Should I use my old tube of Artic Silver 3?

[retiredguy]

I was going to ask if there is any comparative testing that shows Artic Silver thermal paste is actually superior to other brands, but I got over my laziness and found that there is. OK – I’m convinced that Artic Silver is detectably better than all other brands to which it was compared and considerably better than some of them.

I have a tube of Artic Silver 3 left over from replacing a cpu a couple of years ago. Does anyone have an opinion on whether it is “good enoughâ€

[psiu]

The reviews didn’t address the thermal compunds provided by after market heatsink vendors such as Thermalright. Is it any good? It seems like vendors catering to the crowd interested enough in cooling to throw out stock heatsinks and replace them with something better would provide high quality thermal paste.

That kind of thinking would make you think Zalman would stop using crappy fans with their heatsinks too

I usually use AS5 when I'm changing stuff...and use the included stuff when I'm out of AS5, or for other people's computer

I don't like the integrated heat spreaders either....makes all the talent I got at putting that super thin yet even layer on an exposed die just worthless.

[retiredguy]

Maybe they (Zalman et al) think the "enthusiasts" are not going to use their fan (or thermal compound) anyway, so why spend any extra on what they put in the package.

I'm not sure what an "integrated heat spreader" is.

Any shortcuts to learning how to get that thin & even spread?

[mr. poopyhead]

here ya go...
http://www.dansdata.com/goop.htm

whether you believe it or not, dan's is always at least good for a larf...

[jhhoffma]

Have you noticed that all chips in the last 4 years or so now look all the same, with a flat metallic cover on top instead of the core and the L-bridges?

That flat metallic cover is the "integrated heat spreader" and keeps you from crushing your core like back in the AthlonXP days.

Old FC-PGA (Flip-Chip Pin-Grid Array) layout (actually CPGA for Athlons).


New IHS processor



Hope that helps

[amjedm]

Any shortcuts to learning how to get that thin & even spread?

I've never succeeded in spreading a tiny blob over the IHS or other. However, a couple of weeks ago I read about someone spreading the blob by using their finger (in a food bag).

Arctic do have good instructions on their website - have you checked it out?

[kittle]

I never tried to spread the stuff out. just put a little blob in the middle of the chip, and then twist the heatsink as much as permited before locking it down.

that was last January - so far, no problems

[psiu]

Any shortcuts to learning how to get that thin & even spread?

I've never succeeded in spreading a tiny blob over the IHS or other. However, a couple of weeks ago I read about someone spreading the blob by using their finger (in a food bag).

Arctic do have good instructions on their website - have you checked it out?

Just dealing with stuff a lot you get used to it, which lends itself to using your own (like AS3). I use my blood donor card for spreading...plastic baggies for rubbing a bit into the heatsink to prep it.

I can get a perfectly even thin coat on the IHS...just can't handle change and the "throw a blob and let it squish" idea.