thermal grease/paste/pad

[nick]

Was reading on how to build a computer. The article mentions the use of thermal grease/paste and a thermal pad.
Is this essential? Benefits of use?
Mobo is the Abit IS7 and a P4 2.8ghz 800FSB, if you need that information.

Nick

 

[FallOutBoyTonto]

The use of thermal grease/paste isn't essential, but it'll help in lowering the temp of your CPU. A thermal pad is a part of some heatsinks, if that's there you don't need thermal grease/paste. They are pretty much the same thing but the pad is already on the heatsink, the grease/paste needs to be bought seperately and applied. Hope that answered your question.

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[slvr_phoenix]

Heatsinks need <i>something</i> to help them transfer heat from the processor to the heat sink. There are always microscopic gaps of air that really do a lot to kill the transfer of heat. Thermal pads and grease fill in these gaps and thus make the transfer of heat a lot more efficient.

Thermal pads come on a lot of heatsinks (especially the Intel retail heatsinks) and are generally okay-ish, but nothing great.

Thermal grease/paste is where it really gets good. It is much better at conducting heat. However it also takes a little skill (and I do mean very little) to not screw up the installation using it and it can be a little messy.

Unless you're really on the edge of what the heatsink can do or you're overclocking using paste over a thermal pad really isn't necessary.

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