Hyper 212+ and Thermal Paste Questions!

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idjlee96

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I have a few questions regarding the above.

I am going to be using the CM Hyper 212+ for my new build.

My first question is what is a good Thermal Paste? I know the Hyper 212 comes with a Thermal Paste but I am looking for a more high quality one.

I was looking at the AS5 which has pretty good reviews and is really popular on Newegg, but I have heard from pros on other posts that the AS5 is now sort of outdated and isn't really that good. Due to things like the cure time, conductive.
Is this true?

And what might be a better quality TP at the moment?

Also, I know that the Hyper Plus is a HDP heatsink and there is a certain way to apply Thermal Paste on HDP Heatsinks.

HDT_TIM_Application_Two_Lines.jpg

HDT_TIM_Application_Two_Lines_Spread.jpg


So, with the Hyper 212 having 4 copper lines (sorry if I dont know the term, new to all of this) instead of 3, I just thought I would apply an extra line.

But after looking at some Hyper 212 and thermal paste posts, I am a bit confused. Some say to apply on to the 4 copper wires and others are saying to just apply to the 3 silver parts in the middle.
I know it may be a small thing, but I want to get everything right and as good as possible.

To sum it all up, I would like help finding a good quality Thermal Paste and how to apply it onto the Hyper 212 HDP heatsink.
I hope you guys can help me.
 
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There is no "best" way to achieve what you want. There are methods that are easier to achieve your goal. I find with the hyper 212+ that's it's difficult to get the thermal compound to spread out evenly. They are often slightly crowned and being put on a CPU that is also crowned, making it have more contact in the middle and losing contact towards the edges. They also have grooves that soak up some of the compound.

I've had my best results by taking a credit card and spreading it over the heat sink very thin before I place it on the CPU. The benefit to having it perfectly thin is much smaller than the dangers of having it not spread out well.

If you want to attempt to spread it out perfectly thin, I'd advise doing a test run...
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bystander

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There is no "best" way to achieve what you want. There are methods that are easier to achieve your goal. I find with the hyper 212+ that's it's difficult to get the thermal compound to spread out evenly. They are often slightly crowned and being put on a CPU that is also crowned, making it have more contact in the middle and losing contact towards the edges. They also have grooves that soak up some of the compound.

I've had my best results by taking a credit card and spreading it over the heat sink very thin before I place it on the CPU. The benefit to having it perfectly thin is much smaller than the dangers of having it not spread out well.

If you want to attempt to spread it out perfectly thin, I'd advise doing a test run. Install it with the 2 horizontal lines on the silver bars and fully install it, including screwing it completely in place. Remove it and see if it spread out evenly and how much excess or lack of compound you see, then adjust accordingly.
 
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idjlee96

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Okay, I have a quick question.
Reading some more, some places recommend JUST putting compound on the back of the cpu and use the heatsink to spread it out and put it on the heatsink.

Is this also a good idea for HDP heatsinks like the Hyper 212?

Thanks
 
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bystander

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The end result isn't different. However, I found it less consistent with the 212+ due to the grooves on the heatsink.
 
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buzznut

buzznut

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I have always used AS5 with great results. There are more expensive TIMs on the market, but one thing I can tell you is to use a thermal compound that is not white-one that has a metal such as silver for good thermal conductivity.

It is true, Arctic silver V takes two weeks to cure completely with periods of sustained use and also downtime. It will read slightly higher temps for this period, I'd say in my experience about 5C higher than normal. After which, it will remain a good interface material for a good five years. Other compounds I have seen dry out after only two years of use.

As for application, the method bystander uses works fine. I have a small detailing paintbrush I use to apply TIM. Some folks recommend using a plastic baggie and applying a thin layer with your finger. Find a method that works well for you and is consistent every time.

Where you place the TIM (on the heatpipes or space in between) does not matter as much as how much you use and how thin the layer is. I typically lap my heatsinks as they rarely are very flat, however the newer heat sinks usually are milled quite nicely. I have also been know to lap CPU heatshields, however I def don't recommend that to the average person!
I always apply the compound to the CPU heatspreader. Then I mount the heatsink. I always use the thinnest layer I can so there is no excess.
 
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buzznut

buzznut

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I say don't apply it to both. Use as little paste as you can. If the heat sink is convex (my TRU was deliberately as the manufacturer claimed it worked better that way) then probably the best method would be a single grain-of-rice sized drop in the middle of the CPU heat spreader and place the heatsink on top and secure it.

The bottom picture you show in the first post looks pretty good.
 
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quickmana

quickmana

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Oops, I forgot to say, I applied a small dot in the center of the CPU and mushed it around with the fan by carefully sliding the fan around a bit, careful not to break the vacuum seal that is created after initial placement.
 
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idjlee96

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Ok, So would I be able to take clear plastic wrap and wrap it around my finger and spread it that way. That is only for the heatsink. for the CPU backing I am going to be using a really small dab. Also, Do I do just a rough spread on the heatsink or like as close to the cpu backplate size as possible?

And just to clarify, you use the compund on BOTH cpu backplate and heatsink right?

Thanks

Edit: Woah, that was quick. About 5 responses in a span of like 10 minutes.

Anyway, I talked to a friend of mine and he is letting me use some of his MX4 compound. I am pretty sure it is a solid compound.

My plan will be to just apply the thermal paste on the heatsink as the picture above displayed and not to the cpu.
I heard that spreading it manually results in air bubbles and that just spreading it using the contact between the CPU and the Heatsink is best. If I test it and I take the heatsink off to see results, will I have to totally remove the paste and try again?
 
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bystander

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If you put a thin layer the heat sink, there is no reason to apply more on the cpu. The objective is to have the thinnest layer possible that completely covers the cpu. If you already have the heatsink completely covered, there is no point in adding another dab on the cpu.
 
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buzznut

buzznut

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Okaaaayy...Using the heatsink to spread the TIM would introduce just as many "bubbles" as spreading a thin layer in my opinion, but whatever. These air pockets will be pressed out when the heatsink is seated on the CPU. All the heatsinks I've used have been quite firmly pressed down on the CPU as this is required for good heat transfer.

In answer to your other question, I would remove the TIM and start over. For one thing, if you don't build computers all the time then a 4 oz tube is a lifetime supply. But in the interest of doing things as proper as possible considering the cost of these expensive parts, its worth it to me for peace of mind.
 
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idjlee96

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Okay, so from what you and everyone have been saying, I should apply the Thermal Paste ONLY on the bottom of the heatsink, and spread it out to have it a THIN layer covering the bottom of the heatsink.
Then just place it on the clean CPU backplate.
Right?
 
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buzznut

buzznut

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Yes, that sounds good. I prefer to put the paste on the CPU heat shield, but this sounds fine. As I metnioned, most important is to not use too much, or too little. When using an unfamiliar heatsink, I will do a test run including mounting the HSF and checking temps then removing the heatsink to check if I've used the proper amount. Then reseat.
 
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arson94

arson94

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No, he's saying he prefers to put it ONLY on the cpu, INSTEAD of the heatsink.

Your best heat transfer occurs from bare metal-to-metal contact between the cpu and the heatsink. Thermal paste's only purpose is to fill in the air gaps between the heatsink and the cpu as air can't transfer heat near fast enough. So it's basically an insulator that'll cause your CPU to run hotter. In a perfect scenario, your CPU heatshield and the bottom of your heatsink both would be perfectly flat and you'd need no thermal paste at all as you'd have 100% bare metal contact between your CPU and heatsink. Pure bare metal contact is a better conductor than any thermal paste. That scenario is the goal of people who have "lapped" their CPU's and heatsinks. This is why you only want enough thermal paste to fill in the air that would be present because of the gap imperfections between the heatsink and CPU heatshield. You want as little thermal paste as possible.

I hope that's helped clarify at least a little.
 
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davcon

davcon

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I usually wiggle it a bit without lifting it from the cpu and then secure it.
Heat will do the the rest once fired up.
 
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