Arctic Silver Necessary?

I am really interested in the ASUS F8Va-B1 14.1" Notebook. I've seen it for $1200 at a couple places but xoticpc is offering Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound, which puts their price close to $1300. I don't think it is worth a $100 difference, but does this stuff really make a big difference in terms of performance and cooling?

Also, does the F8Va-B1 have good performance and is it worth $1200?

 

1. No, it doesn't do more than ~5 degrees, and offers no performance benefits.

2. Application of AS by any vendor immediately *VOIDS* your 2 year Asus warranty, including their 2way prepaid FedEx overnight shipping and probably the 1 year ADP plan. Any and all warranty work would have to be done by Xotic themselves. Just something to keep in mind as you consider what to do .

3. The F8 has a decent track record around here, and is quite competent for the majority of tasks most people will throw at it and use it for. It's not a gaming demon, and the battery life will be less than 3 hours. Whether the package in the end is worth $1200, that's for you to decide -- it is competitive with the offerings of other manufacturers, esp for the components you get in it.

 

Firstly, I would choose to NOT have the thermal paste exchanged, because that voids the ASUS warranty. You will be supported by xoticPC and they are a pretty reputable reseller, but anyway, why not take advantage of the great ASUS warranty+damage protection? All for a possible decrease of 5 degrees in the CPU temps.

As to whether it's worth 1200, I don't have experience with other brands, but I think it is worth it. At least compared to European prices...

Ha! ClearSkies beat me to it.

 

Thanks for the info! I did not know that the warranty would be voided so I'm glad I asked I can't seem to find another 14" notebook that matches the overall package of the F8Va-B1 so it looks like it's worth it!