31
Unpopular opinion: I used to think a cheap thermal paste was fine until a $15 tube saved a gaming rig
Had a client's PC overheating after a rebuild, so I swapped the generic paste for some Arctic MX-6. Temps dropped 12 degrees Celsius under load and the fans finally quieted down. What's your go-to paste for tough thermal cases?
3 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In3 Comments
stone.lisa18d ago
My first build used the paste that came with the cooler, and that thing ran hotter than a cheap laptop. Learned my lesson the hard way. Now I just buy a big tube of MX-4 and it lasts for years. Saves me from my own cheap mistakes, lmao.
8
ellioth3718d ago
Totally agree, cheap paste can really hold a system back. Had a similar thing happen with an old CPU that was constantly throttling. Slapped some Noctua NT-H2 on there as a last ditch effort and it was like a different machine, instant 10 degree drop at idle. That generic stuff they pack with coolers is basically just grease sometimes. For really stubborn hot spots, I still keep a tiny tube of Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut around, it's pricey but it works when nothing else will.
7
jana_jones18d ago
Hah, that generic stuff is basically thermal play-doh. I swear they include it just so you have to buy the good paste later.
4