Thermal Paste - longevity..

[Duwelon]

Short and sweet:

I find that thermal paste like Artic Silver 5 or Ceramique becomes less effective over time leading eventually to drastic CPU temperature increases.

What is the best thermal paste from a performance/longevity standpoint? I'd like to know of a decent thermal paste that holds it's performance for several years.

 

[0roo0roo]

i've never had the cheapo paste that came with the things dry out
with the large heatspreader these days i don't think its a big issue

 

[Blain]

Originally posted by: Duwelon

What is the best thermal paste from a performance/longevity standpoint? I'd like to know of a decent thermal paste that holds it's performance for several years.

Coollaboratory Liquid MetalPads

 

[nineball9]

Thermal grease (or "paste" as you call it) has been around much longer than personal computers. High-power semiconductors (like transistors in TO-3 cases) were usually mounted with it and these devices are still operating some 40+ years later. In short, thermal grease doesn't "wear out". Perhaps your system is simply accumulating dust.

 

[0roo0roo]

or the fancier stuff has less longevity than regular grease? perhaps they expect that it doesn't matter because enthusiasts tend to upgrade so quickly it doesn't stay put long enough to matter? i dunno.

 

[Zepper]

Yup, I often note that most of the folks here don't leave their systems alone long enough to notice any TIM aging issues. Always the latest fad in HSFs or CPUs. Any good brand should give at least two years. I haven't noticed any aging issue with Ceramique but I don't make my systems work up a sweat.

.bh.

 

[JackMDS]

I still have few overclocked P-4 system that are 5 years old, and they keep running.

The CPUs (all are smeared with whatever at time was the good paste) None got hotter, or lost their overclockability.

I lost hard drives during the years but never had to take apart the CPU and refresh the Paste.

 

[Billy Idol]

MX-2. That crap claims to last 8 years.? Allegedly its a degree or two better than AS5. I stumbled across it but went with AS5 anyway to play it safe + evidently the MX-2 tube doesn't last many applications.