Ok if I have to use the supplied Intel Heatsink...

[g725s]

If I have to use the supplied heatsink with my i7 should I or should I not use the supplied Intel thermal solution on the heatsink?

It dose not cover the entire bottom of the heatsink. But I guess Intel has some degree of idea how things should be done. But from the searching and reading I've done it sounds like a heatsink should excellent contact with the processor with a razor thin layer of thermal solution over the entire surface between contact.

Also those plastic clips look pretty cheesey. How are plastic push in clips to maintain the proper contact between the heatsink and processor?

 

[JohnnyLucky]

If you are just going to do mainstream stuff, then the stock cpu heatsink and thermal compound will be okay. If you are a hardcore gamer or overclock your system, then it would be wise to apply a third party thermal compoound.

There are quite a few compounds that are better than the stock compound. In fact there are too many of them and just about every veteran has a favorite. My own personal favorite is IC Diamond 7 Carat:

http://www.innovationcooling.com/

Other veterans will recommend other brands. To be honest just about all of the compounds are pretty good.

Follow the manufacturers recommended application technique. Some of them will specifiy different application techniques depending on the type of cpu and heatsink.

 

[Conumdrum]

Another test.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=232141
Warning, the indego xtreme isn't for the new user by any means.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/271202-28-stock-protection-plans

 

[MRFS]

> How are plastic push in clips to maintain the proper contact between the heatsink and processor?

Short answer: THEY DON'T!! ;(

See confirming research here:

http://www.supremelaw.org/systems/heatsinks/warning.htm

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/prinso11adki.html

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233027

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608015

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065


p.s. You didn't mention which socket, and I assumed LGA1156 above.
Same problem occurs with the push pins on Intel's stock LGA1366 HSF.
See:

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/lga13sobbowi.html


Also, some of the HSFs above have backing plates that
are compatible with all 3 LGA sockets.


Hope this helps.


MRFS

 

[Conumdrum]

If was using a staock cooler, and have for many years at times, the pins work fine. If buying an aftermarket cooler, getting a backplate is the best option.

Most who use pushpins (those who are new at this) don't inspect the back of the mobo to ensure the pins are in all the way. You should ALWAYS have the mobo out when installing a new cooler. I don't care that it's a pain in the butt.

And if your new at it, you should practice installing ANY cooler before putting the paste on the chip. HS can be a pain to get right until your more experianced.

 

[g725s]

Well I've got the system up and using the stock heatsink. Highest CPU temperature I've seen so far is 21c. It seems to just idle at around 18c. I think that is pretty good from my i7 860's stock cooler. It is about 67f degrees in the house here though. I still need to download Prime95 on my Mac here and put it on the new build and see what happens. I'm not on the internet yet on the PC.

 

[Conumdrum]

21C is about 2C higher than your ambients. So I don't think so. What are you measuring temps with? Try Realtemp please.

 

[g725s]

I was using a Hardware monitor that came on the Biostar motherboard CD. I did download Prime95 64bit and ran it for about 20min before I had to leave. It went up to 67c on the CPU and stayed under 27c on the system running the torture test "blend".
I'll check out Realtemps, thanks.

 

[g725s]

I did download Realtemp. Only got to use it briefly. Did open up Prime95 for a very short time. And yes the monitor I was using is lower by 10-12c or so it appears. You can see in the screen shot that the temps went up to 70c or so. The original monitor was lower, I think in the high 50s at the time.

I don't really know how to use or read fully Realtemp yet, or even Prime95 for that matter. I did not have much time either and have to work tomorrow, so maybe in a few days I can get back to it more.

Click on the picture and you can sort of see the original monitor at 27c where Realtemp is showing 39c in that one row.

 

[cats_Paw]

Answering to your original question: Yes use aftermarket thermal compound, even with stock cooler.
The reason for this is that the Intel Thermal compound, if its already on the heatsink when you get it, might have been there for a longer period of time than 1 year, and exposed to many ufriendly elements.
There are many brands out there, i use arctic silver 5 becouse its available cheap and looks good in reviews.
Make sure to use "the minimum cuantity posible" and spread it over the procesor evenly (when i say minimum posible i mean you should use something like a old credit card to wipe out preatty much all of the paste, its supposed to fit into microscopic holes only after all).

 

[Conumdrum]

cats paw, thats not the recommended method of applying thermal paste. But people still do it and it does work okay I guess.

But I do have to call you out on that, in fact I took the time to find the AS5 instructions directly from the makers of AS5. Here it is.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/ins_route_step2intelas5.html

 

[dirtdiver]

There are actually many threads here about thermal compound application--one of them you can find here http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/forum2.php?config=tomshardwareus.inc&cat=29&post=255077&page=1&p=1&sondage=0&owntopic=1&trash=0&trash_post=0&print=0&numreponse=0&quote_only=0&new=0&nojs=0 and it references this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyXLu1Ms-q4 which shows different methods of application and how they spread. Biggest thing to remember is you want a *thin* film directly over the cores of your CPU.