Modern applications favor advanced thermal compounds for better heat dissipation and reliability.
Modern applications favor advanced thermal compounds for better heat dissipation and reliability.
Previously, many relied on Artic Silver 5; today alternatives are more common.
MX-4 performs well and lasts a long time, with large tube options available. The Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut paste ranks as the top performer slightly ahead. NT-H1 from noctua is also popular among users. Conductonaut is considered the best liquid metal, though it's primarily for pastes.
I've relied on a balanced mix of MX-4 and NT-H1, but I'm disappointed with NT-H1 and planning to switch back to MX-4 once this tube is finished. My MX-4 broke down after several years, yet it still worked nearly as well as new. This NT-H1 seems to be around a year and a half old and is losing cooling performance on bare die setups, even though it appears okay. To clarify the cooling issue, my Falcon Xbox 360 and original Xbox both had working versions when they first shipped, and they’re holding up perfectly. My PS4 has an application since October and is now functioning well, acting like a proper vacuum. The 1050Ti, which started with an application in December, needs regular repasting—about once a month—to stay under 80°C, dropping into the low to mid-70s before returning to high 70s or low 80s within 3 to 4 weeks.
I previously used Thermalright TF8 for several years until it was depleted. Then I switched to TFX—it performed well, though I eventually ran out again. Now I’m back to AS5, which functions nicely. I’ve been using it for about ten years before the last batch, and overall it’s quite reliable.
I'm a nano diamond user and prefer Antec Formula-7. Currently, I'm using IC diamond because I found a good deal—about 15-20 tubes for a fraction of the cost. It performs well. The only downside with diamond pastes is that wiping them off removes some material; I handle it by removing most of the excess plates. I haven't used AS5 in nearly 15 years.
I just upgraded my Mobo and CPU to a 10700K and a Z490. I went with Corsair TM30 because the OEM thermal paste on my Corsair H115 worked well. Temperatures were around 30°C to 55°C both idle and under load (game boost on). From what I learned, the 10700K is actually hotter than the 6700K. I double-checked today—idle was 24°C, under load still about 55°C.
I haven’t tried it before mostly because I used to buy from physical stores until recently. I only started shopping online around 2015. Now I have everything I need, but I ran out and am back to AS5. Still, when I say it’s not bad, I’m not saying it’s great either—it’s just okay. I hope it’s gone before summer hits. Back then I was excited about the ICD7 trials; they changed things a lot. It performed well in my cold environment, though it caused quite a fuss. I really want to try more TFX, but it’s pricey and a bit thick. It could work for you if you’re not sensitive, maybe I’ll go for a 12g tube of TF8—it feels better than AS5 lol.
There are many superior pastes available, and most don’t demand a lengthy 200-hour burn time. I’m comfortable with pastes and won’t need much maintenance for several years. No cracking issues with AntecF7 or IC diamond yet—so far everything looks fine!