Have you confirmed the information you received?
Have you confirmed the information you received?
I own an Alienware 17 r5 laptop. Previously, I used the Arctic MX-4 2019 edition (https://i.imgur.com/1yCjso1.jpeg) on it. I purchased the cartridge in 2020. Whenever I needed to bring my laptop to a Dell service center, I requested they repaste the thermal paste on both the CPU and GPU. My machine didn’t overheat during those visits, and I asked them to do the same. Last time I took it to the center was in January 2023; they finished the job and replaced the cartridge. Now I’m considering buying a new cartridge. After moving to another country, I’m worried about availability of the Arctic MX-4 2019 edition. Someone suggested using thin thermal paste for laptops since gaps are smaller, while recommending thick paste for desktops because gaps are larger. Is this advice accurate? Did I make the right choice by selecting the thin version? Should I go with a thicker paste like Thermal Grizzly instead?
You're unfamiliar with the differences between thick and thin thermal paste. It mainly concerns how well heat moves through it, which is often set by the pressure in your cooling system. Even the thicker ones tend to be pushed out completely. Unless you're dealing with a very small amount—like a hundredth of a millimeter—I understand that reapplying it each year is unnecessary.
First time I learned about this. In my opinion, if they were discussing the space between CPU/GPU die/IHS and the cooler's mounting plate: - They probably didn't secure the cooler properly enough or - They chose a CPU whose IHS shape is either very curved or flat, and then noticed that after removing the cooler, the thermal paste thickens on certain areas. If it was about tiny gaps between the IHS surface and the contact plate because of their shapes (hard to see without a magnifier): - It's likely due to the manufacturing quality of each part, and you can't tell for sure without a good microscope. That's why they use thermal paste or pads to bridge those small spaces. Some modern laptops even use PTM7950, which looks like a solid slim thermal pad when it's cool and becomes a paste when heated.
You can use any high-quality thermal paste without issue. Regarding longevity, your current setup helps maintain cooler temperatures, which should extend the paste's life. For future use, repasting in January 2025 is a good idea to ensure optimal performance.
Are you slowing down your laptop to manage heat and reduce performance? Do you speed up just enough to keep engine temps low? Running it at full heat capacity ensures it functions properly, which is the design. Over time, thermal paste remains effective. My 9900K model performs identically to five years prior, with no recent repastings needed. A dry paste works well and maintains its original performance. Thermal paste isn’t like car oil—don’t replace it regularly.