Thermal paste comparisons: Best Thermal Paste for CPUs 2022: 90 Pastes Tested, Ranked

1 января, 2023

The best thermal pastes to buy in 2022

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By

Tyler Lacoma
and
Kunal Khullar

Whether you are building your own gaming rig or making some serious upgrades to a professional workstation, a good thermal paste can do wonders for your system temperatures. As in the case with CPU coolers, investing in an aftermarket paste is necessary especially if you have a CPU that runs hot or if you are planning to do some overclocking. There are several thermal compounds available on the market from brands like Arctic, Noctua, and Thermal Grizzly, but choosing the right one can be confusing. To make things easier, here are some of our top picks, along with important FAQs that can help you make a sound decision.

Contents

  • Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
  • Noctua NT-h2
  • Arctic MX-5
  • Noctua NT-h3
  • Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut
  • Gelid GC-Extreme
  • Corsair XTM50
  • Phobya Liquid Metal Thermal Compound
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut

Great performance and conductivity

Jump to details

Noctua NT-h2

Best performance on a budget

Jump to details

Arctic MX-5

Carrying forward the legacy of MX-4

Jump to details

Noctua NT-h3

Well-rounded successor the popular NT-h2

Jump to details

Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut

Best-performing liquid metal compound

Jump to details

Gelid GC-Extreme

Performance at a fair price

Jump to details

Corsair XTM50

Thermal paste installation made easy

Jump to details

Phobya Liquid Metal Thermal Compound

Best budget liquid metal thermal compund

Jump to details

Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut

Great performance and conductivity

Pros

  • High thermal conductivity
  • Suitable for both air or liquid coolers
  • Best-in-class performance

Cons

  • Not the cheapest

Why should you buy this: It is one of the best-performing pastes with excellent thermal conductivity.

Who’s it for: Gamers and serious CPU/GPU overclockers.

Why we picked the Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut:

Thermal Grizzly has a few excellent thermal pastes on the market, but our favorite is Kryonaut, a high-end paste designed for the most serious applications and experienced users. It’s extremely conductive at 12.5 W/mk (higher than almost all pastes on the market) and can move heat easily and quickly across even large or complex cooling devices, including water-cooling systems. While this paste may be overkill for some, it’s one of the best pastes around in terms of its cooling potential and is a favorite among gamers and overclockers. That is reflected in the cost, which is high for just a single gram of the paste. But if you want the most out of your machine and are already heavily invested in overclocking or tweaking performance, the Kryonaut is certainly worth the price.

Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut

Great performance and conductivity

Noctua NT-h2

Best performance on a budget

Pros

  • Easy to apply
  • Reliable thermal performance
  • Good lifespan

Cons

  • No bundled spatula

Why should you buy this: A reliable and cost-effective thermal paste.

Who’s it for: PC builders who need a price-effective solution.

Why we picked the Noctua NT-h2:

Noctua’s NT-h2 is a super-reliable paste that has been around for years. It is regarded as one of the best with more than 150 awards and recommendations, and it’s one of the best options for building or repairing computers, especially for amateurs who may not yet have a lot of experience with thermal pastes but are confident enough to use them. The NT-h2 formula also gets excellent marks for usability, with an easy-to-apply consistency. It’s easy to clean when dry and is designed to not corrode. Note that Noctua’s NT-h2 lasts for about three years without use, which is quite good for a thermal paste. As for usage time on the CPU, Noctua claims that it can last up to five years before it needs a refresh. Available for purchase in either 3.5-gram or 10-gram options, the NT-h2 is relatively cheaper, making it one of the best all-rounders on this list.

Noctua NT-h2

Best performance on a budget

Arctic MX-5

Carrying forward the legacy of MX-4

Pros

  • Eight-year durability
  • Competitive pricing
  • Low viscosity, easy application

Cons

  • More expensive than MX-4

Why should you buy this: It is a great alternative for the Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut at a better price.

Who’s it for: Those who want a low-viscosity heat paste that’s easy to spread.

Why we picked the Arctic MX-5:

An update for the popular MX-4, the new Arctic MX-5 takes everything that the predecessor was known for to a whole new level. The updated formula has a lower viscosity than before and continues to use carbon microparticles to ensure low thermal resistance and efficient heat dissipation from CPUs, GPUs, or even power semiconductor components. Arctic has also tested and suggested that this thermal paste can offer a temperature difference of 4 degrees Celsius between the CPU and cooler base. The results conclude that the MX-5 is almost on par with the Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut, but if we compare the price, it is cheaper. Another stand-out feature is the marketed eight-year durability, which is fairly long compared to other products. Along with the updated paste formula, the company is also offering a variety of size options including 2 grams, 4 grams, 8 grams, 20 grams, and 50 grams, available with or without an applicator.

Arctic MX-5

Carrying forward the legacy of MX-4

Noctua NT-h3

Well-rounded successor the popular NT-h2

Pros

  • High-performance for air and liquid coolers
  • Improved results compared to NT-h2
  • Low viscosity for better application

Cons

  • Costs more than previous version

Why should you buy this: It is an improved version of the reliable NT-h2.

Who’s it for: Enthusiasts looking for a stable thermal paste with excellent conductivity.

Why we picked the Noctua NT-h3:

The Noctua NT-h2 has been around for a very long time and continues to be a community favorite when it comes to quality thermal pastes. The company also offers an improved version of the NT-h2 called the Noctua NT-h3. The enthusiast-grade paste can be used for air- or water-based cooling, CPU or GPU applications, overclocking, or silent systems. The new formula comes with a mixture of metal oxide micro-particles for lower thermal resistance and reduced bond-line thickness at typical mounting pressures. It is easier to spread thanks to its lower viscosity, can be stored for up to three years, and has a durability rating of five years when applied on a CPU. When it comes to performance, it delivers excellent results capable of surpassing its predecessor and giving stiff competition to the Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut, which is the best in the business.

Noctua NT-h3

Well-rounded successor the popular NT-h2

Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut

Best-performing liquid metal compound

Pros

  • Highest conductivity of all thermal compounds
  • Excellent performance for overclocking
  • Will improve cooling performance on just about anything
  • Used by most professional overclockers

Cons

  • Needs expertise to apply
  • Electrically conductive

Why should you buy this: It is the best liquid metal-based thermal compound.

Who’s it for: Enthusiasts and overclockers who want extreme performance.

Why we picked the Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut:

Liquid metal offers the best performance compared to any thermal paste out there, and the Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut proves that with its rated thermal conductivity of 73 W/mk. It has the potential of reducing temperatures by over 10 degrees Celsius in certain cases. The incredible performance of this liquid metal compound comes at a cost, though. Since it is electrically conductive, it can damage parts of your system if you don’t apply it properly. While it should work well with copper and nickel, using liquid metal with aluminum is not a good idea as it can react badly and not do its intended job. Thus, it is highly recommended to do proper research before trying to cool your CPU with liquid metal. Thermal Grizzly does offer some useful tools with the Conductonaut, including a special extraction tip and some swabs to spread the compound easily. Having said that, applying liquid metal to your CPU or GPU can be a tedious task and way more difficult to remove in case of incorrect application.

Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut

Best-performing liquid metal compound

Gelid GC-Extreme

Performance at a fair price

Pros

  • Value for money
  • Great thermal conductivity rating
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Less ideal for beginners

Why should you buy this: It offers high thermal conductivity and performance at a competitive price.

Who’s it for: Overclockers looking for a great thermal paste on a budget.

Why we picked the Gelid GC-Extreme:

Gelid’s GC-Extreme is a good choice for those who want a higher-end product but aren’t really invested enough to get something at the very top like the Kryonaut. GC-Extreme is still a very great paste and will likely outperform most other paste options, but it’s in the affordable range. This paste is particularly good to keep on hand if you make frequent computer upgrades or have a larger project and want a very effective paste to see you through. With a thermal conductivity rating of 8.5 W/mK, the GC-Extreme is available in 1-gram, 3.5-gram, and 10-gram sizes, and with the new packaging, you get two nozzle types for easy application.

Gelid GC-Extreme

Performance at a fair price

Corsair XTM50

Thermal paste installation made easy

Pros

  • Kit includes stencil and applicator
  • Good for first-time PC builders
  • Simple to apply

Cons

  • Average thermal conductivity

Why should you buy this: It comes with an easy solution to apply the paste effectively.

Who’s it for: First-time PC builders and amateurs.

Why we picked the Corsair XTM50:

Apart from its wide range of peripherals and cooling hardware, Corsair also makes thermal paste. The XTM50 is Corsair’s «high-performance» paste that comes with an included application stencil and spreader that makes the whole process a lot easier. It’s a very smart move that caters to amateur and first-time PC builders who are not sure about how thermal paste needs to be applied. As for performance, it isn’t the best thermal paste, but it should get the job done. It comes with a thermal conductivity rating of 5 W/mk, which is pretty average. It isn’t expensive, either, although we really wish that it was offered in a size other than just 5 grams.

Corsair XTM50

Thermal paste installation made easy

Phobya Liquid Metal Thermal Compound

Best budget liquid metal thermal compund

Pros

  • Cost-effective liquid metal paste
  • Great performance
  • High thermal conductivity
  • Good option for first liquid metal usage

Cons

  • Difficult to apply
  • Electrically conductive

Why should you buy this: Recommended liquid metal-based compound at affordable pricing.

Who’s it for: PC building enthusiasts who want to experiment with liquid metal compounds.

Why we picked the Phobya Liquid Metal Thermal Compound:

The Phobya Liquid Metal Thermal Compound is for serious PC builders and testers who don’t want to spend a lot of money for something premium like the Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut. According to the company, it can offer improved cooling performance by approximately 3 degrees to 7 degrees Celsius compared to conventional thermal compounds. It is rated for 40 W/mK thermal conductivity, which means it should easily handle heavy loads as well as overclocked CPUs like a champ. It is also rated as one of the top-rated liquid metal compounds, competing with the likes of Thermal Grizzly’s Conductonaut and the CoolLaboratory Liquid Pro. Like all liquid metal thermal compounds, you need to be extra careful while using this paste. Apart from the fact that liquid metal itself can be very difficult to apply, it is electrically conductive and not recommended to use with aluminum.

Phobya Liquid Metal Thermal Compound

Best budget liquid metal thermal compund

Frequently Asked Questions

What does thermal paste do?

Often referred to as thermal grease or thermal compound, it is a viscous substance that is applied between the CPU and the cooler. The core function of thermal paste is to offer improved conductivity and remove any irregularities or air gaps between the cooler surface and the integrated heat spreader (IHS) of the CPU. Using a good-quality thermal paste ensures that your CPU runs cooler and doesn’t need repasting for a long period of time.

What is the right amount of thermal paste that one should apply?

There are many debates about how much thermal paste one should apply to their CPU. Having more thermal paste is not going to offer better thermal performance. In fact, you could end up doing the opposite, and in some cases, you could cause permanent damage to the motherboard or CPU. Most professionals recommend that a small blob, roughly the size of a pea, should do the trick. Put some paste right in the middle of the IHS and install the cooler in one go so that there are no trapped air bubbles. You could also use an applicator that looks like a tiny spatula to evenly spread the paste over the IHC before installing the cooler. For more information on how to apply or remove thermal paste, check out our simple guide.

How much of a temperature drop can one expect when using aftermarket thermal paste?

A good-quality thermal paste can help in reducing CPU temperatures by 2 to 3 degrees, while certain expensive options can even go over 10 degrees. With that said, a lot depends on your CPU cooler, ambient temperatures, and how efficiently the paste has been applied.

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Best Thermal Paste 2022 [Ultimate Buying Guide]

Computers spend large amounts of energy when active, which requires constant heat dissipation. For every demanding task, the computer needs to spend more energy, generating even more heat.

This is especially true for the most powerful components of a PC, specifically the motherboard, graphics card, and CPU (Central Processing Unit). Of these three, the CPU is usually the piece of hardware that generates the most heat inside your PC case.

To prevent CPUs from overheating, we usually add a heatsink (for low-powered or older models) or an active cooler (a heatsink with fans attached to it).

Properly transferring heat from the heatsink to the CPU can be difficult, however, as the contact between the two components is rarely ideal. To overcome this problem, something needs to be added to improve the contact. The best solution is to add thermal paste between the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader) and the cooler’s cold plate.

If you search for thermal paste on Google, you will probably end up with dozens of different solutions. With all of the available options, how can you know which type is best for your computer?

To help you make the right choice, we will explain what thermal paste is, how it works, how to apply it, and which type is the best for home use.

Table of ContentsShow

    What Is Thermal Paste?

    Simply put, thermal paste (aka thermal compound) is a special chemical compound that is exceptionally thermally conductive.

    Thermal paste can only perform its task if it is properly applied. It needs to be added between the heat spreader (cooler) and the heat source (your CPU).

    What makes this chemical compound even better for home use is that it is completely electrically insulating. Even if you accidentally miss your CPU and get some of the paste on your motherboard, nothing bad will happen. It is safe and easy to use.

    How To Apply Thermal Paste to Your CPU

    Applying thermal compound to your cooler or CPU can seem like a daunting task at first. However, it isn’t complicated if you know what you are doing.

    The first question is whether your cooler is already installed or if this is the first time you are building the computer.

    If the cooler is already installed and you want to reapply thermal paste, then you will probably need to open up your PC case and remove the heatsink. Removing a CPU cooler can get complicated, so we recommend referring to the manual.

    Once removed, be sure to clean the old compound from the IHS and the cooler’s cold plate. The easiest way to remove thermal paste is with high-proof alcohol. If you can, use a microfiber towel. If not, you can use regular toilet paper.

    Soak the paper in the alcohol and start wiping. The paste should come away after a few swipes.

    The paste compound usually comes in a syringe, so applying it should be pretty easy. It is quite thick, so don’t worry about applying too much pressure to the syringe. It won’t spray all over the place, but you should still be careful.

    How much you should apply depends on which method you want to use. The most popular way of applying thermal paste is known as the pea method. To do this, you need to add a dot of thermal compound on the CPU itself, which is the size of a green pea. The pressure from the cooler will ensure the paste spreads evenly across the entire IHS.

    This is a reliable method, and it guarantees the paste won’t overspill.

    Other popular alternatives are the “spread” and the “cross method“. Both are pretty self-explanatory. With the former, you add the paste and then spread it around the entire CPU. The latter method requires you to apply the compound in a cross shape.

    These alternatives are popular because they ensure there are no air pockets between the heat source and the heat spreader.

    With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the most popular brands of thermal paste currently available on the market and determine which one is the best.

    Noctua is one of the most popular brands for air coolers, if not the most popular brand. For years, Noctua has consistently delivered high-quality products to the CPU cooling market; this is why they are held in such high regard. Some of their most popular coolers include NH-D15, NH-D15S, NH-U14S, NH-U12S, as well as many others.

    Since their products are so consistent, their thermal paste must be good as well, right? That is correct.

    Noctua’s NT-h3, as expected, delivers in both longevity and performance. Its operating temperature is between -50 and 110°C, and it can last for up to five years (when applied). You will receive 3.5 grams in the syringe, which equals up to twenty uses. Of course, this depends on the application method you choose and the type of CPU you apply it to.

    The NT-h3 is a direct upgrade of the NT-h2 and improves temperatures on all kinds of platforms based on Noctua’s performance comparison chart.

    At around $20, it isn’t a bad offer—but there are cheaper alternatives.

    Another widely popular brand for thermal paste is Thermal Grizzly. Their most current successful product is Kryonaut.

    Its operating temperature is between -250°C and 350°C. Your CPU will probably never even approach 350° Celsius, so this might seem unnecessary, but it does illustrate the paste’s level of quality.

    Thermal resistance is also quite good at 0.0032 K/W

    As this is the 5.55-gram syringe, you will probably get more uses out of Noctua’s NT-h3 when applying on Ryzen or Intel 10th/11th gen processors. We estimate around twenty to twenty-five uses.

    The only downside to Kryonaut is there’s no official information regarding its longevity at this point.

    This product is usually listed at around $20, and you can get the one gram option for just $6.

    Arctic is a popular thermal paste solution for many PC enthusiasts, experts, and tech reviewers. It is extremely effective and inexpensive.

    Of course, we’re talking about everyone’s favorite thermal paste solution by Arctic, the MX-5.

    Its operating temperature is similar to Noctua’s NT-h3 but slightly better, ranging between -40°C and 180°C. This particular package contains four grams of thermal paste, which equals approximately twenty uses on LGA1200 processors, the AMD equivalent, or even Intel’s future Alder Lake.

    Nevertheless, the biggest advantage of the MX-5 is that it has an eight-year warranty for both storage and usage time.

    Once you apply MX-5 to your CPU, you won’t have to do a re-paste for a very long time. Despite its exceptional durability, it is still recommended to do one at least every four to five years.

    This is unrelated to the MX-5 product or the Arctic brand. Arctic Silver is professional when it comes to thermal compounds, adhesives, and cleaners. For this part of the list, we will be focusing on Arctic Silver 5.

    According to their official website, this compound is made of uniquely shaped silver particles to ensure the best coverage and improve the contact area. With an operating temperature of –50°C to 180°C, it is a great solution for your cooling needs.

    Arctic Silver claims their 3.5-gram syringe will be enough for fifteen to twenty-five uses on smaller CPUs and six to ten uses for larger CPUs, such as Threadripper.

    This might be the cheapest option out there since you can find the 3.5-gram syringe for less than $10. We highly recommend it.

    Many people would argue that Conductonaut should not be considered a thermal paste, but there are plenty of tech enthusiasts who would disagree with them. It may not have the same consistency as the compounds found in the products above, but it serves the same purpose and provides similar results.

    The reason why Conductonaut is different is due to the fact it is liquid metal, compared to a thermal compound. Why use liquid metal? Metal is highly thermally conductive, and using liquid metal ensures every single crevice on the cooler’s cold plate and the CPU’s IHS is filled and covered.

    Conductonaut’s operating temperature ranges between 10°C and 140°C. In theory, liquid metal should provide much better results than even the best thermal compounds on the market. Your CPU’s temperature could conceivably drop by several degrees with it.

    Conductonaut comes in a one-gram syringe, which translates to about ten applications.

    There are two disadvantages to using liquid metal, however. First, it may not be as durable and long-lasting as other compounds. It is also electrically conductive, so if there is any spillage when tightening the heatsink, you may damage your motherboard or even kill your CPU.

    You will need to be extremely careful when applying it.

    Prolimatech Pk-3 Nano Aluminum is a good alternative, with long-term stability and low chances of drying out.

    You can find the five-gram syringe for about $20 on Amazon. This translates to around twenty applications for small processors and about ten applications for processors with a larger IHS.

    The official website has no information on operating temperatures or how long it is supposed to last. Despite that, based on the many reviews from customers and professional reviewers, this seems like a great option.

    Graphite Thermal Pad

    Thermal paste and liquid metal are getting better every year, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look at other solutions.

    The most promising alternative, currently, is the graphite thermal pad. The benefits of this thermal pad are convenience, reusability, and longevity.

    The graphite thermal pad will never dry out, which means its usage time could be much longer than even the Arctic MX-5. It could, in effect, even be a permanent solution as it is reusable. If you plan on changing your CPU or cooler, you can easily reuse it.

    There’s no need for an alcohol solution, wiping, cleaning, and then reapplying. You can simply remove it and add it to a different PC.

    What’s even more interesting is it’s similar to some of the premium thermal compounds on the market in terms of thermal performance.

    The downside is it’s electrically conductive. It is also quite slippery, so you will need to be exceptionally careful when installing the heatsink. You will have to secure the pad so it doesn’t move from its position.

    Which Thermal Paste Is Best for You?

    With six different brands to choose from and even a graphite thermal pad, how can you establish which solution is best for your computer?

    Here’s a quick summary that can help you make an informed decision:

    We’re giving our Best Overall Award to the Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut since it is priced reasonably, produces excellent results, and you’ll get a few grams more than the competition.

    Best Value goes to the Arctic Silver 5 for the 3. 5-gram syringe, seeing as you can find that syringe for as low as $6. Considering you can get up to twenty-five uses from it, it’s definitely the best value.

    Whichever you choose, all the products mentioned above are great thermal paste solutions. You can’t go wrong.

    Testing thermal pastes with high thermal conductivity. 280 W, Core i9 and a bunch of pastes / PC platform / iXBT Live

    Cold wars about thermal pastes have been going on for many years and have not yet tried to end. On the contrary, with each release of a new paste, the battle for the hero in different categories begins again. What paste to choose for a laptop? And for the video card? And I have an old processor, what should I choose? And then suddenly «I’m looking for a paste for an LED spotlight.» We will select a few pastes from local online stores and add some thermal pastes from the qualifying stage, which has been around for a long time, but does not lose its relevance.

    All thermal pastes lined up, or rather lay down next to each other. I decided to take pastes with a high thermal conductivity from the «retail», which almost anyone can go and buy, because. points of issue of online stores, slightly less than Pyaterochka. And I also decided to add the pastes that I had already tested and decided to give them a second chance, under more stringent conditions, I bought them on Ali.

    High thermal conductivity pastes are now available from almost all computer cooling manufacturers. Aerocool pastes also pulled up to the tops, which were represented, in my opinion, by the unsuccessful Baraf and Baraf-S. Let’s check out more effective novelties in action. Cooler Master regularly updates the line of pastes, in addition to them, they also released an unusual syringe for easy application, which can be seen in the photo.

    Tops from Thermalright represented by TFX and Thermal Grizzly represented by Kryonaut Extreme are not forgotten either. Today we can do without liquid metal and various thermal interfaces based on them and other low-melting alloys. Id-Cooling has released Frost X25 paste, which appears to be a retail version of TG-25 and can be seen bundled with some of the company’s cooling systems.

    Arctic are moderately presented to me. There is no MX-3, which has long since left the market. Of course, I could not but add both samples of KPT-8, because. some simply cannot imagine testing without them, it’s almost synonymous with thermal paste. Just like the Arctic MX. The MX-5 has been discontinued and labeled EOL on the website, but it looks like a replacement is being prepared. I had a sample MX-4 from 2012, but unfortunately it was not enough for the test and had to be withdrawn from the race. DeepCool (GamerStorm) decided to add I already had it as part of the Assassin III supercooler.

    Well, a bunch of Chinese pastes that I decided to retest, these are all popular versions of GD, and just some expensive ones that showed themselves well at the first stage.

    In fact, all the values ​​in the characteristics mean nothing, because obtained under unknown, but each manufacturer has its own conditions. And here I support Arctic, which do not give the thermal conductivity value for MX-5, but simply indicate the comparison with other pastes. So, if you see the value of thermal conductivity and a discontinued paste, you know, either a guess / assumption, or a lie, or a fantasy that combines both concepts). But I consider it blasphemy to leave the testing of pastes without a table, therefore a narrow but long tablet. The title will contain a link to the product card and to the manufacturer’s website, you can find out some more information. Most of the links are referral. I bought all the Chinese with my own money and some of the brand ones too.

    Model Color Thermal conductivity, W/mK Operating temperature, °C
    Arctic MX-2 2019 Grey 5. 6 from -50 to 150?
    Arctic MX-4 2012 Grey 8.5 -50 to 160
    Arctic MX-4 2019 Grey 8.5 -50 to 160
    Arctic MX-5 Blue n/a -40 to 180
    Thermalright TFX Grey 14.3 -250 to 300
    Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme Pink 14. 2 -250 to 350
    Thermaltake TG-50 Grey eight n/a
    Zalman ZM-STC9 Grey 9.1 n/a
    Zalman ZM-STC8 Grey 8.3 -40 to 200
    Prolimatech PK-Zero Grey 8.1 n/a
    Prolimatech PK-3 Grey 11. 2 n/a
    ID Cooling FROST X25 Grey 10.5 -40 to 180
    GamerStorm (DEEPCOOL) G40 Grey 5.2 -50 to 240
    CoolerMaster Master Gel Maker Grey eleven n/a
    CoolerMaster MasterGel Pro V2 Grey 9 n/a
    STEEL Frost Aluminum Grey 8. 9 -50 to 150
    STEEL Frost Cuprum White with a red tint 9.8 -50 to 150
    STEEL Frost Graphene Grey 11.4 n/a
    STEEL Frost Diamond Game-X Grey 12.6 -50 to 150
    Evercool Nano Diamond TC-H01 Grey eight -50 to 250
    Evercool Nano Diamond TC-H03 Grey 12 n/a
    AeroCool Cog Grey 8. 5 -30 to 280
    AeroCool Fusion Grey 13.5 -30 to 130
    Streacom TX13 Grey 13.4 -30 to 180
    KPT-8 «Connector» White one -60 to 180
    KPT-8 «GMInform» White 0.7-0.8 -60 to 200
    GD900 Grey 4. 8 -50 to 200
    GD900-1 Grey 6 -50 to 120
    GD007 Grey 6.8 -50 to 120
    Jakemy JM-SW-02 Grey 6 -50 to 200
    Alseye T9+ Platinum Grey 13.5 n/a
    Halnziye HY-P13 Grey 13. 4 -50 to 300
    Aigo Pro 13 Grey 13.4 -50 to 300
    IArmour (IN.CLOON) S6 Grey 12 n/a
    ZF-14/ZF-EX Grey 14.6 -160 to 280
    Maxtor CTG9 Grey 13.5 -50 to 250

    If suddenly someone is interested in the details about the pastes, then almost all of them are made from aluminum derivatives (pure, oxide or nitride), as well as zinc (oxide), as well as a binder polymer of various compositions. Below in the photo you can see two pictures of the pastes that are involved in this testing.

    Both use aluminum oxide, but as shown in the photo, two different pastes. How so? And it’s all about the shape of the material used, its size and degree of installation. These details distinguish the pastes from each other.

    Last time I tested on dinosaurs AMD Phenom II X4 overclocked to 3.9 GHz in combination with another legend — Zalman CNPS10 Performa. This time the booth is a little fresher and hotter.

    The heart of the stand will be the Intel Core i9-11900KF, overclocked to 4.7 GHz for all cores and a voltage of 1.26 V. Why so? After all, the processor is capable of more. These parameters were taken as the limit for LSS ID-Cooling ZoomFlow 360XT and using «medium» paste. This is so that I have all the participants in the test and no one fails the test.

    I replaced the fans with more efficient XPG VENTO PRO 120 PWM to improve the already good and inexpensive cooling system. The temperature at the inlet in front of the radiator was measured at two points using an RGK CT-12 thermometer, which I subtracted from the processor temperature readings obtained from the HWMonitor monitoring program. Doors and windows are closed. Pump and fans at maximum speed.

    The paste was applied at 5 points in a small amount in order to spread as much as possible over the processor cover. After pressing the water block, it was scrolled with force in place, for maximum distribution of the paste, as well as to reduce the layer. The change of thermal paste was carried out by two dry cleanings, as well as two cleanings with a degreaser.

    The Prime95 30.8.16 utility was used as a CPU load in the SmallFFTs test with AVX512 disabled. The temperature stabilized within three minutes and then remained constant. The final consumption was around 280 watts.

    All the data obtained are summarized in graphs, which are clear from the names and in principle do not require explanation, but I will briefly tell you. The temperature graph of the hottest core is the peak, but the problem is that this value can only be on one core, so you should remember this.

    Graph of the average temperature of all cores. It is this chart that will be most useful, because. will smooth out spikes and pits in the results. No wonder there is a phrase «Average in the hospital.»

    Everything is clear with the price, the cheaper the better, for the wallet, how much better for the processor, there is more according to the situation. Prices are taken here and now. The situation is aggravated by the fact that in different stores they are different.

    This chart was created out of curiosity. Because The practical use of it is small, but still there. The bottom line is that in such graphs, the option «Without using paste» will always win, because. the cost of doing so is zero. However, the temperature indicator is unlikely to please you. The cheapest pastas that pass in terms of temperature will always be in the top. But you need to look at the situation. A difference of 3 degrees can be noticeable.

    The difference between the best and worst pasta is not as great as it might seem at first glance. In part, this can be attributed to the thermal interface used between the heat-distributing cover and the CPU core, since there was a time when enthusiasts had questions for him, who, after changing to ZhM, received a lower temperature. But we are testing on a store-bought version of equipment and pastes, they are closer to people and, accordingly, more useful.

    • For me personally, the victory of an unknown pasta, which I accidentally found and about which there is no information, was a surprise. And all this is wrapped up in a fairly humane price tag. In general, the «Chinese» showed themselves very well.
    • The fresh pastes from Aerocool also performed well, especially in contrast to the memories after Baraf. They have every right to be called the best pastes of the company.
    • In addition to a beautiful syringe, Cooler Master has a good paste that will not tarnish the manufacturer’s reputation.
    • Arctic have long established themselves as a solid medium pasta, another confirmation of this.
    • Paste from GamerStorm did not fit the criterion with the «highest thermal conductivity», but it did not fall out of the list and coped with the tests.
    • KPT-8 thermal pastes took the last places, and there is also a difference between manufacturers, which I have said more than once and confirmed more than once.

    17 best thermal pastes — Rating 2023 (Top 17)

    Thermal paste is a viscous plastic substance that fills the small irregularities of the contacting surfaces, one of which heats up, and the second removes this heat to the surrounding space.

    Thermal pastes play a special role in radio electronics and electrical engineering, where they are needed to transfer heat from a powerful radio element (transistor, chip, processor …) to a cooler — a radiator or cooler. They may also be referred to as thermally conductive or thermally conductive pastes.

    See detailed rating under the cut.

    Best Thermal Grease Ranking 2019

    • Best Low Performance Thermal Grease
    • Best Mid Performance Thermal Grease

      • How to choose the best value for money thermal paste

      When choosing a thermal paste, the main characteristic of this material is its thermal conductivity, that is, the ability to conduct heat through itself from one place to another, if there is a difference in temperature between these places.

      Quantitatively, the ability of a material to transfer heat is determined by the coefficient of thermal conductivity, which is measured in W / (m•K) and for the most common thermal pastes ranges from 0. 7 to 4 units.

      Thermal pastes also differ in other characteristics that are not so important, but nevertheless significantly affect their ability to remove heat.

      The main ones are as follows:

      dispersion is a property of the paste composition, which, together with plasticity, allows you to create the thinnest possible layer between the surfaces, thereby reducing the heat passage and the rate of its removal to the surrounding space. Dispersion is determined by the size of thermal paste microparticles, with a decrease in the size of which (increase in dispersion), the possibility of creating a thinner heat-conducting layer by the paste increases.

      plasticity , — a property that allows thermal paste to fill all small (and not very small) irregularities between the surfaces of contacting parts, thereby increasing the effective contact area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe surfaces, which leads to an increase in the amount of heat removed. Plasticity is considered to be the most optimal, allowing without additional effort to apply a thin layer of paste to the mating parts, which at the same time does not spread over the surface on its own;

      Dry shrink , — this property is mainly determined by the material of the thermal paste binder. Large shrinkage values ​​of the paste, in this case, are the causes of its cracking after drying, and the consequence of this cracking is a significant increase in the temperature of the cooled part over time. Such a disadvantage cannot be identified immediately, which significantly complicates its identification. If the thermal paste is of high quality, then you should not be afraid of drying out, it will continue to work, but after drying, removing the heatsink without replacing the paste will no longer work.

      Manufacturers of thermal pastes most often do not quantify the additional properties discussed above, therefore, when choosing a specific paste, users mainly have to rely on their own experience, advice from friends, online reviews and, of course, on the main indicator — thermal conductivity.

      For stable cooling of conventional processors and video cards, as a rule, widely used thermal pastes with a thermal conductivity of 1-3 W/(m•K) do a good enough job.

      If your device uses highly loaded elements (for example, high-performance video cards or other parts with overclocked characteristics), then you will have to choose a thermal paste with a thermal conductivity of at least 5-10 W / (m•K), and sometimes even replace thermal paste on a more thermally conductive material (for example, on liquid metal).

      The need to replace the thermal paste with a new or more thermally conductive one is easiest to determine by a significant increase in the speed of the cooling fan, or by directly measuring the temperature of the cooled element.

      Low performance thermal paste

      1 GD900

      Reviews:
      It works well, and when you remove the cooler, it is evenly distributed over the surface. I got the impression that it was specially made thick, like plasticine, to increase thermal conductivity. (Author scharap1)

      Reviews:

      • Warm-up test GD900
      • 0416

      The paste has a thermal conductivity of over 4.8 W/(m•K) and is sold in 30g jars. (recently there are also syringes).

      The price is quite adequate — about $6-7 per 30 gr. Thermal grease with 20% silicone fluid and metal oxide, stable at high temperatures, the consistency is like thick sour cream, but does not spread.

      Applications: in all computer and electronic devices where high thermal conductivity is required between the heating source and the cooling module.

      Pros:

      • High performance for the price.
      • Easy to apply and remove.
      • Low cost in containers over 15g.
      • One of the best pastes for the money.

      Cons

      • Waiting for delivery from China.
      • Insufficient (but increasing popularity) of pasta.

      2 Deep Cool Z3

      The thermal conductivity is a relatively modest 1.13 W/(m·K), which in principle does not prevent it from coping well with heat transfer. The consistency of Deep Cool Z3 is quite normal, moderately thick, easy to apply and remove.

      Pros:

      • Prevalence of pasta in stores.
      • Consistent pasta quality.
      • Good consistency.

      Cons:

      • Low thermal conductivity.
      • Some sellers overcharge.

      3 Halnziye (HY410)

      The paste is very similar to the well-known KPT-8 paste, liquid, white in color and has a low declared thermal conductivity > 0.925 W/(m·K). The packaging volume is quite decent — 10g (together with a jar of 30g)

      Pros:

      • Low cost.
      • Easy to apply and remove.
      • Sufficient capacity for non-critical locations.
      • Various packaging options, from single soft bags to jars.

      Cons:

      • A long wait for an order from China, or an offline purchase with an extra charge.
      • Paste obscurity and lack of information on long-term use.
      • Counterfeits and floating quality possible.

      4 KPT-8

      The most famous thermal paste in our country. White color. The operating temperature range is from minus 60 to plus 180 degrees Celsius. It is applied and erased from surfaces very easily. The minimum declared thermal conductivity is from 0.65 W/(m•K), which is clearly low compared to the thermal conductivity of other rating participants.

      The main advantage of this paste is its wide availability and low price. The paste is non-toxic, non-conductive, non-flowing and non-corrosive.

      Pluses:

      • Present in almost any store of computer and LED equipment, electrics, radio components.
      • Low price.
      • Better than air space.

      Cons:

      • Poor performance.
      • May be either too thick or runny.
      • Quality fluctuates greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer and from lot to lot.

      Medium performance pastes

      1 Arctic Cooling MX-4

      Time-tested and well-proven thermal interface. The paste has been produced since the summer of 2010, and from the entire range of thermal interfaces of the Swiss company Arctic Cooling, it is the most effective one.

      Thermal Grease is available in 2, 4, 8 or 20 gram syringes. The color is gray, the consistency is not very viscous. Thermal paste does not contain inclusions of solid particles, does not flow and dries, is a dielectric and retains its properties for 8 years of operation. The declared thermal conductivity is 8.5 W/(m•K).

      Pros:

      • High performance.
      • Easy to apply and remove.
      • Pasta fame.
      • Prevalence of pasta in stores.

      Cons:

      • Pretty high price.
      • There are fakes.
      • The 2019 version in the new packaging has not yet been extensively studied.

      2 Noctua NT-h2

      Thermal grease NT-h2 from the Austrian company Noctua has recently become available as a separate product. The paste is packed in a plastic syringe. According to the specification, Noctua NT-h2 has a density of 2. 49g/cm3, operating temperature range from –40 to +90 °C.

      The manufacturer does not provide data on thermal conductivity, although comparative tests presumably allow it to assign a coefficient — approximately equal to 6-9 W / (m•K). The paste is gray in color, very thick, but plastic, easy to apply and remove.

      Pros:

      • High performance.
      • Easy to apply and remove.

      Cons:

      • Low prevalence.
      • Average price.

      3 Gelid GC-Pro

      The light gray paste has a good consistency: it sticks to the surface perfectly, is moderately liquid and spreads well. Thermal conductivity (W/mK) 7 W/mK

      Pros:

      • High performance.
      • Easy to apply and remove.
      • Attractive price in large containers.

      Cons:

      • Overpriced in small containers.

      4 Prolimatech PK-1

      The thermal paste is supplied in a 1.5, 5 or 30 g syringe. According to the manufacturer, the paste has a density of 3.2 g/cm3 and a thermal conductivity of 10.2 W/m•K. In addition, the manufacturer indicates the composition of the thermal paste: 60-85% Al, 15-25% ZnO, 12-20% oil and 0.5-2% antioxidant.

      Pros:

      • High performance.
      • Easy to apply and remove.

      Cons:

      • Very high price.

      5 Thermalright TF6

      Thermal paste from Thermalright’s new line. Gray color, non-conductive. Supplied in a syringe packed in a blister, in addition, there is a special spatula for spreading thermal paste over the surface. Claimed performance — 12.5 W/m•K.

      Pros:

      • Top performance.
      • Easy to apply and remove.

      Cons:

      • Very high price.
      • Low prevalence of paste.
      • Few pasta tests.

      6 Arctic Silver Ceramique

      Thermal paste Arctic Silver Ceramique consists of three elements: zinc oxide, boron nitrite and aluminum oxide. This combination allows us to speak of good dielectric properties, which, however, is typical of many modern thermal interfaces.

      At the same time, Arctic Silver Ceramique is the favorite thermal paste of many overclockers using nitrogen for overclocking due to its ability to maintain its thermal conductivity at ultra-low temperatures. Supplied in a 2 gram syringe. Specifications are not given on the packaging.

      White. The consistency is quite thick, viscous and sticky. The paste is plastic and well applied to the cooled surface, but due to stickiness it is relatively difficult to remove.

      Pros:

      • High performance.
      • Outstanding stability at low and high temperatures, favored by extreme overclockers.

      Cons:

      • Difficult to apply and remove paste.
      • Sometimes overpriced.
      • Low paste spread.

      7 GD900-1

      Feedback:
      I took GD900-1 in September-October. Not suitable for use in a laptop, dries quickly.
      Immediately after the replacement, the temperature dropped from 58 to 52 degrees at idle with passive cooling, or from 54 to 50 at the minimum cooler speed. (By al1kz)

      Reviews:

      • GD900-1 Thermal Paste Test

      An improved version of the GD900, noticeably more expensive, but also a little more efficient. In terms of density — GD900-1 is slightly thicker than GD900. The thermal pastes are extremely similar, most likely they are the same, only silver is added to the GD900-1, but it is so small and so small that it is not visible to the eye. The thermal conductivity coefficient is 6 W/m•K.

      Pros:

      • High performance.
      • Low price in containers from 15g
      • Easy to apply and remove.

      Cons:

      • Waiting for delivery from China.
      • Unknown pasta.

      8 GD007

      Thermal paste has a low evaporation rate. It is able to withstand temperatures from -50 to +120 °C.

      The paste is supplied in a syringe, which is located in a case, a spatula and a fingertip are included. The thermal conductivity of the presented material is 6.8 W/m•K.

      Pros:

      • High performance.
      • Easy to apply and remove.

      Cons:

      • Waiting for delivery from China.
      • Unknown pasta.

      High performance pastes

      1 Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut

      Kryonaut uses a special structure that stops the drying process at temperatures up to 80° Celsius. This structure is also responsible for ensuring that the nanoaluminum and zinc oxide particles that make up the paste are optimally mixed to compensate for the unevenness of the component (i.e. the processor) and the heatsink, which guarantees efficient heat transfer. Declared thermal conductivity, W / (m.K) — 12.5, Operating temperature, ° C, -200 / +350.

      Pros:

      • One of the best thermal pastes on the market.
      • Top performance.
      • Outstanding stability at low and high temperatures, favored by extreme overclockers.

      Cons:

      • Very high price.
      • High viscosity paste, preheating desirable, otherwise difficult to apply.

      2 Thermalright TF8

      Thermalright’s new line of high performance thermal paste. Gray color, non-conductive. Supplied in a syringe, packed in a blister, there is a special spatula for spreading thermal paste over the surface. Claimed performance — 13.8 W/m•K. Operating temperature, °C, -220 / +380.

      Pros:

      • Top performance.
      • High stability at low and high temperatures, popular with extreme overclockers.

      Cons:

      • Very high price.
      • Medium viscosity paste, preheating desirable, otherwise difficult to apply.

      3 Gelid GC-Extreme

      The third generation of thermal interfaces Gelid Solutions. The paste is offered to consumers in various packaging, including the traditional 3.5-gram syringe. The declared thermal conductivity of the paste is 8.5 W / (m•K), which is not a high figure for an extreme line. The product is a light gray paste with a rather viscous consistency.

      Pros:

      • Top performance.
      • High stability at low and high temperatures, popular with extreme overclockers.

      Cons:

      • Very high price.
      • High viscosity paste, preheating desirable, otherwise difficult to apply.

      4 Cooler Master Master Gel Maker Nano

      One of the newest products on the high performance thermal paste market. The package includes: a tube of thermal paste for 4 grams, a spatula for application, as well as a disposable cloth for cleaning the surface. According to the declared characteristics, the thermal conductivity of MasterGel Maker Nano is 11 W/(m.K). The paste has a normal gray color and is quite viscous in consistency.

      Pros:

      • One of the best thermal pastes on the market according to reviews.
      • High performance.

      Cons:

      • Very high price.
      • Medium viscosity paste, preheating desirable, otherwise difficult to apply.

      5 Prolimatech PK-3

      Fine-grained thermal paste, not very easy to apply in a thin layer, but sticks strongly and is problematic to remove. Thermal conductivity 11.2 W/(m*K).

      Pros:

      • Consistent performance.
      • High performance.

      Cons:

      • Very high price.
      • High viscosity paste, preheating desirable, otherwise difficult to apply.

      If replacement of thermal paste is necessary in a laptop, then, as a rule, a sufficiently high-performance thermal interface is used, for example, the time-tested Arctic Cooling MX-4. But do not forget that there are a lot of laptops and cooling systems too. There are models where the cooling system is designed with a margin, and almost any thermal paste will suffice. But there are also exceptions when a mistake is made in the design, and the laptop overheats out of the box, or simply low-quality thermal paste is used, in which case it is recommended to replace it with a “tested” paste, or it is better to use samples in the face of Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut or Gelid GC-Extreme to «get the most out of the cooling system.

      For constant and intense workloads, such as video editing, rendering, and similar types of workload, first of all, it is necessary to use a high-quality cooling system that will cope with processor cooling with a margin, but despite this, it is necessary to use high-quality thermal paste that will transfer heat from the processor to the radiator. If there is a spare cooler, it is enough to use any medium-performance thermal paste, for example, the same time-tested Arctic Cooling MX-4.

      If a cooling system was purchased that can hardly cope with the processor cooling in a stressful situation, or the processor was replaced with a more efficient one, then it is advisable to use a high-performance paste, and it is also possible to improve the overall ventilation in the case, which will also have a positive effect on the temperature.

      When replacing thermal paste on a video card, you should pay attention to the class of the video card. The so-called «plugs», which are mainly used to display the image on the screen, can be limited to low-performance thermal paste.