GPU Thermal Compound?

[Rukeith]

So I'm planning on cleaning out the old thermal paste from my GTX 780 (reaches 80c+ under load, should be getting 70-75) and I want to make sure I do it right. I have a few questions just to make sure I don't screw it up, though it shouldn't be too difficult.

1. Should I use cotton swabs or a microfiber cloth (lint-free) with isopropyl alcohol to clean off the old thermal paste?
2. Will any of these Thermal Compounds do? Arctic Silver 5, Noctua NT-H1 & Deepcool THP-Z9.

3. What method should I use to apply it and how much? The Pea, Line, Spread or X/Cross method? From what I read, the X method ensures that you cover the entire GPU. There are even people out there in big forums suggesting the credit card spread method, since a GPU requires the entire thing to be covered rather than a circle. I'm not sure how big GK110 is for reference, so I'm undecided.

[Josephdalepi]

So I'm planning on cleaning out the old thermal paste from my GTX 780 (reaches 80c+ under load, should be getting 70-75) and I want to make sure I do it right. I have a few questions just to make sure I don't screw it up, though it shouldn't be too difficult.

1. Should I use cotton swabs or a microfiber cloth (lint-free) with isopropyl alcohol to clean off the old thermal paste?

2. Will any of these Thermal Compounds do? Arctic Silver 5, Noctua NT-H1 & Deepcool THP-Z9.

3. What method should I use to apply it and how much? The Pea, Line, Spread or X/Cross method? From what I read, the X method ensures that you cover the entire GPU. There are even people out there in big forums suggesting the credit card spread method, since a GPU requires the entire thing to be covered rather than a circle. I'm not sure how big GK110 is for reference, so I'm undecided.

cotton swabs to get it off, then rub down with microfiber

any of them will work

line usually works just fine, but id have to do more research

[adams]

[Rune]

I used star method on my 780ti/980ti kingpin. Works like a charm.

[Rukeith]

So method used shouldn't matter? I guess I could apply paste, put the cooler back on with a little bit of pressure and remove it to see if it spread well enough. Does it have to be completely covered, or is it literally the same as any CPU?

[ivan134]

Arctic Silver 5 sucks and I know that from personal experience. Takes a billions years to cure. Use this;
 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ULZITS/?tag=pcpapi-20

[Rukeith]

Yeah, I'l either use MX-4 or NT-H1.