Can I stack IC graphite thermal pads

[PotatoSupremacist]

I've recently purchased an Alienware m15. I've repasted it with Cooler Master Mastergel Maker, and undervolted the CPU by 160 mv and capped it's turbo at 3.6 Ghz, but my idle temps are still around 50 C and my GPU get up to 80-85 C once even peaking at 90 C with clocks around the 1400 Mhz mark just when gaming. CPU remains around 76,but under Aida64 it can also reach 90 C. I've heard that some m15 heatsinks can be flawed and not make good contact, but I really don't want to go through the hassle of a warranty claim. 

 

I'm pretty sure it not me, since I've repasted it twice, second time being extremely generous to hopefully make as much contact as possible, to no success. 

 

And so, I'm interested in using some graphite thermal pads, but thy seem pretty thin so to get around the whole contact issue, I was wondering if I could stack them on top of each other. 

[Imbellis]

They're designed to cover the gaps , so I really doubt stacking 2 would make better contact. In addition, they're not as good as thermal paste at transmitting heat but have the benefit of not having to be replaced.

Der8auer is releasing another type of graphite pads which will most likely be better. I'd wait the couple weeks until they're released. Shouldn't be too expensive.

 

[Jurrunio]

usually that's a problem of low mounting pressure, not thermal interface quality.

[markr54632]

You can get contact paper relatively cheap to check contact area. It is very common for laptop heat sinks to not have a flat contact surface. Most laptops use low mounting pressure, which has made them bad candidates for ic graphite, you get the conductive risk of liquid metal with none of the performance.

 

Stacking ic graphite would cut performance in half and then some. At that point you might as well use the cheapest thermal paste you can find.

 

The new carbonaut from thermal grizzly seems promising.

 

[Tristerin]

Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut is the best thing since sliced bread.  I applied it to my space heater CPU and dropped my socket temp by 3c under 100% load (AIDA or Prime, Prime hits me harder) and CPU temp dropped by 5c.

 

Just FOLLOW the applicator directions.  Its not cheapo TP.

[KarathKasun]

43 minutes ago, PotatoSupremacist said:

I've recently purchased an Alienware m15. I've repasted it with Cooler Master Mastergel Maker, and undervolted the CPU by 160 mv and capped it's turbo at 3.6 Ghz, but my idle temps are still around 50 C and my GPU get up to 80-85 C once even peaking at 90 C with clocks around the 1400 Mhz mark just when gaming. CPU remains around 76,but under Aida64 it can also reach 90 C. I've heard that some m15 heatsinks can be flawed and not make good contact, but I really don't want to go through the hassle of a warranty claim. 

 

I'm pretty sure it not me, since I've repasted it twice, second time being extremely generous to hopefully make as much contact as possible, to no success. 

 

And so, I'm interested in using some graphite thermal pads, but thy seem pretty thin so to get around the whole contact issue, I was wondering if I could stack them on top of each other. 

No, their conductivity in the z-axis is terrible.

[PotatoSupremacist]

Thanks for the responses guys. I'll probably try another thermal paste like Kryonaut. 

Not sure what I can do out mounting pressure since I tightened all heatsink screws as much as possible.