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Based on the answers on this question, I'll probably go buy some new thermal paste. Unfortunately, the marketplace is flooded with spiffy-sounding products at wildly varying prices. I might just go to the local store and buy whatever mid-range product they happen so sell, but before I just do something stupid I'd like to learn more:
- What material should the paste be made of? Does it matter?
- How important is the heat conductivity? Are there big differences?
- For anything less than bleeding-edge systems, does the choice of paste actually matter? Why?
What specifics should sway me to spend more (or less!) money on thermal paste?
This question is for reassembling a mid-range system. I'm sure that high-end overclocking gurus would very likely choose products that aren't necessary for mainstream customers.
Update: the price range for a small container is only €3-€6 so buying the best is easily affordable. I'd just like to understand if there's any sense in that; learning never hurts.
1+1 This is how all "shopping questions" should be written. Well done. – Nifle – 2011-08-08T15:12:25.310
takes a bow Tack så mycket! – Torben Gundtofte-Bruun – 2011-08-08T15:14:07.430
At first I thought you'd asked about toothpaste. – user541686 – 2011-08-09T06:33:47.563
@Mehrdad is there a better word? edit: oh I see there's a [thermal-paste] tag! I'll update my question. – Torben Gundtofte-Bruun – 2011-08-09T07:34:56.887
@torbengb: Oh sorry, I didn't mean to say anything was wrong with the title -- it was just a comment on my mistake. Don't feel like you should change anything. :) – user541686 – 2011-08-09T07:40:19.277
You actually improved it by making me realize a small mistake. Now I've found other relevant posts about thermal paste :-) – Torben Gundtofte-Bruun – 2011-08-09T07:46:55.370