Graphite pad designed for Ryzen processors
Graphite pad designed for Ryzen processors
The situation is tricky. I previously used an AMD cooler for my Ryzen 3 2200G, but now plan to upgrade to a Ryzen 5 2600 without the original cooler. I purchased an AIO cooler, which came with a mounting bracket that didn’t fit properly on my motherboard. After some adjustments, the CPU stayed stuck due to thermal paste and minor damage. The motherboard socket also loosened. I’m considering whether a graphite pad would be suitable for this upgrade.
Graphite pads aren't ideal for extended periods because they create a space that leads to persistent overheating. For brief tests it works, but regular use isn't recommended. A good thermal paste is necessary for continuous operation.
I've been using this for some time now and temperatures have stayed consistent. It's the Thermal Grizzly Carbonaut - Carbon Thermal Pad 32x32x0.2mm. It's flexible, reusable, non-stick, has excellent heat transfer, conducts electricity, and is available on Newegg.com.
I believe your achievements are mainly from using a cooler that’s noticeably better than the standard options. Using a brute-force approach with a high-performance cooler instead of an AIO or regular model makes a big difference.
I'm not sure about brute forcing it, but I followed the usual setup with the pad where it should go and ran it. These pads look vulnerable to tearing, my one has a small tear on a side/corner but it hasn't impacted performance yet. The main benefit is that the CPU won't stick to the cooler's surface (at least for me), and it handles heat removal similarly. If anything shifts, I'll let you know right away.
It should work fine as long as you're consistent with your setup. I've tested this pad for over four months each day without any loss in cooling efficiency. However, if you switch back to regular TIM, opting for thinner options like MX-4, thicker ones won't cause the sticking issue you experienced. I've tried some older MX-2 versions for other components and they didn't have the same problem.
The 24/7 is commonly used in this context, but it doesn’t improve performance and often leads to noticeable issues. This is particularly true for coolers lacking sufficient space or a very uneven cold plate.