IC Diamond 7

Hi guys,

I just received the IC Diamond 7 that I purchased online. I've noticed that this compound is really thick and it feels slightly like a rubber. How does one apply this compound? Do I just apply a drop in the middle of the CPU, or do I spread it?

 

For laptop chips most people find a thin line down the center works best. As thick as a grain of rice. YouTube has some good videos.

 

For this one, pea size drop on CPU and press the heatsink to spread the compound and secure the heatsink.

 

I believe Mr. Fox posted a video a while ago about this process. It should be here on the forum or on Youtube.

 

rice sized amount in the middle, and just put the heatsink on. Mind you, I've had better experience with Arctic MX-4 than ICD

 

I have experimented with both application methods with similar results on my CPU. I tend to do line application, as described in the link below, on my CPU as it is rectangular; Pea-sized for GPU. ICD is quite thick at room temperature. I warm/heat (not anywhere near boiling) some water in a coffee mug and place the tube in the water for less than a minute. The compound is slightly less viscous and disperses better once you apply the heatsink. Not sure if anyone else does this though.I started doing this after reading it on a forum sometime ago.

I found this useful when I was learning to apply paste. It made more sense when to do one method over another.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll be testing this out in the next hour. I'll let you know how I get on.

Update: I've now put ICD on both the CPU and GPU. I've put both under stress test on and off the power brick. Below is my results

Idle

GPU - 27c

CPU - 42c

Under Load

GPU - 67c

CPU - 63c

The above results are from 2 hours worth of testing. I didn't see these kind of results with AS5. When I remove the heatsinks to repaste, I actually noticed that the very middle of both the GPU and CPU, AS5 wasn't there, it had actually started to seep over the edges of the dye.

 

When you repasted the gpu did you leave the factory thermal pads on?

 

I left the 2 main strips, but changed the rest.

 

AS5 is pretty darn old now. I always do line for the cpu and blob for the gpu with tiny bits on each corner of the chip.

 

Do the thermal pads have to be changed when you take the gpu off? I want to repast the gpu. I already did the cpu with AS5 but I'm not happy with the results. Like someone said AS5 is old now. Might try out the Antec Nano Diamond 7 and see how that works

 

When I first change my paste with AS5, I didn't bother changing the pads. I did the second time around as the pads were a little worn. I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself, but I also wouldn't recommend changing the pads for the sake of just changing the pads. Go off your own judgement. Take a look at the pads and make the decision on whether to change them or not. I've just realised that I haven't actually made your life any easier haha. Personally, I would just go ahead and change the paste if you feel confident enough to do it. Change the pads only if needed. I very much doubt you'll need to change the pads if you have a new AW.

 

Lol, I've already repasted the CPU twice. It's easy. I am overly confident I can do it. I'm just new to doing it on a laptop and never messed with the thermal pads on a GPU. I just didn't know if the pads had to be replaced after taking the GPU off or not. Thank you for clarifying that. I'm eventually going to upgrade the GPU. I have the 770. I'll get the 880 next month. And yeah my Alienware is new haha.. Like 2 1/2 months old

 

I say go ahead and just change the paste then.

 

If you are unhappy with AS5 use gelid extreme cooling paste on your cpu.
It is one of the best you can buy. Very easily and applying the CPU. Just heat it up in a cup then applying a thin line on the CPU. I used it on my i7 4930mx before I applied liquid ultra. A top cooling pasta;-)

 

ICD on my CPU and LU on my GPU. LU is a beast, but it's a to get off. I took yours and Mr. Fox's advice after applying ICD to both my CPU and GPU. I've not looked back since applying LU on my GPU.

 

Umgh, I had the dell engineer replace my heatsink with a new one with that damm stock paste. I want to apply ICD/Arctic Silve MX-4 but how the hell do you get the paste off the heatsink? I don't want to buy some £5 quid thermal paste cleaner...

 

Kitchen paper and elbow grease/finger nail depending on consistency.

 

I agree about gelid extreme.
All my own results and all tests where this has been used, shows its perhaps the best paste.

 

Careful using kitchen paper dry.
Its a fantastic source of static electricity when you also put some friction into it (elbow grease) .

 

Just get some medical skin cleaning pads (for diabetics) from the chemist, or free in your local needle exchange Haha.

IPA on a convenient disposable lint free pad

 

Basically something which has alcohol right? Medical type not vodka lol

 

Yup, and completely evaporates without leaving a residue - although I have used vodka at a pinch

Edit: Got me thinking, I might try Yaeger next time, steam-punk air freshener, for an hour or so maybe?

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/printpage/Thermal-Compound-Roundup-October-2011/1396

 

Yes. Your local pharmacy should have isopropanol 70 % or 91% ("rubbing alcohol") which both work equally well. I dip a cotton swab in isopropanol and remove the old paste. Swab does not need to be soaked. It leaves not residue.