pads or grease?

  • Thread starter Thread starter AJ
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A

AJ

I'm just about to install a retail Athlon XP2500, what I want to know is, is
it worth investing in some form of thermal grease or is the pad that comes
with the heatsink ok?

Also, have anyone had faulty retail XP2500? I have heard moans that there
are a lot of faulty OEM versions out there

cheers
 
Pads can be hell to get off later, and grease such as arctic alumina, which
is said to be easy to get off, will run cooler. It's just $4.
 
AJ said:
I'm just about to install a retail Athlon XP2500, what I want to know
is, is it worth investing in some form of thermal grease or is the
pad that comes with the heatsink ok?

Also, have anyone had faulty retail XP2500? I have heard moans that
there are a lot of faulty OEM versions out there

cheers
Click to expand...

AMD say that using grease will invalidate your warranty.

However it does work better than the pad. Just be careful not to use too
much.

Take care,

John.
 
Ed Light said:
Pads can be hell to get off later, and grease such as arctic alumina, which
is said to be easy to get off, will run cooler. It's just $4.
Click to expand...

If the pad's already on there, after you scrape it off be sure to remove the
residue. 99% isopropyl alcohol should do it, but if not, use that to clean
off whatever you have to use.

Not sure if there are any no-no cleaners.

Instructions for arctic alumina are on its web site,
http://www.arcticsilver.com
 
cd5 said:
I'm just about to install a retail Athlon XP2500, what I want to know is, is
it worth investing in some form of thermal grease or is the pad that comes
with the heatsink ok?
Click to expand...

If you don't plan on removing the heatsink any time soon the pad will be
fine.
Also, have anyone had faulty retail XP2500? I have heard moans that there
are a lot of faulty OEM versions out there
Click to expand...

Mine is fine, and I haven't heard of any such problems.

Doug
 
Mr E said:
AMD say that using grease will invalidate your warranty.

However it does work better than the pad. Just be careful
not to use too much.
Click to expand...


How does one avoid getting bubbles trapped in the grease
between the CPU and the heatsink?


*TimDaniels*
 
"Ed Light" replied:
Read the instructions on articsilver.com
Click to expand...


As detailed as the verbose Product Instructions appear to be,
they don't describe how to bring the two mating surfaces together.
Has anyone compared the result of bringing the two surfaces
together in the following 3 ways:

1) "laid flat", i.e. the entire faces of the two surfaces meet
simultaneously, versus
2) "edge first", i.e. the two surfaces are first brought together
at the edge of one or both and then laid together, versus
3) "corner first", i.e. the two surfaces are first brought together
at a corner of one or both and then laid together?

Likening the process to laying ceramic tiles (without the use
of a toothed trowel), I'd go for number #2 for being the one
that is done most easily and which leaves the least amount of
air trapped between the two surfaces. Does anyone have
experience with each of these 3 ways?

BTW, has anyone seen adverse results from rotating, i.e.
"twisting", the two surfaces together while mating them?
The admonition due to knocking the "peak" off sounds
illogical.

*TimDaniels*
 
Thermal compound provides a tiny improvement between a
properly machine heatsink and CPU. In fact, so little thermal
compound must be applied that it only spreads in the center
half of the CPU. That is where almost all heat transfers to
CPU. If thermal compound expands beyond the center half, then
too much was used.

Thermal compound is only for the microscopic holes between
CPU and heatsink. Most of the heatsink makes direct contact
with CPU. A direct CPU to heatsink interface is more
thermally efficient than one that is CPU to thermal compound
to heatsink. Air bubble in thermal compound? If an air
bubble exists, then way too much thermal compound was applied.

BTW, Arctic Silver is overpriced hype. Most every thermal
compound is equivalent to Arctic Silver - but sells at a much
lower cost. What is the thermal resistance of Arctic Silver?
They don't even provide basic numbers. If they did, then
everyone would learn the more expensive Arctic Silver is
really not superior to other thermal compounds.

Apply heatsink directly to CPU without any thermal
compound. Measure CPU temperature. Then repeat same
experiment and measurement using a thermal compound. Thermal
compound should only result in single digit temperature
reduction. If your heatsink CPU combination results in
greater temperature decrease, then trash the heatsink as
defective. Thermal compound is superior to pads or thermal
tapes because most of heatsink makes direct contact to CPU.
Thermal compound only decreases thermal resistance by filling
microscopic holes and permits most of heatsink to contact CPU.

If you applied the so little amount, then all those
application methods do nothing. But then Arctic Silver, et al
is being applies only to reduce CPU temperatures by single
digit degrees.
 
In a test Arctic Silver was worth 3 degrees extra, but only after breaking
in.

I would certainly follow the instructions on the web site.

Arctic Alumina is worth 1 less degree but easier to remove and won't cause
electrical capacitance if it gets on some contacts. It's also only $4.
 
Hi Timothy!

Timothy Daniels said:
"Ed Light" offerred:
http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/23986.pdf


Interesting reading. It says to bring the heatsing and CPU
surfaces together one parallel to the other, i.e. "flat", not "tilted".
But that is to avoid putting uneven pressure on the die which
could crack it. It's not for any reason of avoiding entrapment
of air.


*TimDaniels*
Click to expand...

I agree with anyone who says if you are installing an AMD CPU "follow the
instructions on the AMD website".
 
Described is how all thermal compounds work. What test?
What URL makes these Arctic Silver superiority claims?

Why pay dollars for something that routinely sells for
dimes?
 
There is no problem with air entrapment IF thermal compound
is applied sparingly as described.
 
Some heatsink manufactures make an inferior product, don't
machine the mating surface, and use the pad as a cheap
compromise. If your heatsink does not provide the standard
numerical specification - "degree C per watt" - then expect
the worst.

Make a cheap heatsink, install the pad, and hype advantages
to sell at excessive cost. Any respectable heatsink does not
use thermal pad or thermal tape except when that is necessary
to hold heatsink in place.
 
It may be "comfortable", but is it *happy*? :-)

*TimDaniels*


"JAD" replied:
All P4's are padded, i wouldn't call them "not respectable'
as it keeps my P4 comfortable.

w_tom said:
[.........] Any respectable heatsink does not
use thermal pad or thermal tape except when that is
necessary to hold heatsink in place.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
If you see a smiley face on that CPU, then get help now
...... because the face should be covered by a heatsink.
 
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