Pastes: Just For Fun
Toothpaste
I made the mistake of buying a premium toothpaste with blue stripes through it. A cheap white paste would have probably fared better. Yes, you can use this stuff as a thermal compound, though its long-term stability is questionable and we wouldn't recommend it for overclocking. If all of the shops around you are closed, though, and you want to play a little Battlefield 4 on a new machine, you could probably get by for a couple of days.
| Toothpaste | |
|---|---|
| CPU Water Cooling, High Pressure | 41.8 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
| CPU Air Cooling, High Pressure | 48.7 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
| CPU Air Cooling, Low Pressure | 49.1 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
| GPU Cooling | Not measurable (overheats) |
| Electrically Conductive | Slightly (depending on composition) |
| Viscosity | 2 (1-10, lower numbers mean easier to use) |
| Ease of Use | 9 (1-10, higher numbers mean easier to use) |
| Application Hints | This paste seems best suited for the "lentil ball" method, but should be used only in emergencies |
Denture Adhesive
If you don't brush your teeth but do live with your grandma, denture adhesive could stand in for toothpaste during those same couple of days. Again, this is not a long-term solution. But then again, neither were grandma’s teeth (or yours, if you don't grab some toothpaste). Be careful with this adhesive. After burn-in, the cooler may stick to the heat spreader and prove hard to remove.
| Denture Adhesive | |
|---|---|
| CPU Water Cooling, High Pressure | 38.2 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
| CPU Air Cooling, High Pressure | 43.5 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
| CPU Air Cooling, Low Pressure | 45.2 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
| GPU Cooling | 85.5 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
| Electrically Conductive | No |
| Viscosity | 4 (1-10, lower numbers mean easier to use) |
| Ease of Use | 7 (1-10, higher numbers mean easier to use) |
| Application Hints | This paste seems best suited for the "lentil ball" method, but should be used only in emergencies |