thermal paste vs thermal pads/tape on the cpu/block. what are the advantages and disadvantages?

damageplan

Honorable
Oct 30, 2013
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i am looking to water cool my cpu and i am wondering if i should switch from using thermal paste to thermal pads/tape. i have read that paste is better than thermal pads/tape but is it enough better to make it worth the loss in ease of use and convenience of the thermal pad/tape?
 
Solution
I believe the thermal pads are grossly inefficient in heat transfer. Paste is a very thin layer, only filling the near-microscopic irregularities in the metal of the CPU and the heatsink and for the rest allowing metal-metal contact which is very efficient in thermal transfer. Pads are only good for passive heatsinks that does not have the pressure that can be put on the CPU with the cooler backplate.

Edit: Also, pads are good for things that don't generate as much heat as a CPU or the chip on the GPU. - VRMs and memory. Paste for the really high generators of heat that require efficient cooling and heat conducting.
I believe the thermal pads are grossly inefficient in heat transfer. Paste is a very thin layer, only filling the near-microscopic irregularities in the metal of the CPU and the heatsink and for the rest allowing metal-metal contact which is very efficient in thermal transfer. Pads are only good for passive heatsinks that does not have the pressure that can be put on the CPU with the cooler backplate.

Edit: Also, pads are good for things that don't generate as much heat as a CPU or the chip on the GPU. - VRMs and memory. Paste for the really high generators of heat that require efficient cooling and heat conducting.
 
Solution


i was kinda worried you would say that. in my limited experience thermal paste is just unpleasant to work with. but I do see what your saying and i appreciate the advice.