Question Please recommend thermal paste

[modeonoff]

Hi, how is Arctic Silver 5 compared with Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut, Noctua NT-H1 and Arctic MX4/MX5? Is there a better thermal paste for laptop and desktop i9-9900K?

 

[alceryes]

I would go with the MX5. Note that they all will perform great, or not so great, depending on application.

Ultra thin spread, buttered-toast method, and NEVER pull the heatsink back off to 'see how it spread'. After applying the heatsink you're done.

 

[USAFRet]

Hi, how is Arctic Silver 5 compared with Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut, Noctua NT-H1 and Arctic MX4/MX5? Is there a better thermal paste for laptop and desktop i9-9900K?

There is far less difference than what people think:
https://www.tomshardware.com/best-picks/best-thermal-paste

 

[modeonoff]

Given the same application, is MX5 better than NT-H1? I have NT-H1 at home. Used Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut for i9-9900K few years ago but can't find it. Arctic Silver 5 is available at a local store but I heard that it is not good anymore. I would need to order online if I use MX5 or Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut.

 

[USAFRet]

Given the same application, is MX5 better than NT-H1? I have NT-H1 at home. Used Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut for i9-9900K few years ago but can't find it. Arctic Silver 5 is available at a local store but I heard that it is not good anymore. I would need to order online if I use MX5 or Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut.

From the above linked test, the MX5 and NT-H1 are within 0.62 C.

Totally irrelevant.

 

[modeonoff]

Thanks. So just use the one I already have. Which video shows the best way of applying the thermal paste?

 

[alceryes]

...Which video shows the best way of applying the thermal paste?

See my post. 😉

 

[modeonoff]

On my laptop, there is a heatsink to cover the CPU so I could use your method. However, for the Nvidia GPU, there is no heatsink, nothing on it. In this case, should I just spread an Ultra thin spread, buttered-toast layer and leave it alone?

 

[USAFRet]

On my laptop, there is a heatsink to cover the CPU so I could use your method. However, for the Nvidia GPU, there is no heatsink, nothing on it. In this case, should I just spread an Ultra thin spread, buttered-toast layer and leave it alone?

If there is no heatsink, just a bare chip...leave it alone.
No paste at all.

 

[alceryes]

...However, for the Nvidia GPU, there is no heatsink, nothing on it. In this case, should I just spread an Ultra thin spread, buttered-toast layer and leave it alone?

Can you supply a couple pics? (upload to Imgur and post the link)
This doesn't sound right.

Edit - Also list the exact make/model laptop.

 

[Nighthawk117]

Hi, how is Arctic Silver 5 compared with Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut, Noctua NT-H1 and Arctic MX4/MX5? Is there a better thermal paste for laptop and desktop i9-9900K?

I would say Thermal Grizzly was the best performer of the bunch but too many posts about it scratching IHS's and what have you. I would go with Artic MX5 or Noctua NT-H1 for a good all rounder. Used Noctua NT-H1 on the laptop and desktop for years, very good paste, lasts a long time and has never damaged anything. Currently use MX5 on the desktop, very similar performance to NT-H1 but it's easier to spread on the CPU.

 

[Nighthawk117]

On my laptop, there is a heatsink to cover the CPU so I could use your method. However, for the Nvidia GPU, there is no heatsink, nothing on it. In this case, should I just spread an Ultra thin spread, buttered-toast layer and leave it alone?

That does not sound right at all, you sure your looking at the GPU?

 

[Phaaze88]

Warning: MX-5 was discontinued due to quality control issues.

ARCTIC Identifies Bad Batch of MX-5 TIM in the Market, Offers Free Replacements

For ARCTIC, it has always been a top priority to supply customers only with products of the best quality and durability. Should there ever be any doubts about products we've delivered, we stand by our responsibility to our customers. Current findings from our permanent quality assurance tests...

www.techpowerup.com

They couldn't keep the stuff consistent.
Symptoms of affected batches: If you push the plunger and a bunch of oily stuff comes out that means your TIM has separated and is no good.

 

[Nighthawk117]

Warning: MX-5 was discontinued due to quality control issues.

ARCTIC Identifies Bad Batch of MX-5 TIM in the Market, Offers Free Replacements

For ARCTIC, it has always been a top priority to supply customers only with products of the best quality and durability. Should there ever be any doubts about products we've delivered, we stand by our responsibility to our customers. Current findings from our permanent quality assurance tests...

www.techpowerup.com

They couldn't keep the stuff consistent.
Symptoms of affected batches: If you push the plunger and a bunch of oily stuff comes out that means your TIM has separated and is no good.

Oh dear, Noctua NT-H1 for the win then.

 

[USAFRet]

To be fair, it seems to be only that one batch.

 

[alceryes]

Warning: MX-5 was discontinued due to quality control issues.

ARCTIC Identifies Bad Batch of MX-5 TIM in the Market, Offers Free Replacements

For ARCTIC, it has always been a top priority to supply customers only with products of the best quality and durability. Should there ever be any doubts about products we've delivered, we stand by our responsibility to our customers. Current findings from our permanent quality assurance tests...

www.techpowerup.com

They couldn't keep the stuff consistent.
Symptoms of affected batches: If you push the plunger and a bunch of oily stuff comes out that means your TIM has separated and is no good.

Yikes. Didn't know this. Arctic doesn't even list MX5 on their sales pages anymore so it must be bad.
Yeah, go with the NT-H1 then.

 

[modeonoff]

Can you supply a couple pics? (upload to Imgur and post the link)
This doesn't sound right.

Edit - Also list the exact make/model laptop.

MacBook Pro 17" Unibody Heat Sink Replacement - iFixit Repair Guide

The Nvidia GPU without thermal paste is the one in the first photo (above Introduction where the left thumb of the person is resting on.

In Steps. 8, 22 and 23, you see the two heat sinks/pipes. They are touching the bottom (Aluminum?) plate after installation. Apple put something between the bottom plate and the pipes

661-9828 Bottom Case for MacBook Pro 17 Inch Early 2011 A1297 MB725LL/A, BTO/CTO (macpartsdepot.com)

I mean those two black rectangle shaped sheets. When I tried to use alcohol to clean them, lots of small black things came out. Looks like they got dissolved with alcohol. I noticed that even before I used alcohol to clean them, when I turned on the machine, those two pipes and the region near those two black sheets of the bottom plate are very hot. Is there any good way to cool them down? Perhaps put something like thermal pads in between?

 

[alceryes]

The Nvidia GPU without thermal paste is the one in the first photo (above Introduction where the left thumb of the person is resting on.

That's not the GPU.
The GPU is one of the components under the heatpipe. I think two of those chips will say NVIDIA on them. Maybe one is a chipset...?

 

[modeonoff]

That's not the GPU.
The GPU is one of the components under the heatpipe. I think two of those chips will say NVIDIA on them. Maybe one is a chipset...?

I saw NVIDIA written on it.

When the fan noise is like jet engine, the bottom is very hot. Any thing that I can do to lower the temperature of this old computer? Will putting thermal pads on all those silver chips help?

 

[alceryes]

I saw NVIDIA written on it.

When the fan noise is like jet engine, the bottom is very hot. Any thing that I can do to lower the temperature of this old computer? Will putting thermal pads on all those silver chips help?

Only the big chip(s) with NVIDIA written contain the GPU.

Do you have the heatpipe construction with the radiator on the end and working fans? If yes, what you should do is first get good thermal paste. Once you have the paste on hand, follow the below video regarding the removal, cleaning, applying thermal paste, and reassembly of your Macbook Pro. Of course, it is possible that you have faulty/failing components, but this should ensure that the cooling portion is all cleaned and good.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M45nF8lTKM

 

[modeonoff]

Thanks for the nice video. I have done that but still jet engine noise. The computer is sitting on a glass table. Even the bottom of the table got warm. Even doing the same thing, sometimes the fans are on but sometimes they are off.