and as a separate product.
Thermal paste is packaged in a plastic syringe. According to the specification, Noctua NT-H1 thermal grease has a density of 2.49 g/cm 3 , and the operating temperature range for it is from -40 to +90 °C. The manufacturer does not provide data on thermal conductivity.
Thermal grease Noctua NT-H1 is gray in color, very thick, but plastic. It applies quite easily.
Prolimatech PK-1 thermal paste can be bought both separately and as a set with Prolimatech coolers.
It is supplied in a syringe of 5 or 30 g, as well as in a plastic bag in the amount of 1 g.
According to the manufacturer, this thermal paste has a density of 3.2 g/cm3 and a thermal conductivity of 10.2 W/m·K. In addition, the manufacturer indicates the composition of the thermal paste: 60-85% Al, 15-25% ZnO, 12-20% oil and 0.5-2% antioxidant.
Thermalright Chill Factor III thermal paste can be purchased separately or bundled with Thermalright coolers. The coolers are shipped with a 2g thermal paste syringe, and as a separate product, Thermalright Chill Factor III is sold in 4g packs (packed as a syringe).
According to the manufacturer, the thermal conductivity of the thermal paste is 3.5 W/mK. Color grey. The consistency of thermal paste is viscous, but it is very plastic and easy to apply.
GlacialStars IceTherm I is a thermal paste from the Taiwanese company GlacialTech. It comes in a 1.5 g syringe. The kit also includes a spatula for applying thermal paste.
According to the manufacturer, the thermal conductivity of this thermal paste is 4.5 W / m K, and the operating range is from -30 to +180 ° C.
GlacialStars IceTherm II is a more advanced and more expensive thermal compound from GlacialTech. This thermal paste also comes in a syringe, and the kit also includes an application spatula.
According to the manufacturer, the thermal conductivity of this thermal paste is 8.1 W / m K, and the operating range is from -40 to +100 ° C.
Currently, OCZ does not manufacture cooling systems, and you are unlikely to be able to buy OCZ Freeze Extreme thermal paste. Nevertheless, this thermal paste was previously sold as a separate product and was bundled with OCZ coolers, so we decided to include it in our review.
So, OCZ Freeze Extreme thermal paste comes in a 3 g syringe.
According to the declared technical characteristics, the thermal conductivity of this thermal paste is 3.8 W / m·K, and its density is 3.5 g / cm 3.
This thermal grease from the little-known company Stars comes in a paper bag, and it will only last one time. The manufacturer does not indicate any technical characteristics, so this thermal paste is a pig in a poke. Moreover, finding the manufacturer's website also turned out to be a non-trivial task. But there are a lot of offers to buy this thermal paste through online stores. Well, let's see if it makes sense to acquire this noname.
Titan TTG-S103/S104 thermal pastes are a classic version of the so-called silverware. They are silver in color and get very dirty. It is important to emphasize that there is no silver as such in them. Titan TTG-S103/S104 thermal pastes are supplied both with Titan coolers and as a separate product, but are no longer produced at the moment. That is why there is no technical information about them on the manufacturer's website.
The only difference between TTG-S103 and TTG-S104 is that TTG-S103 comes in a bag, while TTG-S104 comes in a syringe.
Thermal paste Zalman ZM-STG1 is available both as a separate product and as a set with coolers. Naturally, the packaging of thermal paste as a separate product and bundled with the cooler is different. So, if the thermal paste is supplied with the cooler, then this is a small syringe in which the thermal paste is only enough for one time. And if this is a separate product, then the thermal paste is packaged in a glass bottle, in which nail polish is sold.
According to the declared technical characteristics, the thermal conductivity of this thermal paste is 4 W / m K, the density is 2.42 g / cm 3, and the operating temperature is up to 150 ° C.
Thermal grease Zalman ZM-TG2 is offered both as a separate product and as a set with coolers. True, along with the coolers, this thermal paste is supplied in a small tube, which does not have the ZM-TG2 marking. However, this fact does not prevent us from recognizing the ZM-TG2 thermal paste by the technical characteristics given on the tube. So, according to the declared technical characteristics, the thermal conductivity of this thermal paste is 1.2 W / m K, the density is 2.6 g / cm 3, and the operating temperature is up to 125 ° C.
Thermaltake thermal paste in a small syringe with a black label and a red cap is supplied only with Thermaltake coolers. Unfortunately, it is not possible to find out its full name, as well as technical characteristics.
On the label there is only an inscription promising that Thermaltake will cool your whole life ("Thermaltake cool all your life"). This is where all the information about the product ends. The color of the thermal paste is light grey.
Methodology and test results
To test thermal pastes, we used a test with the following configuration:
- processor - Intel Core i7-3770K;
- cooler - Intel Box;
- motherboard - ASUS P8Z77-V PRO;
- memory - 4 GB DDR3-1600;
- drive - Intel SSD 520 Series 240 GB;
- operating system - Windows 7 Ultimate (64 bit).
In the BIOS settings of the motherboard, the fan speed of the processor cooler was set to maximum.
We initially tested with no thermal paste at all. In this case, the processor temperature reached 105 ° C and the Throttling thermal protection mode was turned on.
The results of testing thermal pastes are presented in the diagram.
Thermal paste test results
First of all, we note that due to thermal paste, the temperature of the processor in the test can vary by 11 °C. So, when using Titan TTG-S103/S104 thermal paste, the processor temperature in our test was 86 °C, and when using Zalman ZM-STG1 thermal paste, it was 75 °C.
The Zalman ZM-STG1 thermal paste was the best in our testing, however, given the inevitable measurement error, we categorized the following thermal pastes as the best: Zalman ZM-STG1, GlacialStars IceTherm II, OCZ Freeze Extreme and Thermaltake.
One of the most popular thermal greases, KPT-8, was in the penultimate place, surpassing only Titan thermal pastes in terms of efficiency. Well, as you can see, popularity and efficiency are not the same thing.
So, the following conclusion can be drawn. If you are overclocking a processor and every degree is worth its weight in gold, then choose Zalman ZM-STG1 or GlacialStars IceTherm II thermal paste (you can also buy them as a separate product).
If you are not a supporter of overclocking, then you should not "steam". Take the first thermal paste that comes across, since any of them provides sufficient thermal conductivity in the normal operation of the processor.
In order to determine what the best thermal paste to date is, it is worth considering the very concept of what kind of tool it is and what it is used for. Every year, and as experts recommend twice a year, you need to arrange a total cleaning for a laptop. Removing accumulated dust, as well as timely replacement of a heat conductor that has dried up during this time and has lost its properties, significantly reduces the chances of overheating and failure of the computer. After reviewing the reviews on the popular thermal pastes on the market, as well as enlisting expert opinion, the Mark.guru portal prepared a rating that makes it much easier to decide which thermal paste is the most effective and good in terms of ease of application.
Properties determine the quality and effectiveness of the product. So, the best thermal paste in terms of its properties should have:
- thermal conductivity, this is the main characteristic on which the principle of operation of the tool is based. The most heated elements are covered with a conductor for laying a "bridge" to the cooling system.
- Low thermal resistance, the lower it is, the more confident we can say that the selected product is really the best thermal paste available for purchase.
- The right consistency, this characteristic depends on the level of professionalism and frequency of use of the paste by the consumer, usually, users choose a thick dense agent, it is easier to level it without creating cavities with air.
- Resistant to temperature fluctuations, otherwise the loss of properties will occur before the deadline.
- Effective composition, here lies the question of price to a greater extent, since products based on copper, silver and gold have the best properties, and cheap ones based on zinc oxide or polydimethylsiloxane liquid, their thermal conductivity is lower, as well as the price.
And now directly to the funds included in the rating and earned the trust of buyers.
Budget thermal pastes
The first four products are inexpensive products. Let's take a closer look at their important characteristics.
1.Prolimatech PK-Zero
You can not worry about overheating of the processor after applying this paste.
The tool has excellent thermal conductivity despite the rather modest cost.
Depending on the needs, you can purchase a different volume, there are convenient syringes with a product of 1.5, 5 or 30 grams. Given the properties and price characteristics, we can safely say that this is the best thermal paste, it is especially relevant for processor processing. Experienced users have seen this repeatedly. The cost of a medium-sized tube is about 500 rubles.
- significantly reduces the temperature;
- low cost;
- different volume depending on the level of needs;
- Convenient to apply and store leftovers.
- composition based on zinc and aluminum will not have to be changed more often.
Prices for Prolimatech PK-Zero:
2. KPT-8
This is the most budget option for preventing overheating. You can buy both quite a bit of 1.7 grams, and a solid tube with a volume of 125 grams. The release form is classic - a plastic tube with a long neck for ease of application.
The tool has an organosilicon composition, can remain effective at a temperature drop from -60 to 180 degrees.
Price from 50 rubles for 17 grams.
- extremely low cost;
- the possibility of acquiring a large volume;
- pretty efficient;
- convenient packaging.
- hard to find small size.
Prices for KPT-8:
3. DEEPCOOL Z5
The ideal volume and combination of characteristics. A convenient syringe complete with a spatula for application will allow you to easily apply the product to the processor, transistors and video card. The tight-fitting cap securely closes the tube, opening up the possibility of long-term storage and subsequent use of the product during the next cleaning and replacement of the heat conductor.
A wide temperature range in work will be appreciated not only by amateurs, but also by professionals involved in the repair and configuration of computer equipment.
The cost of 3 grams is about 250 rubles.
- low cost;
- thoughtful set;
- excellent characteristics;
- easy-to-apply consistency.
- can stick surfaces together, making it difficult to replace in the future.
Prices for DEEPCOOL Z5 :
4. Steel Frost Zinc
The zinc-based composition perfectly retains the required level of moisture, preventing the coating from drying out. Thermal conductivity is maintained for a long time, reliably protecting the system from overheating.
The manufacturer provides a well-thought-out package for quick and convenient application of the product on the heated surfaces of the processor and video card.
The cost of a kit with a tube of 3 grams will cost a little more than 100 rubles.
- fully corresponds to the characteristics;
- ready-to-use kit;
- retains properties for a long time;
- has a low cost.
- has a slightly runny consistency.
Prices for Steel Frost Zinc:
Middle price segment
1. ZALMAN ZM-STG2
This is a great option even for inexperienced craftsmen. The kit includes a syringe with liquid contents, as well as a stencil, with which you can carefully apply the product and not overdo it with the layer thickness.
Its long lasting properties make it the best thermal paste for graphics cards and processors: it won't crack or dry out while still dissipating heat efficiently.
The cost of a popular tube with 3.5 grams of funds will be about 400 rubles.
- economical use of funds;
- acceptable price;
- long-term preservation of properties and efficiency;
- thoughtful package.
- for effective application, it is necessary to find a perfectly flat surface for uniform spreading of the product.
Prices for ZALMAN ZM-STG2:
2. Gelid GC-PRO
The tool has excellent viscosity, does not flow and is conveniently distributed with a spatula included in the kit. A tube in the form of a syringe allows you to dose thermal paste on surfaces without getting dirty or touching other elements of the system.
The composition is absolutely safe and non-toxic, and also allows you to store the remnants of the product for a long time without loss of properties.
The cost of 5 grams of pasta is about 600 rubles.
- easy-to-apply consistency;
- ready-to-work kit;
- high heat dissipation efficiency;
- small expense.
- produced in small quantities.
Prices for Gelid GC-PRO :
This paste has a carbon composition, on which high thermal conductivity is based. In addition, the tool does not contain metals, which allows you to maintain 100% electrical conductivity of all processed elements. A convenient syringe allows you to quickly and efficiently apply thermal grease.
As for the properties, the tool manages to lower the temperature from 20 to 40 degrees, and this is the best indicator of its effectiveness.
The cost of a tube is about 350 rubles for 8 grams.
- availability;
- maximum efficiency;
- economical consumption.
- quite thick and sticky, which makes it difficult to apply.
Prices on :
4. Arctic Cooling MX-4
A syringe with 4 grams of thermal paste is enough for a thorough treatment of heating elements, as well as for quite convenient application of it on the heated surfaces of the processor and video card. Residues without loss of properties can be stored in a tube with a screw cap. The purchase price will be 700 rubles.
- easy to apply;
- has an easy-to-work consistency;
- quickly lowers the temperature;
- economically spent at work.
- at high temperatures quickly loses properties.
Prices for Arctic Cooling MX-4:
Compounds with high cost
And finally, we present 2 more expensive, but undoubtedly effective means of our rating.
1. GELID GC-Extreme
The presented thermal interface retains its properties for the longest possible time.
This greatly saves money on frequent replacement of the heat conductor and maintenance of computer equipment.
It copes well with heat dissipation, retains its properties even at extremely high temperatures and does not dry out, does not form cracks. The cost of a kit from a syringe with 3.5 grams of the product and a spatula for application will be about 500 rubles.
- retains properties for a long time, allowing not to make frequent replacement;
- has the best thermal conductivity;
- ready-made kit for work;
- economically spent.
- sticky and difficult to apply.
Prices for GELID GC-Extreme :
2. Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut
Extra-class thermal interface and maximum efficiency. Suitable for the work of professional craftsmen who were looking for thermal paste with high thermal conductivity for top-end systems.
The composition is based on a mixture of liquid metal alloys, which justifies such a high effectiveness of the action.
Unsurpassed German workmanship. A tube with 1 gram of funds can cost from 600 to 1000 rubles.
- the best quality;
- the most thoughtful equipment;
- easy application;
- long-term preservation of properties.
- high price.
Prices for Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut :
Conclusion
Proper care of computer equipment and timely adoption of measures to prevent overheating of the processor and video card can extend the work for many years. As practice shows, it is also quite possible to acquire the right tool at a reasonable price, only some awareness is required. The Marka.guru portal presents to your attention a rating of thermal pastes that can protect the system from overheating and subsequent malfunctions that arose later.
