Thermal Grease

[Jabo]

You know those odd conversations that tend to crop up on TS where we seem to wind up a long way from the serious business of shooting at each other? Well it happened the other night too, with a conversation about thermal grease.

I'm not sure who was on, but Funflak was definitely there amongst others and was extolling the virtues of Arctic Silver, but I thought I'd found something even better but couldn't remember the name. Well I went and had a rummage through the toolbox and found it. For those who are interested (and I doubt it's many - lol), it's the Zalman ZM-STG2 - which I think performs as well as AS, but without the conductivity downside. It's worth a look.

Jabo

[JensenPark]

doesn't it give you or the sheep a rash though?

[T_O_A_D]

Thanks for getting back and posting your flavor of paste.

I've still got a tube or two of the old Artic Silver, and at the rate of my building these days, I may have them for several more years LOL

But here is a revue, a pretty dam good one too.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/coolers/display/thermal-interface-roundup.html

I don't completely agree with their conclusion. though about your paste.

I don’t think it makes sense to hunt down every half a degree in the conclusion to our today’s roundup. Especially, since a small difference like that lies within the accepted measuring error. Therefore, I would like to say that out of all thermal interfaces we tested today we wouldn’t recommend such solutions as AiT Cool Silver, Pro-Thermal 81 and Zalman ZM-STG1.

Because if its none conductive and only runs a degree or two from the top dogs, I'd say it's perfect for a newbie, or shaky hands, and older eyes that many of us are inflicted with as out ages keep creeping in on us.

[Snacko]

doesn't it give you or the sheep a rash though?

I thought the thermal property of it was supposed to fix that?

Maybe your just allergic?

[GreyKnight]

On a serious note....

When I recently upgraded my MB & CPU, I went for a Water Cooler instead of Air fan. I bought this...

http://www.ditech.at/artikel/WAKC02/Wasserkuehlung_CORSAIR_Cooling_Hydro_Series_H50.html

€75, and a doddle to fit. The unit already has it's own thermal grease applied.

My CPU temp now just stays stuck at 30°, even when playing a graphical intensive game. With my old air cooler, the CPU would often hit 70°+. This too in the middle of a hot summer days we can get over here. When I have to have the windows open and fan blowing around my room and it's 35°+ outside.

[Jabo]

I've always been a little shy about liquid cooling, I guess I don't trust my skills enough to risk my rig! lol I know it's possible to get some excellent temps, although my processor runs on average about 10 deg above ambient so I'm doing OK. The GPU is about 20 above.

That's the previous version in that review TOAD, the STG2 is black/dark grey and has quite a thick consistency. I had to warm it slightly to get a respectably thin layer on the processor - no indication on the packaging of how long it should last, but my PC gets taken to pieces often enough that I doubt it'll be an issue.

Jabo

[Kimosabi]

I've been using AS5, OCZ Freeze and IC7 Diamond for a while now. They are pretty much equal and one degree +- doesn't really matter. I like AS5 for workability though. Conductivity is only something you need to worry about if you're clumsy.

Did someone say watercooling? Hell yeah! Once you start with it you never look back:

[Mayhem]

You want liquid cooling? Look at this

http://www.pugetsystems.com/submerged.php

[T_O_A_D]

Yeh, I read up on that awhile back.

If I had an aquarium I'd try it with some of my older stuff, and just let it be a print server, and a night light.

You want liquid cooling? Look at this

http://www.pugetsystems.com/submerged.php

[Mayhem]

Good Ideal, maybe a firewall box.

Yeh, I read up on that awhile back.

If I had an aquarium I'd try it with some of my older stuff, and just let it be a print server, and a night light.

You want liquid cooling? Look at this

http://www.pugetsystems.com/submerged.php

[Kimosabi]

That mineral oil is EXPENSIVE man.

[Mayhem]

Really any type of oil will work. You could just use vegetable, canolla, peanut, sesame, motor or baby oil as long as it doesn't go rancid. I think they like the mineral cause it's very clear and won't rot or break down but I could totally see you using SAE 30 though it's going to be all yellow/goldish looking.

[Shadrach]

And if the cooling didn't work too well you would have a lovely hot smoking engine oil smell to add to your immersion. In the distant past when I shared a flat we would put a pan of GTX with a dash of redex on the stove whilst watching motor sport on TV to help the atmospher along a bit - until the neighbours complained.

[BadAim]

And if the cooling didn't work too well you would have a lovely hot smoking engine oil smell to add to your immersion. In the distant past when I shared a flat we would put a pan of GTX with a dash of redex on the stove whilst watching motor sport on TV to help the atmospher along a bit - until the neighbours complained.

What on earth are you people doing down there?

[Mayhem]

And if the cooling didn't work too well you would have a lovely hot smoking engine oil smell to add to your immersion. In the distant past when I shared a flat we would put a pan of GTX with a dash of redex on the stove whilst watching motor sport on TV to help the atmospher along a bit - until the neighbours complained.

What on earth are you people doing down there?

That is a little freakish......

[Jabo]

Oh, lord, you invite new people in and they seem all nice and sensible and stuff, and then within a couple of months they're as bonkers as the rest of us.