Thermal paste or pads

[IanTheAlien123]

I replaced thermal pads on a gpu with paste was wondering if I messed up by doing that? Which is better pads or paste?

[Eggy]

Paste should be way better than pads, just make sure that there is no empty space between the cooler and the GPU now since the thermal pads often are taller than a layer of thermal paste.

[W-L]

2 minutes ago, IanTheAlien123 said:

I replaced thermal pads on a gpu with paste was wondering if I messed up by doing that? Which is better pads or paste?

Thermal paste and pads are for two different applications paste is for the die or heatspreader to take up any gaps or inconsistencies between it and the heatsink. Thermal pads are to bridge gaps on VRM, VRAM chips and such, using paste on those would not work well. 

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, IanTheAlien123 said:

I replaced thermal pads on a gpu with paste was wondering if I messed up by doing that? Which is better pads or paste?

Thermal paste and thermal pads are used for completely different things, thermal paste is typically used for the GPU chip and thermal pads are typically used for the VRMs or other areas on the PCB of the GPU. Thermal paste wouldnt work on the VRMs, simply when you put the GPU shroud back on, the thermal paste would leak everywhere and go onto the PCB of the GPU and damage the capacitors or other electrical components, its also not advised either. Just put thermal pads on the VRM caps and thermal paste on the GPU chip.

[Mick Naughty]

Rip gpu.

 

[Max_Settings]

2 hours ago, Eggy said:

Paste should be way better than pads, just make sure that there is no empty space between the cooler and the GPU now since the thermal pads often are taller than a layer of thermal paste.

Dude please don't say things when you have no idea what you are talking about. You could make this guy kill his card by doing stuff like this.