Naked CPU(3770K) What is the best thermal paste brand/application method(i.e. line, dot, batman)

[Holl0wb0y]

Hey all, I have a 3770k in a custom loop atm, and I'm looking to shave a few degrees off. Just wondering what the best thermal paste I can use is, and the best application of it.

[Askew]

I use a pea size blob of NT-H1.

[Fuzzy112]

Gelid Extreme. As for application I would try with either a kind of egg shaped pea or a very thin line

[Rigg3L]

Linus likes IC Diamond. I use the grain of rice method and I've used Arctic Silver and liked it.

[Aniallation]

Hey all, I have a 3770k in a custom loop atm, and I'm looking to shave a few degrees off. Just wondering what the best thermal paste I can use is, and the best application of it.

Welcome to Linus Tech Tips! I'd recommend Noctua NT-H1 or Arctic Silver. The application method between pea, line, batman, etc doesn't really matter. No matter which way you do it it still gets spread around, and it doesn't have to be perfectly spread. There's a metal heat spreader over the CPU die for a reason.

[Peter Vaughan Truslow]

do you mean naked die?

i dunno about that, but between IHS and cooler you want a vertical line in the middle of the IHS. this is optimal because the LGA-11xx series processors have a long die oriented vertically under the IHS.

for a bare die on laptops I usually spread because I fear the pressure of the HSF isn't enough to spread.

[Fulgrim]

I'm not up to date on the newer pastes to use (i still rely on good ol' Arctic Silver 5) but as for the application method, it's down to personal preference. Some people swear by putting a pea sized blob in the middle & letting the pressure from applying the heatsink to spread it, some prefer the line method, others spread it with a credit card or something similar.

 

I personally spread the paste as thin as possible with an old credit card.

[Fuzzy112]

There's a metal heat spreader over the CPU die for a reason.

Missed the pretty obvious "naked" part of the title?

[Levent]

MX-4 for non-conductive thermal paste.

If you don't care about that get AS5/IC Diamond

 

Oh and don't forget to check before turning on that there's contact between CPU and heatspeader

im using AS5 on core die itself for last 7 months nothing happened. (its not that conductive lol my core die is even scratched)

[seiny]

There's a lot of good choices already mentioned, my suggestion would be cool laboratories liquid ultra, I don't know how good it is though - Someone enlighten me?

[Levent]

There's a lot of good choices already mentioned, my suggestion would be cool laboratories liquid ultra, I don't know how good it is though - Someone enlighten me?

absolutely no , LLU is not a good choice on core die or even heat spreader itself since its really to remove residue ,temps are nice but its not good for anything but just use it and forget it until it dies.

[seiny]

absolutely no , LLU is not a good choice on core die or even heat spreader itself since its really to remove residue ,temps are nice but its not good for anything but just use it and forget it until it dies.

But I know of someone who used it on a core die and he reported noteworthy improvements, said he was able to achieve a better OC as well

[Levent]

But I know of someone who used it on a core die and he reported noteworthy improvements, said he was able to achieve a better OC as well

i have cut 20c with as5 i dont it is worth to use that one for 25c difference.

[seiny]

i have cut 20c with as5 i dont it is worth to use that one for 25c difference.

I don't understand what you're saying

[Aniallation]

Missed the pretty obvious "naked" part of the title?

Why would you do direct-die

[Xquisite]

Um, the methods are shown on Arctic Silver's website for Intel CPUs. 

Link: http://www.arcticsilver.com/intel_application_method.html#

You're Welcome  :lol:

[Fuzzy112]

Why would you do direct-die

Because it skips the resistance of moving the heat from the die to the IHS and from the IHS to the block itself?

[Holl0wb0y]

Doesn't  IC Diamond scratch the life out of the di?

[BiG StroOnZ]

I use Promilatech PK-3 because it's really easy to work with (compared to CoolLabs Pro/Ultra) and right up there with the best:

 

 

 

 

The best application method is putting less than a pea sized amount in the center of the IHS and then tightening down your waterblock in a diamond pattern. This will spread the TIM evenly throughout. 

[Holl0wb0y]

Thanks for all your opinions! I'm going to go with either Gelid or Prolimatech, I'm a sucker for good benchmark results. It looks like the line method is my best bet according to that Intel link,