Arctic Silver 5 or stock thermal paste?

[xxdanxs]

I am building a PC later today and I will be using an i7 3770k and probably the stock heatsink/fan. I have some Arctic Silver 5 that is about 1 year old. Should I remove the stock heatsink and use Arctic Silver 5 instead or will the stock thermal paste on the stock heatsink be good enough? (I will not be overclocking.)

 

[CommentariesAnd More]

I will use the Artic Silver 5 if I were you. Since the stock cooler/thermal paste is crap.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

I recommend you get MX4.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186038

 

[udg]

I would go with the Artic Silver but if you have no intentions of overclocking then the stock thermal paste will be good enough.

 

[realchaos]

Just stick with stock. Honestly, there's no point of adding aftermarket thermal paste onto the stock cooler. No matter how bad the stock thermal paste is, it will be enough to prevent the cpu from overheating at stock speeds.

 

[sadams04]

...I will be using ... and probably the stock heatsink/fan.quotemsg]

Best practices says AS5, MX4, ect..., but it won't matter as you plan on using the stock cooler.

 

[ryadia]

All thermal paste is intended to fill the flaws of modern manufacture. Those heat sinks are made from a long extrusion of aluminum cut into pieces the height of the cooler. The thermal paste is supposed to fill in the saw marks. If you manage to find someone with the patience of job, polish the heat sink to a dead smooth surface and run with stock paste scraped flat with a razor blade. Personally I don't find more than a degree or two difference between the expensive stuff and what you get at an Auto parts shop.