Recently applied new thermal grease, and it is now warmer

[thorkle]

I recently removed my arcitc silver 5 from my intel q9400 (I used the 2 piece arctic thermal grease remover) and replaced it with Mx-2 as well as upgrading the heat sink from a zalman 9500a, to a 9700. I read that mx-2 has not curing time. This seemed to be apparent at first. I had idle temps 4 degress colder right off the bat. Yet strangely enough as it has had a fews days time to cure, the idle temperature is now 5-6 degrees hotter than it was at first, and it now has decreased improvement over the arctic silver 5 and 9500a combo. The idle temperatures seem a bit sporadic, yet the full load times seem consistent (I don't remember the full load temps from before, but I'm assuming they are better as well).
From my research the MX-2 is supposed to be the better thermal grease. I had to turn around the cpu fan/heatsink after applying the thermal grease and attaching the cpu fan/heatsink so I could get better airflow. I knew it was probably a bad idea, but I was in a rush, and did not want to reapply thermal grease again. Please help me with this subject. I will be glad to give more information if more is needed.

 

[andy5174]

Possible reasons:

1. You might not fasten the cooler sufficiently, so it is getting looser an looser with time.

2. You didn't apply the thermal paste correctly. ( http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=170&Itemid=1 )

3. MX-2 is actually worse than AS5. ( http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=62&limit=1&limitstart=12 )

 

[thorkle]

Thank you very much, I didn't understand how MX-2 could be better than arctic silver 5, turns out my logic was correct. I mean MX-2 is aluminum-oxide based, it doesn't make sense how it can compare as well as it does without material with as high of thermal conductance as that of silver.
I had already come to realize my application of thermal grease was incorrect more or less, I'm surprised that I am actually getting the results that I'm getting now (considering poor application and inferior thermal paste). I had always gone by the arctic silver website before, and gotten okay results, but not exactly what I was thinking of. I think I shall try the two line method once I get around to it. This time around I was in a hurry, and didn't take my time and do it right. I think I shall try the two line method, unless someone can give me good reason why I should not.
Oh and by the way, I had it fastened down correctly, barely even any wiggle room for the heatsink. I just used the clips that attach to the frontplate for the heatsink (rather than the screw on clips)

 

[thorkle]

I'm still getting very conflicting reports on the MX-2 thermal grease, can someone give me a definitive result on which thermal paste is better? (MX-2 or AS5). Logically I think that after curing the AS5 would be better, but the MX-2 seems to have a lot of favor as well, I am very conflicted, By the way I am using these two choices because I already own a tube of each, and both are said to be high quality.

 

[andy5174]

It is easy! Apply whichever will give better FULL LOAD core temps with your new heatsink.

p.s. Idle temps are not so important.

 

[HVDynamo]

If you scroll back and check out the link Andy5174 gave you, that should be a definitive answer. Personally I would go back to the AS5, That is all I ever use now.

 

[thorkle]

I saw the definitive answer, but I also saw some other benchmarking sites giving out seemingly good info. Although all of the info seemed to be good, all of these benchmarks were before the curing time for the AS5. So I will definitely go for the tried and true classic, AS5.

 

[thorkle]

Best answer selected by Thorkle.