MX-4 for gpu: ok or not ok?

[paprikman]

Hi everyone.

Recently my gpu started to fall in thermal throttling even at highest fan rpms, so I decided to change a thermal compound. Well, it's cheaper than getting a new gpu.

I went online to buy some AC mx-4, but I faced many negative comments that it deteriorates fast, especially while running temps over 70 C (as it will be with gpu cooling).

 

So, the question is, is it reliable for applying on gpu or I should get someting else? Thanks.

 

P.S. There's no IC diamond in any local stores, neither it is available for shipping (lol, shipping thermal paste) for me.

[vESP]

ive been running it on my gtx 1080 for a while now about 4 weeks. seems to run good.  personally im moving all the way over to thermalgrizzly kryonaut and conductonaut for all my TIM.  

 

i get about 50 to 60C load temps on my 1080, may be different if u are not running a hybrid card like a seahawk or EVGA hybrid.

[vESP]

Perfectly fine for GPU and CPU and i even use it on my south and north bridges for the lolz haven't had a issue yet. i got a 11gram tube for $35 Australian. 

http://www.thermal-grizzly.com/produkte/2-kryonaut

 

is the manufacture website and it will list almost all the global retailers who stock it. 

[paprikman]

1 minute ago, vESP said:

ive been running it on my gtx 1080 for a while now about 4 weeks. seems to run good.  personally im moving all the way over to thermalgrizzly kryonaut and conductonaut for all my TIM.  

 

i get about 50 to 60C load temps on my 1080, may be different if u are not running a hybrid card like a seahawk or EVGA hybrid.

Got it, thanks for your respond.

[vESP]

1 minute ago, paprikman said:

Got it, thanks for your respond.

i have even put on my girlfriends gtx 580 and it made the temps more controllable [ mx4 ]

[Yoola]

If you're already changing it, get liquid metal and use that. (preferably Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut)

[paprikman]

Just now, Yoola said:

If you're already changing it, get liquid metal and use that. (preferably Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut)

Well, maybe. I didn't work with such things, so I should learn more about them first. Kind 'a afraid of possible hardware damage.

[Space Reptile]

i used MX4 on my R9 290 and its deff better than stock , i can only reccomend it , its also nonconductive so if you goop a Little too much it wont hurt anything

[Dabombinable]

2 minutes ago, Space Reptile said:

i used MX4 on my R9 290 and its deff better than stock , i can only reccomend it , its also nonconductive so if you goop a Little too much it wont hurt anything

Don't forget the non capacitive aspect as well-which is why getting some AS5 into the socket of one of my LGA775 motherboard pretty much destroyed it (I dropped the CPU upside down into the socket absentmindedly-never work on a rig after a long stint without sleep).

[paprikman]

1 minute ago, Dabombinable said:

Don't forget the non capacitive aspect as well-which is why getting some AS5 into the socket of one of my LGA775 motherboard pretty much destroyed it (I dropped the CPU upside down into the socket absentmindedly-never work on a rig after a long stint without sleep).

That's why it's not for me. Something can always go wrong  Probably will stick with kryonaut for now. It's only available for ordering anyways.

[NannerBeans]

29 minutes ago, Yoola said:

If you're already changing it, get liquid metal and use that. (preferably Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut)

Only if you want to kill your GPU.

 

42 minutes ago, paprikman said:

Hi everyone.

Recently my gpu started to fall in thermal throttling even at highest fan rpms, so I decided to change a thermal compound. Well, it's cheaper than getting a new gpu.

I went online to buy some AC mx-4, but I faced many negative comments that it deteriorates fast, especially while running temps over 70 C (as it will be with gpu cooling).

 

So, the question is, is it reliable for applying on gpu or I should get someting else? Thanks.

 

P.S. There's no IC diamond in any local stores, neither it is available for shipping (lol, shipping thermal paste) for me.

MX-4 is fine to use. IC diamond is actually not recommended for GPUs because it scratches the die. I think AS5 is slightly better but it's not worth getting it if you already bought the MX-4.

[vESP]

21 minutes ago, paprikman said:

That's why it's not for me. Something can always go wrong  Probably will stick with kryonaut for now. It's only available for ordering anyways.

kryo has a little applying took u can never really stuff the installation with as u spread it a cross the die or sink etc also is one of the most heat transferring pastes ive tried, i prefer it over AS5, Noctua thermal paste and MX4

[paprikman]

3 minutes ago, NannerBeans said:

Only if you want to kill your GPU.

 

MX-4 is fine to use. IC diamond is actually not recommended for GPUs because it scratches the die. I think AS5 is slightly better but it's not worth getting it if you already bought the MX-4.

Ok, thanks.

Didn't bought anything yet, thinking to get kryonaut after @vESP comments and reading some info about it.

[Bananasplit_00]

34 minutes ago, Yoola said:

If you're already changing it, get liquid metal and use that. (preferably Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut)

expensive AF and its easy to mess up the card.

6 minutes ago, NannerBeans said:

Only if you want to kill your GPU.

 

MX-4 is fine to use. IC diamond is actually not recommended for GPUs because it scratches the die. I think AS5 is slightly better but it's not worth getting it if you already bought the MX-4.

AS5 is trash paste, its old and outdated. MX-4 preforms better.

 

 

as for OPs question, MX-4 is an exelent paste for your GPU, its quite runny and can sortof glue the cooler to the card but if you just slide the cooler off instead of pulling it it should be good. i have used a lot of NT-H1 and MX-2 which are both good pastes(well MX-2 isnt that good, its just not bad) which have basically the same thickness as MX-4 and they tend to have that problem, which is only a problem really when working with PGA sockets and even then isnt really a problem.

[NannerBeans]

2 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

AS5 is trash paste, its old and outdated. MX-4 preforms better.

...They are within a degree of each other. MX-4 has been out for a long time too. It pretty much doesn't matter which one you buy. Stop being an asshole about it. 

[Bananasplit_00]

Just now, NannerBeans said:

...They are within a degree of each other. MX-4 has been out for a long time too. It pretty much doesn't matter which one you buy. Stop being an asshole about it. 

MX-4 is cheaper and has better properties. i just cant really stand for anyone recomending AS5 anymore tbh. sorry i was a bit rude though

[Yoola]

17 minutes ago, NannerBeans said:

Only if you want to kill your GPU.

If you don't kniw what you're doing you can kill it anyways. It's not for you if you don't know how to. People are seeing massive drops with liquid metal. And when you're doing it, it's not worth replacing it with something that'll vary by 1°C - 2°C.

[NannerBeans]

3 minutes ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

MX-4 is cheaper and has better properties. i just cant really stand for anyone recomending AS5 anymore tbh. sorry i was a bit rude though

I wouldn't buy AS5 either but there are some benchmarks that say it's slightly better and some that say it's slightly worse than MX-4. In my mind, they're basically the same but yes, AS5 tends to be more expensive. If I need to purchase thermal paste, I usually go with Gelid if I'm willing to spend a little more or MX-4 if I want a cheaper paste. 

[NannerBeans]

2 minutes ago, Yoola said:

If you don't kniw what you're doing you can kill it anyways. It's not for you if you don't know how to. People are seeing massive drops with liquid metal. And when you're doing it, it's not worth replacing it with something that'll vary by 1°C - 2°C.

No dude. Conductive TIMs should only be used on the CPU, not the GPU. There is a much higher risk of shorting something out on a GPU as opposed to the CPU. 

[Yoola]

7 minutes ago, NannerBeans said:

No dude. Conductive TIMs should only be used on the CPU, not the GPU. There is a much higher risk of shorting something out on a GPU as opposed to the CPU. 

But you don't just slap liquid metal on the chip and call it a day. You have to spread it in thin layer and remove any excess. It takes time to do but can be rewarding. And ofcourse, it can only be done on copper material, so more research is needed.

[Bananasplit_00]

9 minutes ago, Yoola said:

If you don't kniw what you're doing you can kill it anyways. It's not for you if you don't know how to. People are seeing massive drops with liquid metal. And when you're doing it, it's not worth replacing it with something that'll vary by 1°C - 2°C.

get a speck of that anywhere but the dye and the card is fried.

[NannerBeans]

Just now, Yoola said:

But you don't just slap liquid metal on the chip and call it a day. You have to spread it in thin layer and remove and excess. It takes time to do but can be rewarding. And ofcourse, it can only be done on copper material, so more research is needed.

Yes, I know how to apply it. I use liquid metal myself. But on a CPU, the leads that shouldn't be shorted are much farther away from the dye and can be either taped up or clear coated. On the GPU, not so much. You can't have any excess at all and you need to cover the entire die to get good performance which means no matter how careful you are, you will likely not cover the entire die, or you will have some excess and kill your GPU. It's not worth it for the mild temperature gain. 

[paprikman]

Dat thermal paste hollywar here

 

Thanks everyone for responding, I ordered Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut. Will reply later about achieved results with it.

[Bananasplit_00]

4 minutes ago, paprikman said:

Dat thermal paste hollywar here

 

Thanks everyone for responding, I ordered Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut. Will reply later about achieved results with it.

thats paste for LN2 cooling...

[vESP]

1 minute ago, Bananasplit_00 said:

thats paste for LN2 cooling...

and i personally use it. and confirm it runs better then damned mx4