In this article, we will be discussing the five best options for thermal pastes so that you can make the best decision and never have your CPU or GPU overheat. These pastes are not only used for CPUs but are also used by many enthusiastic gamers for greasing their Raspberry Pi or laptop graphic cards.
Moreover, we will also guide all the buyers in the best possible manner through our thermal paste buyer’s guide.
Best Thermal Paste – Table of Contents
Reviews
- Product Summary of 5 Reviewed Thermal Pastes
- Best High-End Ceramic TIM
- Best Carbon-Based Thermal Paste
- 99.9% Silver Thermal Compound
- Great Thermal Paste for Overclocking
- Best Thermal Paste for GPU and CPU Overclocking 2022 (Best Liquid Metal Thermal Compound)
Buyer’s Guide
- What is a Thermal Paste?
- Types of Thermal Pastes
– Metal-based Pastes
– Ceramic-based Pastes
– Silicone-based Pastes - How to Apply Thermal Pastes – Which Method is the Best?
– Pea Method
– Vertical Line Method
– Circular Method - Thermal Paste Tips
– Clean First
– Apply a Small Amount
– Do not apply too little
– Strictly Avoid Spills
– Re-application of Paste – When you Should Apply Thermal Paste? - How to Remove Thermal Paste from CPU Surface?
- Why is there more overheating in the latest gadgets?
- How to Avoid Overheating?
- Bad Effects of Heat on Computer Systems?
- Why do Systems Need Thermal Pastes?
- Why Do Systems Generate Heat?
- When Does the Need of a Thermal Paste Arise?
- Editor’s Choice
Thermal Pastes – Product Summary
Thermal Paste | Pros | Cons | Check Price |
---|---|---|---|
Best High-End Ceramic TIM | High Performance | A Bit Expensive | |
Best Carbon-Based Thermal Paste | Easy to Apply | Not for OC | |
99.9% Silver Thermal Compound | Excellent Performance | Slightly Capacitive | |
Great Thermal Paste for Overclocking | Suitable for OC | None | |
Best One (CPU & GPU Overclocking) | Remarkable Performance Boost | None |
Reviews of Best Thermal Pastes
1. Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut – Best High-End Ceramic TIM
This is undoubtedly one of the best non-capacitive thermal greases you can find in the market. However, this high quality and superb performance come at a high price. In comparison – it is priced twice as much as the Noctua NT-H1 and yet the amount of paste is only 1G. These parameters of superb performance and high price indicate that Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut is meant only for hardcore PC builders and gaming enthusiasts. Regardless of its high price, it should be noted that it won’t disappoint you in terms of performance. With a thermal conductivity of 12.5W/mk, it doesn’t conduct electricity at all. There is no settling time and you can apply it very easily. As compared to Noctua NT-H1 and Arctic Silver 5, it gives a temperature that is 3-4° lower. If it is applied properly then you can use it for 3-4 appliances. If you are looking for an option that is cost-efficient, then you might want to check out Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut 11.1G version. Out of many heat sink compounds present in the market, Arctic MX-4 has made it to our top 5. The main reason is its affordable price and the ease with which you can apply it. The latter is due to its practical syringe design. The absence of any sort of metal makes it incapable of conducting electricity. The paste does not require any settling time, hence you can place the cooler the moment you pour the paste. Though the Arctic MX-4 performs in a remarkable manner for regular use, the overclockers might want to consider a stronger paste for a little extra performance. It is a really good alternate choice for Arctic Mx-4 and Noctua NT-H1. Its better performance can be credited to the 99.9% micronized silver that is present. It should be noted that regardless of silver’s presence, it is still categorized as ceramic TIM. However, it should be noted that the manufacturer strongly advises you not to drop it over PC components. The heat conduction is enhanced by the micronized silver and this allows the CPU to work even at more demanding and higher performance. At this point, it is worth noting that the paste does take some time to settle. This implies that you should expect good performance only when a few hours have passed. This is not really important however, you should keep this in mind. As a gaming enthusiast and PC builder, you should know to be aware of the fact that there are certain ceramic TIMs in the market which claim to feature micronized diamonds. Based on our experience, we would suggest that you do not use them. The reason is their abrasive nature and the difference in performance is negligible. If you want to keep your CPU cooler then this is a better option as compared to Arctic MX-4. As a matter of fact, it keeps your CPU 2° cooler. It has really good features like ease of application, dry nature, and no settling time. As far as the price is considered, the Noctua NT-H1 TIM is a little bit cheaper as compared to Arctic MX-4. Moreover, the amount of paste required for application is also less. You can apply it approximately 15 times. The heat conduction is really good even when the CPU is operating at a higher load. The paste is not capacitive. The liquid metal thermal pastes need more expertise for proper application. This is not because of the fact that they are electrically capacitive by nature but because of the fact that the heatsink must be thoroughly cleaned before the paste is applied. This cleaning of the heatsink is done with isopropyl alcohol. Once you are done with the cleaning process, the next step is to apply a very little quantity of the paste and spread it evenly using the provided brush. You are in luck because the Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut provides a proper series of instructions and tools to make the paste application process easier. At this point, it is worth noting that liquid metal can cause damage to the aluminum heatsinks and even leave black stains. Hence, you should be careful while using it on aluminum. Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut is highly efficient and it can lower the temperature by over 10°. However, the amount by which it lowers the temperature is highly dependent on the heatsink, cooler, and computer rig that you are using. Lower temperature means further overclocking of CPU and/or GPU, hence higher performance. With a thermal conductivity of 73 W/mk, this is by far the best thermal paste present in the market. For people who cannot compromise on performance, this is definitely the best choice. We do accept that the application process might take some time but all with be worth it. You won’t face any disappointment. Thermal Paste can be considered a compound that is highly heat-conductive. Its best use is during the installation of the Graphics card’s heatsink/cooler or CPU’s heatsink/cooler. So, the big question is why do you need to apply the paste before installing the heatsink? The heatsink can be perfectly seated. Well, this is a valid question, but there is an equally valid reason to take this step. Think of it this way; even when you place the heatsink in a proper manner, there are still some microscopic gaps that indicate poor heat dissipation. This leaves you with a hotter CPU that can potentially be damaged in the long run. The purpose of the thermal paste is to ensure that the microscopic gaps and imperfections are eradicated by filling up the gaps. Due to the property of heat conduction, the process of heat dissipation from the GPU or CPU to the heatsinks/coolers is enhanced. It should be noted that thermal paste is also referred to as thermal compound, TIM, silicon compound, thermal gunk, heat sink paste, etc. Even if heat sinks or coolers perfectly fit onto your CPU and do a good job yet thermal pastes are required to keep the CPU or GPU cool. Thermal pastes can lower the temperature of your CPU or GPU up to 10 degrees. They can flow into the micro spaces and make heat conduction more effective. Metallic pastes provide maximum heat conduction since metals are good conductors of heat. We highly recommend metal-based pastes as this is the best thermal compound available but if you are a beginner or applying CPU thermal paste for the first time then we advise you not to use it. Metallic pastes are not only good conductors of heat, but electricity too, so if there was any paste spilled during installation and you did not notice or properly clean up, it can touch the motherboard circuitry and damage internal components by short-circuiting. In our research, we found that the most common type of thermal pastes used are ceramic-based. We found that it was the perfect paste for beginners. Since this thermal paste is non-conductive, even if any material is spilled, there will be no damage to the motherboard or other structures. The third most common type of thermal paste present in the market is silicon-based thermal compound, which is usually packaged as thermal pads embedded with the paste. This patch is directly attached to the processor or to the heatsink. Unfortunately, out of all the available thermal pastes, this thermal paste was the one that performed the worst but somehow still managed to dissipate heat from the processor or even the graphic card. Now that you are aware of the basic types of thermal pastes and compounds available in the market, it’s time to find out the best way to apply the pastes. The method of application is as important as the product itself. One of the most common mistakes that people make with thermal pastes is that they try and use a large amount of it, however, this is wrong. A small amount or even a layer of thermal paste is sufficient to produce the desired results. There are methods to make sure that the right amount of paste is applied to your CPU or GPU. Discussed below are some of the methods used to apply pastes and what methods are suited based on the type of paste used. In the gaming world and for people who use heavy systems, overheating is an issue. The best CPU thermal paste usage for them will be the pea size method. It is easy to use. Just apply a pea-sized amount of thermal paste into the IHS of the processor or graphics card and then move on to mount your cooler. In our opinion, this was the easiest method. Our team also found that this was the most common method used. Just squeeze out a small amount of the thermal paste and then carefully draw a vertical line. Just do not go beyond the limits or boundaries of the surface of IHS. The name says it all. A circle is created using the thermal paste when applying. It is important to note that the circle should be very thin. This will not introduce more than the required amount of paste on the IHS. Here are some of the things that you should do to make sure that your thermal pastes would perform to their maximum so you can have the best results. Our team found these tips to help you select the best thermal compound. Make sure that you always clean before applying the paste. The first thing that you need to do right before you apply the paste is to clean the surface of the integrated heat spreader or IHS. Clean the metal part with rubbing alcohol or isopropyl. Use a piece of tissue paper as the tissue paper is a non-conductive material. While applying the paste make sure that you don’t need to apply too much. That will reduce heat loss. Instead of letting heat go, too much paste will start absorbing heat. Make sure that while you do not apply too much of the thermal paste, you also do not apply too little. That will just not serve the purpose. Applying a very small amount of paste on your CPU or GPU will make hardly any difference in dissipating unwanted heat. Therefore, to make sure that you are applying the right amount of thermal paste go to the section above and read out on instructions. Make sure that there is no spillover of the thermal paste while applying it onto the motherboard or any other components of the system. Some of the thermal pastes are electrically conductive and this creates serious issues. It can short other electrical components of the CPU or GPU. Our research helped us understand that even the best thermal pastes have a low lifeline. Thus, the question that arises here is when to apply it. The best answer to that is to apply the thermal paste whenever you are reseating or installing the cooler of your device. Also, keep in mind that one year after every application you should apply thermal paste even if it is doing its job properly. Follow this general rule of thumb for every thermal paste in the market. The best method to reapply thermal paste is to first remove the old thermal paste from the surface of your CPU or anywhere else that you have applied it. Old thermal paste is very easy to remove. The only thing that has to be kept in mind while doing it is to be very careful and follow proper instructions. Instructions are shared below. The first step is to lift the CPU heatsink and then simply take it away from the CPU surface and separate it. The previously applied thermal paste will now be very visible so make sure that you remove it with a wipe or a piece of rag. Wait for a while to let it dry thoroughly. The Latest technology and modern high-speed processes are very fast and can now handle multiple heavy applications. These applications are very resource-demanding but all of this has come at a cost and that cost is simply heat production. The amount of heat produced during processing is very high. Some of these processes are so complicated that the processors dedicate more resources to accomplish certain tasks. This in the end increases heat production. Thus, a better cooling system is needed for keeping the CPU working properly. This is a main concern for manufacturers and they keep on trying to improve electronic circuits so that they can make a product that produces less heat. Yet products such as thermal heat bases are very helpful and even essential for people who use their systems for complex high-speed procedures. The only way to work around heat production is by using cooling systems that can help the CPU to remain at a normal temperature. No matter how complex the data processing tasks being conducted by the CPU are, sometimes these cooling Systems are not enough. Thermal pastes can play a major role in reducing CPU overheating issues. One of the most important aspects to consider while constructing or maintaining your own computer is heat management. Since excessive heat can spell death for any of your sensitive electronic components and while overclocking this can be of even greater concern. The CPU cooler is also called a heat sink and may or may not come within a fan. A CPU cooling system and a thermal paste are applied together to make a very good system for heat loss. If I put it simply, as the CPU processes data, electronic circuits generate heat. Extra heat when it passes the maximum allowed temperature can destroy the CPU. The case fan is not very effective against this temperature rise. Even when dangerous levels of high temperatures are not reached modern processes are programmed to reduce performance to almost half. This reduces the risk of heat generation. Resulting in slow processing which is very apparent in AMD, CPU, etc. It is seen more in AMD than in other brands. In AMD, as the temperature increases the system stops working properly. Other problems can occur if this CPU is not properly cooled down which include random reset, reduction of the CPU lifespan, burning in the process, and freezing. If you find the processing speed of a CPU has fallen then overheating might be of the major reasons for it. Even the smoothest surface in the world has microscopic gaps. Think of those as very tiny valleys and mountains. The best thermal paste closes those gaps and makes the surface even. Whenever two surfaces are placed together, there is always a space between those surfaces. This is where thermal pastes come into play. Thermal pastes close the space and allow better heat removal. To fight to overheat, we need to understand it. Modern high-performance systems produce a greater amount of heat. This happens because, with better technology internal PC, parts are now more complex. More electrical energy is required to perform their tasks. Modern CPU, GPU, HDD, and ODD have electrical inputs that need a certain level of resistance. This resistance creates friction and as a by-product heat is produced. Simply put when you buy a new CPU or a computer, the system will probably already have a thermal paste in it. Therefore, you do not have to worry about thermal paste when you buy a system. Most of the people reading this are already facing overheating problems. It is highly recommended to change your CPU thermal paste once a year. Make sure that you remove the previous paste and then apply a fresh thermal paste. Do not reuse the previous paste as this will create bigger problems for you. If you are facing any overheating problems as soon as you change the thermal paste these problems should reduce. If that does not happen, it means that there is some other problem with your system. You can try to clean your fans or the fan case and continue to troubleshoot from there.
The Bad: A little bit expensive
2. Arctic MX-4 – Best Carbon-Based Thermal Paste
The Bad: Not for OC
3. Arctic Silver 5 – 99.9% Silver Thermal Compound
The Bad: Slightly capacitive
4. Noctua NT-H1 – Great Thermal Paste for Overclocking
The Bad: None if you apply it properly
5. Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut – Best Thermal Paste for GPU and CPU Overclocking 2018
The Bad: None if you apply it properly
What is a Thermal Paste?
Types of Thermal Pastes
Metal-based Pastes
Ceramic-Based Pastes
Silicone-Based Pastes
How to Apply Thermal Pastes – Which Method is the Best?
Pea Method
Vertical Line Method
Circular Method
Thermal Paste Tips
Clean First
Apply A Small Amount
Do Not Apply A Very Small Amount
Strictly Avoid Spills
Re-application of Paste – When you should apply Thermal Paste?
How to Remove Thermal Paste from CPU Surface?
Why is there more overheating in the latest gadgets?
How to Avoid Overheating?
Bad Effects of Heat on Computer Systems
Why Do Systems Need Thermal Pastes?
Why Do Systems Generate Heat?
When Does The Need For A Thermal Paste Arise?
Editor’s Choice
Thermal Paste
Best Quality
Ideal For
Best Offers
Metal Based
Excellent thermal conductor
High-speed processors
Ceramic based
No damage to spilling
Ideal for beginners