Thermal Paste Question

Hello,

Sorry if this is the wrong forum for this but I have Alienware support coming soon to change the graphics card and since they are going to re-paste it anyways I figured I will get something better then they provide (thermal paste wise).

I have never done anything with thermal paste and the computer store near my house told me to get Arctic Silver 5. Is that a good one for my laptop or is there some other one thats better?

thank you,

timurStas

 

Why are they changing the paste on your M17x?

 

They are changing the graphics card and also repasting the heat sink. I was having issues with my laptop and it seems they were way worse then the normal thermal throttle issue - like my laptop would over heat doing pretty much nothing, and with furmark it would last like 20s max before it started to throttle.

They came once already and changed the mobo/heatsink/fans + re-pasted, but that did nothing, so I called back and now they will come with a new 580m and re-paste everything once more. Last time they came the technician mentioned that the paste they used is not the best and it would be good to buy one myself and get them to paste it - just when I asked which one to get he was very vague - just said get a good one lol.

 

arctic silver 5 or IC Diamond, difference would be minimal unless you're overclocking and need every bit of performance.

a good site that compares different brands is this one.
Thermal Compound Roundup - December 2011 | Hardware Secrets

 

i hear great things about PK-1

 

I little hard to come by depending on where you live.

 

newegg.com has it....i just ordered 1

 

out of stock at newegg.ca and newegg.com doesn't ship to Canada.

 

MX-4 is excellent. Amazon.com: Arctic Cooling MX-4 Thermal Compound: Electronics or http://www.frozencpu.com/products/1...uctive_Thermal_Compound_4g.html?tl=g8c127s769.

PK-1 also available at FrozenCPU. http://www.frozencpu.com/products/9..._Thermal_Compound_-_5_Gram.html?tl=g8c127s974.

 

Normally when they change the GPU they already come with a new heatsink already attached to the GPU. Thats been my experience with the R2 after numerous new GPUs. That said, the dell stuff is actually more expensive the traditional paste. It's a paste type pad, but it doesn't dry out as quick as normal paste. It's actually not cheap.

No that said, I normally change my paste pretty frequently. IC Diammond, due to the diamond, will leave little scuffs and scratches in your GPU die. MX-4 is pretty good, though cost wise I normally go with AS-5. It's all your call.

Also my info on Dells paste came straight from a conferance call I was on with the sole Alienware Graphics engineer. I believe he had input on the paste, but I would take his word over an field tech.

 

This is 100% correct...stay away from IC Diamond...they aren't meant for lid less CPU/GPU dies. Its more meant for desktop CPU's that have a metal lid on top of the CPU die. It will have a severe polishing affect on your copper shim on the heatsink as well as scratches on the die.

AS5 is good, but only under the optimum contact situations (between CPU/GPU and heatsink). It doesn't fair well under moderate contact situations (which you might expect in a laptop)...plus AS5 is electrically capacitive which might lead to system instability

MX4 is pretty good and easily obtainable
OCZ Freeze is another one that is easily obtained and pretty good

I personally use Pk-1 but i do agree that it is harder to get compared to say AS5 which is everywhere

Here is a nice summary of all thermal pastes as of 2011. Look at moderate contact for what you might expect in a laptop

2011 Thermal Compound Roundup – Results Compilation | Skinnee Labs

 

thanks guys. I will get one of the pastes mentioned here (whichever my local shop has).

thank you,

timurStas