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Choosing the right thermal paste for your new gaming PC is not only essential but critical to bring out maximum performance.
As they say, knowing is half the battle. This applies even more to components in your PC whose only job is to dissipate heat. Just like any modern, compact, or power-hungry system, heat dissipation is crucial for gaming PCs.
Nothing kills your components as heat does, and therefore, it is paramount to know what thermal paste is suitable for the build you have in mind.
It is equally important to know how to select a good thermal paste. Simply trusting your reseller with your build can result in compromises you are not even aware of.
Density, maximum operating temperature, and other factors you should consider before finalizing a thermal paste
1) Conductivity value
To put it simply, the higher the conductivity value, the higher the heat-dissipating capacity of the paste (since it will be that much better at conducting the heat away). For example, a brand claiming a conductivity of 6w/mk (watt per meter kelvin) should be an obvious choice over another claiming their conductivity to be at 4w/mk.
However, the obvious choice can change (or rather should change) if the two brands of paste have different types of base material used.
2) It’s always safer to choose a non-conducting paste than a conducting one
Modern thermal pastes come in two kinds: conducting and non-conducting. Usually, conducting pastes have significantly better conductivity (generally around 70w/mk), but there is a major trade-off. If (by accident or improper installation) the conducting paste leaks around the CPU die and onto the board, it will short-circuit it and become a recipe for disaster.
A non-conducting paste eliminates this issue by using a non-conducting base material. This ensures that even if the installation is improper, the chances of a short circuit are nil.
Gamers are recommended to start with a non-conductive thermal paste with comparatively higher conductivity. Conducting thermal paste is more suitable for enthusiasts who want to engage in overclocking their CPU and need every last drop of performance possible.
3) Thermal pastes should have the right viscosity, density, and a no-curing period
If a thermal paste is too thin, most of it will leak out of the thermal interface when cooler screws are mounted. If the paste is too thick, it won't be easy to spread evenly, and the performance will be reduced. Ideally, the correct thermal paste should have a density of 2-5 g/cm3.
You can easily check the density of a thermal paste on the manufacturer’s website. Another way to analyze if the paste is good is by watching application videos on the internet and checking if it looks greasy. The right paste always appears greasy, and not like an oil or a liquid.
Moreover, most modern thermal pastes do not need a curing period. Put simply, a curing period is a minimum time before the paste reaches maximum work efficiency. A paste that can be used from the get-go without the need for any curing period is ideal.
4) Longevity and maximum operating temperature (the higher, the better)
Manufacturers usually design and advertise their thermal paste to last a couple of years before failure. For good pastes with long life, this figure usually sits anywhere between three to eight years. Anything below a minimum of two years is a cause for concern, and it is prudent to avoid that paste.
Additionally, it is always safer to know the maximum operating temperature of your CPU so that you can get a thermal paste for it accordingly.
If the CPU that you have shortlisted for the build has a thermal cut-off temperature of 95 degrees Celsius, the paste must have its maximum operating temperature higher than 95. This ensures that the paste can keep working even after reaching CPU throttling temperatures.
An informed decision goes a long way in ensuring you don’t regret your purchases in the future. Building a gaming PC sounds daunting at first, but with a bit of research and know-how, it becomes simple enough for anyone to achieve.
