The top thermal paste for an i9 is one that offers excellent heat dissipation and reliability.
The top thermal paste for an i9 is one that offers excellent heat dissipation and reliability.
These threads are always enjoyable, but when you check a roundup test, the options look almost identical, making it irrelevant for everyday desktop use.
You found a can of worms. Opinions vary a lot since the best choices are nearly identical, just personal taste matters. Too heavy, too light, perfect? On the other hand, I’ve had success with Thermal Grisly as well.
I personally prefer the COOLERMASTER MasterGel Maker because of its excellent thermal performance of 11 W/m.K, even spread nicely, provides a good quantity in the tube, and it has a cool name. It’s a bit pricey at around $20, so I’d suggest it only if you have extra funds. For those on a tighter budget, the NT-H1 is dependable and affordable. The COOLERMASTER CryoFuze offers the best performance with 14 W/m.K, though it’s a bit thicker and only gives 2G for $15.
The W/mK values claimed aren't actually measured under standard conditions. Still, it does provide some information. The benchmark comparisons are the most reliable for assessing performance.
Viscosity and particle dimensions are not prominently highlighted. Check SYY 157 - 15.7 W/mK thermal conductivity, though it doesn't rank highly (9th place).
The cost per gram by volume for MX-4 and MX-6 remains competitive compared to NT-H1's performance. I avoid Kryonaut because of its high price and the lack of noticeable performance gains, which doesn<|pad|>'s expense. Regarding LM, I don't encounter the costly and damaging TIM issues that can ruin components like coolers or CPU covers. Over time, the damage accumulates and often requires a long-term fix.