Thermal Paste Comparison, Part Two: 39 Products Get Tested
It's time for the numbers. In addition to testing liquid metal compounds and thermally conductive adhesives, each paste is discussed on its own merits before we chart out the results of four usage cases. After all, these products behave differently.
Pastes: Arctic And Arctic Silver
Arctic MX-2
This classic compound started the premium paste frenzy. It is still a good entry-level choice, too. Inexpensive and easy to use, its thermal performance is in the upper mid-range. And for what you pay, MX-2 seems like it's meant to keep competitors out of the lucrative thermal paste market.
Arctic MX-2 | |
---|---|
Thermal Conductivity | 5.6 W/(m*K) |
CPU Water Cooling, High Pressure | 32.9 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
CPU Air Cooling, High Pressure | 36.6 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
CPU Air Cooling, Low Pressure | 37.5 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
GPU Cooling | 66.5 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
Electrically Conductive | No |
Viscosity | 3 (1-10, lower numbers mean easier to use) |
Ease of Use | 8 (1-10, higher numbers mean easier to use) |
Application Hints | This paste seems best suited for the "lentil ball" method, and can even be used in heavily air-conditioned rooms as low as 60 °F |
Price (approximate) | $5 (4 grams) |
Arctic MX-4
While MX-4 is more expensive than the MX-2, it surprises us by offering only barely better results. This paste may have its strengths, but it's not your best option for high-power applications like GPUs. It's also tougher than Arctic's MX-2, making it more difficult to use, and less attractive to novices. The thermal performance we recorded puts MX-4 into the upper mid-range, but it also doesn’t stand out from the crowd. Fortunately, at $1.75 per gram, it is one of the least-expensive pastes.
Arctic MX-4 | |
---|---|
Thermal Conductivity | 8.5 W/(m*K) |
CPU Water Cooling, High Pressure | 32.4 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
CPU Air Cooling, High Pressure | 36.5 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
CPU Air Cooling, Low Pressure | 36.9 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
GPU Cooling | 67.5 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
Electrically Conductive | No |
Viscosity | 6 (1-10, lower numbers mean easier to use) |
Ease of Use | 4 (1-10, higher numbers mean easier to use) |
Application Hints | This paste seems best suited for the "lentil ball" method, and should be used in warmer-than-average rooms from 85 °F |
Price (approximate) | $7 (4 grams) |
Arctic Silver 5
Buyer beware: The brand Arctic Silver is not the same as Arctic. This is one of the few pastes on the market that still sports silver as an ingredient. However, it shows its age and does not keep up with the best pastes out there today. Based on its performance, it seems overpriced.
Arctic Silver 5 | |
---|---|
Thermal Conductivity | 9.0 W/(m*K) |
CPU Water Cooling, High Pressure | 33.0 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
CPU Air Cooling, High Pressure | 37.2 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
CPU Air Cooling, Low Pressure | 37.7 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
GPU Cooling | 69.5 ΔT (22 °C ambient) |
Electrically Conductive | No (but unlike most silicone-based pastes, it is not a real insulator either) |
Viscosity | 6 (1-10, lower numbers mean easier to use) |
Ease of Use | 4 (1-10, higher numbers mean easier to use) |
Application Hints | The paste can be spread more easily if you warm it to 100-120 degrees Fahrenheit in a pot of water, sealed in a water-tight pouch. |
Price (approximate) | $7 (3.5 grams) |
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dragonfang18 I loved the toothpaste part. What about Vicks Vaporub? I wonder how that thing would do.Reply -
TehDudeMan Great article guys! As a reader for over 10 years pretty much daily, this reminds me of the old Tom's Hardware. These type of in depth articles on enthusiast products are what I love.Reply -
Matt Edwards A great article, agree the application of the compound, not the compound itself is most important.Reply
Like ledpellet I too am curious about these diamond compounds. Wonder if it offers similar results to the Coollaboratory products with an easier application, or if the results simply don't justify the price. E.g in Australia, Innovation Cooling IC7 Diamond 7 Carat Thermal Compound Paste - 1.5G can be found for as much as $25. The cheapest I have managed to find it for is $15. For that price it would want to be good considering the leading GELID GC Extreme, can be found for around $8. -
danwat1234 Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra isn't all that good after a year of hard use. In fact, it completely hardens / dries. On my X9100 after 9 months of nearly 24/7 100% load, I started seeing high temps and after 1 year auto shut downs while crunching. Turns out it was shutting off because it hit the 105 C thermal protection.Reply
Opened it up; thermal compound was as hard as a rock. has to pocket knife blade and sand it down.
So for longevity it sucks. That is something to consider, not just initial performance, but performance months and years down the road. Especially for laptops that aren't designed to be opened up frequently for repasting.
After trying Liquid Ultra many times and having it fail on me, I've put on Arctic MX-2 that has a supposed 8 year durability rating. Initial performance is great, we'll see how it lasts (been 3 weeks so far). -
slomo4sho CLU and Arctic MX-4 are both great products. MX-2 and MX-4 can often be found free after rebate so they are an exceptional value.Reply