Arctic Silver 5

[_aurora_]

Is it worth paying £5.95 for "Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound" or just get "Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Paste" for £1.99 ?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_/202-8864325-7395055?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Arctic+Silver+5

 

[c0llin]

Check Ebay, at least here in the US there are a ton of small computer shops offering all of those on the cheap on there.

 

[MadHacker]

Duno... Google some reviews and see what you can come up with

 

[chunkymonster]

Thermal paste, is just that, a paste, as in a glue...whereas thermal compound is not...sometimes the terms are used interchangeably, but make sure whatever you buy is not actually a thermal paste.

I've come to prefer the Arctic Silver Ceramique over the Silver 5 as the Ceramique offers (about) the same thermal performance and is not conductive, but mostly because the Ceramique does not require reapplication after a few months like the Silver 5 does.

Either way, good luck!

 

[Guest]

I think it is.

 

[piratepast40]

Edit - oops, never mind

 

[ZOldDude]

Is it worth paying £5.95 for "Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound" or just get "Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Paste" for £1.99 ?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_w_h_/202-8864325-7395055?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Arctic+Silver+5

Short answere is "NO".

After years of building I don't see any real world gain from using "the big bucks TIM" over using whatever TIM come with an aftermarket HS or even over the generic "white/grey goopy stuff" that sales for 99 cents a pack.

In fact a 99 cent pack of cheep white silicone thermal grease (TIM) works very well IF you correctly pre-clean both the HS and CPU...and use the correct amount of TIM.
The 99 cent pack when correctly used in fact is enough for up to -eight- HS/CPU installs.

 

[jimmysmitty]

I like AS5, the one thats shiny like silver. But I do have the stuff that comes with Zalmans CPNS9700 and it woorks just as well.

It really just depends on how thin you can apply the paste, the Zalman TIM comes with a brush , and how flat your HSF and CPU's HSF is.

 

[_aurora_]

Ok thanks. I think I'll go with the "Arctic Silver Ceramique", if its true that I would have to re-apply the Arctic Silver 5 after a few months. So would this do?

Arctic Silver Ceramique http://www.ebuyer.com/product/139174

Arctic Silver ArctiClean http://www.ebuyer.com/product/139175

How do you guys apply it? I've seen people spead it on with a plastic bag over a finger and others just put a line across the cpu.

 

[mikeynavy1976]

Why would you have to reappy the Arctic Silver after a few months? That's the first I've heard. I just went to their web site and it says nothing of the sort...just that there is a break in period for maximum thermal performance. In fact, it says that Arctic Silver 5 has a better thermal conductor rating that Ceramique.

 

[The_Blood_Raven]

Neither, OCZ Freeze and Arctic Cooling MX-2 perform better, do not conduct electricity, and do not have to be reapplied for years. The OCZ Freeze has PERFECT consistancy, it is very similar to AS5, but slightly thicker and easier to spread.

 

[Reynod]

Ask dasickninja ... he is the expert on TIM.

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/16920.aspx