Here at YLG, we have conducted research and tests to determine the top thermal pastes on the current market. In this review article, we want to give you the complete test results we have drawn from many experiments.
Quick shopping tips:
- Understanding how it works: Firstly, you should know how a thermal paste work with your PC’s hardware to choose the best one suiting your PC most. Thermal paste is a heat-conductive paste that you can use between CPU and CPU Cooler’s heat sink.
Also, you can apply it between a GPU and its cooler or a Chipset and its cooler. Sometimes your CPU creates a crazy amount of heat that can cause damage to your PC’s hardware. That’s why we need a good thermal paste to help transfer waste heat to the cooler.
- Types of thermal pastes: Once you decide to buy a thermal paste, you need to depend on your PC. What kind of PCs do you have? Then, you can think of looking for the most suitable thermal paste for your PC. There are some main thermal pastes that you can refer to, such as Liquid-metal pastes, Ceramic-based pastes, and Carbon-based thermal pastes.
Each of them has its characteristics, including both pros and cons. Because liquid metal pastes are electrically conductive, they can short circuit your entire system. Ceramic-based pastes are the safest options for novices. Carbon-based thermal pastes are the perfect choice for keeping your CPU temperature in check.
Best Thermal Pastes
1. ARCTIC MX-4
Best thermal paste overall
SPECIFICATIONS
- Electrically Conductive: Non-electrical conductive
- Thermal Conductivity: 8.5 W/mK
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Non-electrical conductive
- Durable and easy to use
- High-quality thermal for a long time of use
REASONS TO AVOID
- Not effective on high voltage components
One of the masterpieces from the Arctic family is this MX4 thermal paste. Although the design of this thermal paste has been changed over the years, its high quality with the old formula of composition remained the same.
The carbon-based thermal paste ensures highly high thermal conductivity; meanwhile, this product is non-electrical conductive. MX4 can guarantee that heat from the CPU or GPU is dissipated efficiently, eliminating any risks of causing short circuits and the CPU and VGA cards.
This paste is straightforward to use and also durable for a long time of service. People estimate that the thermal paste can last up to 8 years once applied.
Alternate choice: Corsair TM30 Performance Thermal Paste
Buy from Amazon
(Image credit: Amazon)
2. Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut The High-Performance Thermal Paste
Best premium thermal paste
SPECIFICATIONS
- Electrically Conductive: Unlisted
- Thermal Conductivity: 12.5KW
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Extremely high performance
REASONS TO AVOID
- A little costly
You will be overwhelmed with the high performance of this thermal paste – Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut. It can produce a very high thermal conductivity of 12.5KW, which is perfect for even the most demanding configurations and can also be used in industrial cooling systems.
Thanks to a specially constructed syringe and a spatula for spreading thermal grease included. It guarantees a simple, pleasant, and precise distribution of the paste on your processor or graphics card.
Alternate choice: Thermalright Liquid Metal Thermal Paste
Buy from Amazon
(Image credit: Amazon)
3. Gelid Solutions GP-Extreme – Thermal Pad
Best thermal pad
SPECIFICATIONS
- Electrically Conductive: Non-electrical conductive
- Thermal Conductivity: 12W
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Very cheap
- Small dimensions
- Non-corrosive, non-toxic
REASONS TO AVOID
- Not suitable for high-power CPUs or GPUs
Gelid Solutions GP is another option for you to choose with all the best features it can bring to you. The thermal paste offers you the ultimate performance with thermal conductivity of 12W. Moreover, this thermal paste is very friendly to use thanks to its dimensions of 80x40mm, featuring the perfect sizes for PCB surfaces, VGA cards, laptops, game consoles, microcontrollers, memory ICs and other SMD components.
In addition to that, the GP-EXTREME is non-electrical conductive, non-corrosive, and non-toxic for the safest use. The product will go beyond your expectations compared to the price.
Alternate choice:
Buy from Amazon
(Image credit: Amazon)
4. Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut
Best Liquid Metal Thermal Paste
SPECIFICATIONS
- Electrically Conductive: Yes
- Thermal Conductivity: 73 W/mK
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Very cheap
- Use for a long time
- Excellent stability
REASONS TO AVOID
- Conducts electricity
Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut is a liquid metal paste that is very easy for you to apply. It can go exactly where you want it to, thanks to a convenient syringe. This type of paste offers a very high thermal conductivity as well as excellent durability after prolonged use. However, this paste has high composition, and it cannot be applied to aluminum components.
Thermal Grizzle Conductonaut is the ideal choice for professional PC builders because of its excellent heat dissipation. Especially, its thermal solution is compatible with computer parts and consoles, including PS3, 4, 5, Xbox 360, One, and so on.
Alternate choice:
Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra 100% Metal Thermal Interface Material
Buy from Amazon
(Image credit: Amazon)
5. HY-883-4g CPU Thermal Paste Kit-6.5 W/MK CPU Paste Thermal Compound
Best budget thermal paste
SPECIFICATIONS
- Electrically Conductive: No
- Thermal Conductivity: 6.5 W/m-k
TODAY’S BEST DEAL
REASONS TO BUY
- Excellent performance at a value price.
REASONS TO AVOID
- Only recommend for budget builds
If you are looking for a carbon-based thermal paste, HY-883-4g is the right one for you. It features super thermal conductivity with high-quality silicone grease. Besides, you can apply this thermal paste to your computer part with ease.
Alternate choice:
Thermal Paste, 5 Pack ThermalCoolFlux(TM) Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Paste
Buy from Amazon
(Image credit: Amazon)
FAQs
1. How to apply a thermal paste
Thermal pastes will decide on how they can be applied. A thick paste will require a different applying technique compared to a thin paste. It is hard to say the exact methods in applying thermal paste; people often use various techniques.
Some people just put a small amount on top of the CPU and then spread it evenly across the surface. Meanwhile, some apply it with a card or some other tools. They imagine they are spreading butter on a toast.
2. How much thermal paste do I need to buy?
We think a small drop of the stuff will do. Just look at the size on the center of the CPU because the paste will be evenly spread across the top when the heatsink is installed.
3. How long does a thermal paste last?
An average lifespan of a thermal paste is just around 2-3 years. The reason is that thermal paste dries out over time. Therefore, you are recommended to buy a small quantity of paste to make sure that you can use it up quickly before it dries out.
The thermal paste’s life also depends on the type of paste you bought. With high-quality thermal pastes, you can keep it for up to 7 years.
Leave a Reply