For direct heatpipe coolers, it is better to apply the thermal paste directly to the heatsink, lined along the heatpipes (to ensure the cracks get filled with thermal paste, and that the heatpipes have a good thermal conduction with the processor). Just make sure you don't cake too much on.
It really depends on what you are doing, and what kind of thermal paste you are using. Pretty much the same as anything, there is no one way that works for everything. AS5 is applied differently than IC-7 for example.
You don't have to buy it, but it is really simple chemistry. Fingerprint contains oil, mixing it with the compound within the TIM will reduce the effectiveness of its cooling ability. In fact, any impurity and residues on the surface of the IHS and HS will impact the effectiveness of cooling, and therefore people use alcohol to clean the surface.
If you argue that the fingerprint cause minimal impact, then you may as well argue the need of using alcohol to clean the surface. If those ain't important than you should probably stick with stock paste. Hey, they work and most people uses it without any problems after years of use.
If however the goal is to insure maximum radiativity, every little thing helps. For best radiativity, TIM should be as thin as possible, and a fingerprint of oil is alot when you are mixing it with no more than one water drop worth of TIM. Think about it.
I can't show you, but you can see it for yourself easily. Clean the surface of the IHS and HS, make a stamp with your thumb at the center of the CPU, followed by TIM on top using the simple drop press method. After that, run your PC normally for 2 weeks, remove the heatsink and you will see your fingerprint very clearly on the IHS under the TIM. In fact, depending on what was on your finger at the time of stamp, it may even cause oxidation on both HS and IHS if it is left unchecked long enough, leaving a permanent fingerprint mark on it .One water drop or one grain of rice as some people say is definitely not enough TIM to install a heatsink with. Maybe 2-3x that, sure, but if you are only using a waterdrop's worth of TIM, you aren't using enough. And yeah, a fingerprint will not have any effect on heat transfer. Show me otherwise.
I'll be using what comes with the cooler master...
TIM has been in computers for a while, but they are not the same as before. TIM used to have a settling period (around 2 weeks) to start working at peak performance, and users can clearly see the difference before and after this period as it can be 5-10 degree apart. Nowadays TIM works almost instantly, and I have no idea how those chemical reaction to make this possible, but I do know there are reactions.While I use a Zip Loc bag to spread the paste, a fingerprint shouldn't matter. Thermal paste itself is made of ceramic or metal particles suspended in silicone grease.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_grease
But do you know you're not getting air pockets?I spread a very thin layer using a Zip Loc bag on both the CPU and the heatsink. Then clamp the heatsink down. Simple, easy, and you know you're getting 100% coverage with a thin layer.
I'll be using what comes with the cooler master...
Go ahead, but unless it's ThermalFusion 400, it's probably not very good.
Well you know me, I'm not shy about asking you guys...
...I'll tell you what it is when it gets here.
It seems it would be EASIER it seems if they had like a thermal PATCH that you applied to the processor...(kinda like a band-aid or "quit smoking patch)?
Anyone who has a 212+, what did it come with?
I really believe you guys are overthinking this simple act of putting heatsink goo on. Its not rocket science, just common sense. You want the full contact area to have thermal interface material on it to maximize heat transfer, so just make sure that is being done and it will work great. I don't buy it that a fingerprint will raise temps by 5 degrees.
They do have DYNEX at Bestbuy...grin
actually thermal interface is worse then metal touching metal.
Its because of how flat the surface is, you want an oil like material to fill in the microgaps so its not metal touching air touching metal.
Anyone who tells u, that you need to cover the entire IHS has no idea what there talking about.
The important area is directly under the die.
So a Rice grain drop will work.
The only time where u need to spread it over the die is like on ATI cards, where they have no IHS, and its the DIE direct.
Or the NF200 controller, another die with no IHS.