Changing heatsink compound

Anyone have any real life figures as to the what kind of temperature drops one can expect by replacing the factory goop with AS5?

I'm hoping for less fan noise. Even with CPU @ 10 or 15% the fans go wild.

Seems like a fairly easily task to get to the CPU heatsink. What about the GPU's? Do they use goop or thermal pads?

 

In my case, replacing the CPU goop with AS-5 lowered the temps by ~10C. Absolutely worth it, IMHO.
Replacing the GPU core TIM is unnecessary, since the cores run cold enough under load. You should focus on the GPU memory instead. High quality pads might help a few more degrees there.

 

Agree with aikimox + you should set your system to balanced mode if you're not doing anything intensive.

 

A lot of the time it isn't the paste type that made the difference but how it was applied. Many resellers put far too much paste on so when you replace it, you see improvements because you tend not to make the same mistakes they did. Having said that, I recommend MX3 or another non conductive thermal paste.

 

Thanks Aikimox and Joker...looks like i'll be doing some work in the morning!

 

Agreed. Less is more, in this case! I'll use my AS5 for now, and I did some quick reading about the MX-3. Looks good. I'll probably get some and re-do the CPU again.

 

MX3 is really thick and some try to use the Credit card spread method but I don't think that method is suitable for it. I have always applied a line across the Die and then closed the heat sink with really good results. When ever I removed the CPU for what ever reason, I could see that the paste had covered the entire Die (not that it really needs to). My CPU idles around 40-44C. Regarding AS5

I tend to avoid paste like that even if I never make mistakes. AS5 contains micronized silver but MX3 is metal free.

 

Does MX3 have a "curing time" or does it start doing it's best right away?

 

No curing time. OCZ freeze is another good one to try.

 

If we're talking thermal paste for the cpu whats all the talk about thermal pads? Are there better one's than OEM and where do you get them?

 

Thermal pads were mentioned as a possible upgrade to the OEM ones on the Graphics memory chips. I believe there is a heat sink assy on the memory chips for the GPU.

 

I investigated thermal pad replacement, the high performance pads from bergquist were ~$50 for a 2"x12" strip. The heatsink does not cover the Memory chips 100% which is probably a lot of the reason why they run so hot in the first place.

 

so is it possible to install a new processor without changing thermal pads? or would you use the AS5 or whatever on the cpu and replace the old pads with new ones.

 

there's no reason to replace the Dell pads with new dell pads. Unless you've having major throttling or overheating problems. Even then, I really didn't see much difference between the OE pads and AS5, granted I haven't burned my AS5 in yet. I would replace the pads with good top tier quality paste if you're going through the trouble of getting the laptop apart to that point. Basically, unless you're having problems, the only reason to replace anything in the M17x is for over clocking I would say.

 

Aren't these pads just on the graphics memory chips (and possibly the GPU)? They don't use pads on the CPU, as far as I know.

It's been mentioned that changing the goop on the CPU resulted in about a 10C drop in temps. That's worth it to me, even without overclocking, just to keep the fans from throttling on and off so much. That is my intent with wanting to change the goop. (assuming, of course, that I actually wind up keeping this thing...)

 

Thermal gap pads are what are used for the ram. pads of Thermal grease, Thermal pads for the cpu, w/e you want to call them. Gap pads= ram, I just call what dell uses pads of grease/tim. In either case, my pads have full contact with the cores on the GPU's. Granted I measured only the GPUs in my testing, however my i7 idles @ around 49-52C, if it were 10C higher, that only leaves another 10c before it throttles, which is way too much. I'm sure it made a little difference, just not 10C, at least not in my case.

 

That's why I couldn't agree with you, Lozz...to avoid the unnecessary confusion.
Thermal gap pads in most cases are simply called " pads". They keep/retain their form/shape after removing.
All types and kinds of thermal grease (regardless of the shape) are " paste". This is not to overrule the exact technical definitions but to make it easier for both newbies and veterans to understand each other.

 

so if im just replacing the processor on my R2 then all i have to do is clean up the old paste/pad on the processor heatsink and replace wth AS5 on the new processor? right? No thermal pads need to be replaced?

 

Exactly. 10 char...

 

I'm working on it.

Thanks for the correction. I've come off my high horse that I had in eocf and learned to just talk in a different way here instead of trying to force it.