Which one suits your rig better?
Which one suits your rig better?
For Intel Processors, I usually apply the Arctic 5 technique. However, I've discovered that using the line or pea spot method is equally effective. The idea is to create a coating that seals the tiny gaps in the metal surfaces, preventing air—since it's a poor thermal conductor—from being present when the components connect.
For Intel Processors, I usually apply the Arctic 5 technique. However, I've discovered that using a line or pea spot is about as effective. The idea is to use a film that seals the tiny gaps on metal surfaces, preventing air—an insulator—from being present when the parts connect. Technically, you shouldn't have paste between the heatsink and the processor, but you should place it where they barely touch. Air helps insulate, so filling these spaces with paste is important. I've seen heatsinks where heatpipes are pressed directly into the heatsink, requiring paste filling for gaps, which isn't common in the budget range today.
For Intel Processors, I usually rely on the Arctic 5 technique. However, I've discovered that using a line or pea spot is equally effective. The idea is to apply a film that seals the tiny gaps in metal surfaces, preventing air—an insulator—from being present when the parts connect. Technically, you shouldn't have paste between the heatsink and the processor, but you should place it where they barely touch. Air gaps are undesirable because they act as insulators. Some heatsinks I've used had heatpipes pressed directly into the heatsink, requiring filling these gaps with paste, which isn't common anymore, especially in budget options. Regardless of the method, there will always be some areas where the heatsink and paste don't fully contact, creating small uncovered spaces. In those spots, microscopic pores and air remain.
grandgalaz :
jossrik :
clutchc :
For Intel Processors, I usually rely on the Arctic 5 technique. However, I've discovered that using a line or pea spot is just as effective. The idea is to apply a film that seals the tiny gaps in the metal surfaces, preventing air—an insulator—from being present when the parts connect.
Technically, you shouldn't have paste between the heatsink and the processor, but you should place it where they barely touch. Air acts as an insulator, so the goal is to fill the spaces where the heatsink and chip don’t fully merge. This gap will always contain some microscopic pores and air.
Two points to keep in mind. First, there are hot spots on the processor; what you see on top is actually the heat spreader, while the chip itself is much smaller. You only need contact where the chip is present. This varies by model, so it's best to aim for as much coverage as possible without going too far. Second, if you use a non-conductive paste, apply firm pressure and use the right amount. This usually spreads the paste across most of the heat spreader, except for the corners where a pea method is more effective. The asterisk method covers the entire surface easily.
If you look up videos on YouTube showing glass on heat spreaders, you'll get a clearer idea of what works. Just remember to search carefully so you find the right information for your project.
For Intel Processors, I usually rely on the Arctic 5 technique. However, I've discovered that using a line or pea spot is equally effective. The idea is to apply a film that seals the tiny gaps in metal surfaces, preventing air—an insulator—from being present when the parts connect.
Technically, you shouldn't have paste between the heatsink and the processor, but you should place it where they barely touch. Air acts as an insulator, so any gaps need filling. Some heatsinks have heatpipes pressed directly into the heatsink, requiring paste in the spaces, which isn't common anymore for budget options.
Regardless of the method, there will always be some uncovered areas where the heatsink and paste don’t fully align. These spots will contain microscopic pores and air.
Two points to remember: First, processors have hotspots—what you see on top is mainly the heat spreader, not the chip itself, and the chip underneath is much smaller. You only need contact at the chip area. This varies by model, so aim for maximum coverage without excess. Second, using non-conductive paste with proper pressure and quantity will spread it across most of the heat spreader; the pea method usually only affects the corners. The asterisk technique covers the entire heat spreader easily.
If you look up videos on YouTube showing glass on heat spreaders, you'll get a clearer picture of what works. You might need to search yourself for more details on this topic.
The conversation is quite intriguing, but since you won’t overclock your CPU and have a decent cooler, there should be no noticeable changes between these TIMs.
The conversation is quite engaging, but since you won’t overclock your CPU and have a decent cooler, you shouldn’t notice any changes between these TIMs.
I own an MX-2, which is more affordable and almost the same as the MX-4.
It runs less aggressively, though I think my system sometimes hits turbo when doing intense graphic work or launching multiple heavy apps and plugins at once—especially with some modern games.
That’s rare. I’m hoping to see a noticeable improvement of at least a degree or more (possibly more) with a better thermal paste than what I currently use.
For Intel Processors, I usually rely on the Arctic 5 approach. However, I've discovered that the line or pea technique also works effectively. The idea is to apply a film that seals the tiny gaps in metal surfaces, preventing air—an insulator—from being present when the parts connect. Technically, you shouldn't have paste between the heatsink and the processor, but you should place it where they barely touch. Air acts as an insulator. I've seen heatsinks with heatpipes pressed directly into the heatsink, requiring paste filling in the gaps, which isn't common anymore, especially for budget options.
Regardless of the method used, there will always be some areas where the heatsink and paste don't fully align. These uncovered spots will also contain tiny pores and air pockets.
Two points to keep in mind: First, processors have hot spots visible on top; what you see is actually the heat spreader and the chip beneath, which is much smaller. You only need contact where the chip is present. This varies by model, so it's best to aim for maximum coverage without excess. Second, using non-conductive paste with proper pressure and quantity will generally spread across most of the heat spreader. The pea method tends to leave only the corners covered, while the asterisk method covers the entire area easily.
If you search YouTube for videos showing glass on a heat spreader, you'll get a clearer idea of what works in practice. You might need to look up specific content to guide your research.