Should I change thermal paste (motherboard switch)?

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Vyper512

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Feb 25, 2016
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I'm getting a new motherboard in a day or two. It's the Gigabyte Z97X-GAMING 3.
At the moment I'm using a Corsair H100i CPU Watercooler.

So my question is:
Since I have to disconnect the H100i and put my CPU in the new motherboard, should I clean it and add some new thermal paste to it, or should I stick with the thermal paste that is already applied?
I have some Noctua NT-H1 thermal paste laying around.
The H100i is pretty much brand new and has been running since last Wednesday.

Thanks in advance!
 
Solution
geofelt
Whenever you remove a cooler, you should reapply the thermal paste.
Otherwise, you are going to get air holes and poor cooling.
Most paste is perfectly good, and there is only minor differences in effectiveness.
And... too much paste will act as an insulator.
Only a small drop in the middle of the cpu die is needed.
It will spread out under heat and pressure.
It is hard to use too little.
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Vyper512

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Feb 25, 2016
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I've just heard that the stock thermal paste is better than anything else... I thought that sounded pretty weird.
 
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geofelt

geofelt

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Oct 9, 2006
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Whenever you remove a cooler, you should reapply the thermal paste.
Otherwise, you are going to get air holes and poor cooling.
Most paste is perfectly good, and there is only minor differences in effectiveness.
And... too much paste will act as an insulator.
Only a small drop in the middle of the cpu die is needed.
It will spread out under heat and pressure.
It is hard to use too little.
 
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Solution
JackNaylorPE

JackNaylorPE

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Oct 30, 2004
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By the new paste .... and the best are cheaper than the more popular ones.

http://archive.benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=62&limit=1&limitstart=12

Avoid any conductive (liquid metal) or Capacitive (AS5) ones


There are some new ones on the market but the top 3 (oustide of specialty products requiring special installation) are:

Shin Etsu G751
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0AJ3UY3316

Gelid Extreme
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835426020

Thermal Grizzly Hydronaut
http://www.performance-pcs.com/thermal-grizzly-hydronaut-hgh-performance-thermal-grease-1-5ml.html

Can ya get away with cheaper ? .... heck you could get away with peanut butter :) (yes its been done and tested). But there are real differences in thermal performance and while 3C might not seem like a lot, it can be the equivalent between a $30 cooler and a $70 cooler and more than the difference between a $70 cooler and a $120 cooler.

A H100i with a great TIM would get about the same temps as a Noctua D15 air cooler and a poor TIM.
 
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V

Vyper512

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Feb 25, 2016
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Peanut butter? Hahaha!

But on a serious note. Is the Noctua NT-H1 any good? That's pretty much what I got laying around.
 
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JackNaylorPE

JackNaylorPE

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Oct 30, 2004
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I was serious :

http://forums.overclockersclub.com/topic/164465-you-got-your-peanutbutter-on-my-cpu-you-got-your-cpu-in-my-peanut/

As for the NT-H1, did you look at the 80-way TIM test I linked to above ? It got a B grade (page 12) in the test with a result of 38.45°C compared to the leaders which were 1C lower.

 
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