The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    IC Diamond vs Arctic Silver

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by junkiejungwoo, Jun 20, 2011.

  1. junkiejungwoo

    junkiejungwoo Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    41
    Messages:
    154
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I was wondering which one is better, im worried that ill apply the silver in excess so it screws my mobo and cpu up...
    but mostly, i'm mostly wondering which one has best perfomance
     
  2. kent1146

    kent1146 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    2,354
    Messages:
    4,449
    Likes Received:
    476
    Trophy Points:
    151
    You should have a third poll option: It really doesn't matter.

    You're talking about two high-end thermal pastes. They will perform almost identically. Asking which one has better performance is like asking whether BMW or Mercedes Benz builds a faster car.
     
  3. KillerBunny

    KillerBunny Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    207
    Messages:
    683
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    There are so many 'third' options it is almost laughable... gcgelid extreme, noctua, ocz freeze, artic mx-4, etc.

    Honestly, they will all be within 1-2C of each other. It really doesn't matter, go with what is cheapest.
     
  4. Mihael Keehl

    Mihael Keehl Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    277
    Messages:
    630
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    31
    I haven't had problems with IC Diamond that's what I used...
     
  5. ramgen

    ramgen -- Morgan Stanley --

    Reputations:
    513
    Messages:
    1,322
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Tried both ICD and AS5 in the laptop in my sig.

    ICD dropped the temps by 2 (idle) - 6 (load) deg. Celsius.


    --
     
  6. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    2,389
    Messages:
    10,552
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    456
    Depends on cost and application. You can put on the "best" thermal paste in the world. If you put it on as you suggested (too much), that's also bad and would lead to poorer performance. Similarly, if you apply it optimally and you get a 1 deg C cool on idle and maybe 4 deg C cooler on load, is that worth paying $X more than the other? Depends if $X is $1 or $5 or $10. For most users, the difference is pretty negligible.
     
  7. Cloudfire

    Cloudfire (Really odd person)

    Reputations:
    7,279
    Messages:
    10,304
    Likes Received:
    2,878
    Trophy Points:
    581
  8. cenix

    cenix Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    34
    Messages:
    123
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    31
    ^ thanks for posting that. looks like the differences are truly negligible. perhaps people may mention the application of the thermal paste might be more effective than brand itself.
     
  9. electrosoft

    electrosoft Perpetualist Matrixist

    Reputations:
    2,766
    Messages:
    4,106
    Likes Received:
    3,942
    Trophy Points:
    331
    I pretty much stick with MX-2 for most of my applications for friends, family and clients. Great temps and easy application.
     
  10. tuηay

    tuηay o TuNaY o

    Reputations:
    492
    Messages:
    3,711
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    105
    I'm ok with Noctua, it is the only one I have tried, but no problems and I got really good tempratures...
     
  11. DeusEx

    DeusEx Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    72
    Messages:
    513
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
  12. flipfire

    flipfire Moderately Boss

    Reputations:
    6,156
    Messages:
    11,214
    Likes Received:
    68
    Trophy Points:
    466
    Both will be fine to use, which ever is cheaper and easier to acquire.

    I highly doubt you will screw anything up even if you apply too much. Meh some major brand laptops look like they used a paintball gun to apply it.
     
  13. junkiejungwoo

    junkiejungwoo Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    41
    Messages:
    154
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    wawawiwa, thanks guys im pretty sure ill go with the artic silver 5 cause its cheaper, and im cheap like that :D
     
  14. Typecast

    Typecast NBR's Tamed Zombie

    Reputations:
    1,757
    Messages:
    1,322
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Have you considered Mx-4?
     
  15. DeusEx

    DeusEx Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    72
    Messages:
    513
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    prolimatech only costs 10 dollars and is better than both you mentioned but ok... :confused:
     
  16. sgogeta4

    sgogeta4 Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    2,389
    Messages:
    10,552
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    456
    Maybe you should read the rest of the thread's links.
     
  17. svaalbard

    svaalbard Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    4
    Messages:
    23
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Is it even worth getting a thermal paste for a laptop ( im thinking about buying a NP8130), if you are not gonna hardcore overclock everything?
     
  18. flipfire

    flipfire Moderately Boss

    Reputations:
    6,156
    Messages:
    11,214
    Likes Received:
    68
    Trophy Points:
    466
    Generally yes, depends on what temps your machine is running to begin with. Its good idea to replace the stock paste after a year or two.
     
  19. alxlbf2

    alxlbf2 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    13
    Messages:
    230
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    31
    They use mostly identical paste. I use Artic Silver but only because i have so much of it ( gift from PC shop when i bough a GTX 570 + Watercooling).
     
  20. timsp8

    timsp8 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    22
    Messages:
    122
    Likes Received:
    17
    Trophy Points:
    31
    ive started using shin etsu. in one of those tests it was 1 C cooler. the test was probably with an error of +-1 at least though.