Please recommend CPU upgrade for Vostro 1500

The chipset probably doesn't get so hot in the first place that it needs thermal grease, thus, they use the pad. I'd really recommend not combining the two. I'd remove the grease, and keep the pad.

If your system temps are getting to 80C under load, and you only have Intel graphics, I'd want to check that your vents aren't blocked by any dust, that your heatsink is mounted as well as it can be, and that you don't have too much thermal grease. I think the suggestion of putting more paste on the sink than one would normally apply is bunk; if contact is correct, it will push the grease out and around the CPU die, most likely causing it to act as an insulator.

I just upgraded my ThinkPad T400 to a T9600; a drop of AS5 about the size of 1-2 cupcake sprinkles was plenty.

 

Thanks Lone Wolf,

I think you convinced me to tear the laptop apart again and re-do the thermal paste and cooler assembly. Maybe I'll try the MX2 even though it didn't rank all that high in those tests I linked.

John

 

I used AS5 in my case.

Note that AS5 requires a relatively long curing time. I think MX2 is good paste, but I think thicker pastes are better for larger heat-spreader CPUs like the desktop Core 2; exposed-die CPUs like Intel mobile processors, IMO, are better with a slightly more fluid paste, like Arctic Ceramique, or AS5.

 

OK,

Tore it all apart again. Cleaned off the heavy coating of AS5. Cleaned off the AS5 from the Southbridge Pad.

Put the Southbridge pad back on as it was from Dell. Put a dab of MX-2 (no cure time with MX-2) in the center of the CPU and installed the thermal-cooling assembly. Lifted it up once to make sure it had spread properly.

Tested it. Temps dropped by maybe 4 degrees C. Maxes out at around 76 degrees C or so running actual applications that average between 98% and 100% CPU load.

In terms of those over the top stress testers like Orthos GO (with it's CPU only stress test) that runs it up to 80 degrees C. again.

How anyone gets temps in the 50s with a Vostro 1500 and this CPU is incredible to me.

John