Arctic silver thermal compounds in out m17x r2

Hi guys, I am about to replace my cpu in my m17x r2, I am trying to find out as much as I can about getting good temps (both cpu and gpu)

I am going to be redoing the thermal paste on the cpu (940xm) and gpu (5870m x2)

I have decided to follow this guide in relation to the application and the 'screw down mod'.

http://forum.notebookreview.com/ali...ll-internal-cooling-mod-huge-improvement.html

Now in my limited understanding if I follow the mod for the screws this will allow me to use thermal compound on the gpu ram instead of the thermal pads.

I have arctic silver 5 for the main part of the gpu and cpu

and arctic silver ceramique 2 for the gpu ram.

So far dose this sound right to you?

Also one of my other main questions is when I do the cpu, I noticed that the cpu 'ram' has a thermal pad aswell, can this be replaced with thermal compound aswell just like the gpu?

Do I need to do a mod to the screws for the cpu aswell to do this?

 

I see no reason to replace stock thermal pads unless you want to OC 5870m's
"screw down mod" also named retention mod is very good but the pressure it applies to GPU DIE is just simply to big and co-op this with filmsy fingers and you may crack your GPU.

The mod itself is great but you have to be Very carefull. I tried it, and i found out that it is just too risky for me, instead, i pulled out some washers from old desktop PSU, i removed the clips from the screws and installed the washers, this gave ma about 1-2mm bigger gap just to reach the screw mount easier.

You can replace CPU power circuits thermal pad, but this ones are not very hot (i touch them in my old MSI GX740 as they were exposed nicely and found out this crap is not even warm - i also checked this while running 920xm under full load)
so you can do it, but it will not give you temps decrease or performance increase- stock pads are just fine for me

decision is yours

 

I am really having a hard time picturing this retention mod...Im going to have to wait to see this thing when its open....so this washer trick you are talking about...will that still drop the height enough to do away with the pads?

 

careful with this mod...you can crack your CPU die. As you saw when you were repasting, the mobile chips are lidless so the die is exposed...which means it will crack if aren't careful

 

The retention mod is not 'all or none'. You can tighten the screws to your liking (or your bravery level). I've used it on half a dozen GPUs, and have never cracked a GPU die. As we speak, I have tin foil on the RAM and AS5 on the core using the retention mod.

Now, that being said, I get bored easily. I would recommend that you bought some high-end thermal pads and good TIM and just set it all up the way it came from the factory. Unless you are going to be doing some very hard-core benchmarking (which is pointless for the 5870s now anyway), just replace the pads and paste with high-dollar stuff. You will see lower idle and load temps, and won't be risking any damage.

 

good advice talon, I really am just after better temps while Im pushing this thing in Battefield 3 and dont have any intention of benchmarking my system, I have the AS 5 in the mail and am now looking into the thermal pads.

So if I dont do the retention mod, what size thermal pads do you recommend replacing the stock ones with? 1mm or 0.5mm

BTW: can anyone give my the measurements of the stock thermal pads

 

I believe that 1mm pads are perfect if you're not using the retention mod. I think they just send a small sheet of the stuff, and you cut it yourself. I'm assuming that is why you're asking about measurements?

 

yeah Im just trying to find out how much I actually need as the postage is as much as the pads anyway lol....might try to find somewhere over here that stocks some high quality stuff

So the 0.5mm ones would work better with the retention mod then I take it, I am also wondering if a 0.5mm pad could be used on the voltage regulators(?) next to the cpu, or if 1mm must be used.

 

What I would do is order some nice .5mm and 1mm. That way you'll be able to replace anything of either thickness.

 

I used .5mm Fujipoly High performance thermal pads, and I would use a better TIM then AS5 try Mx-4/Tx-4 those are made for loose fitting Heatsinks. I used TX-4 on mine. I also used .5mm For the mosfetts near the CPU.


Thermal Pads
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...ermal_Conductivity_60_WmK.html?tl=g8c487s1288

TX-4
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...mance_Thermal_Grease_-_30g.html?tl=g8c127s690

MX-4
http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...uctive_Thermal_Compound_4g.html?tl=g8c127s769

 

awesome, thanks for your help talon and cheers mkelliny I know what Im doin now

 

Be extremely careful with the screws on the heatsink.
They tend to fly aways never to be found again.