CPU thermal paste can be used between the heat sink and CPU to help improve the transfer of heat between the two components. Although less heat will be transferred to the heat sink than if there was direct contact between the two, a good thermal paste will maximize the amount of heat that is transferred.
The thermal paste between your CPU and heatsink is the most important part of your cooling system. Not only do you have to choose a thermal paste that performs well, but you have to apply it properly. So why not choose something that’s easy to apply?
One of the most important things to consider is thermal paste. Whether you’re installing a CPU, GPU, or heatsink into your PC build, you’ll need it. The thermal paste helps reduce the amount of heat that builds up in computer components by filling in microscopic imperfections on the surfaces where each component touches your heatsinks. While this paste isn’t absolutely necessary (though we highly recommend it), it can make a huge difference when it comes to keeping your PC running cool and quiet.
To help you find the best thermal paste for your PC build needs, we’ve put together this list of our top picks for different types of thermal pastes and thermal pastes for different uses.
Is expensive thermal paste worth it?
It is worth it to buy expensive thermal paste because the more expensive thermal paste typically performs better than the cheap stuff. However, this is only true if you are using it on a high-end CPU or GPU. For most people, it is not worth it to spend more than $5 on thermal paste.
There are numerous different types of thermal pastes out there on the market today, including ceramic, metal and non-metallic (also known as non-conductive) thermal pastes. When choosing a thermal paste for your PC, you need to consider what kind of computer you have and what type of usage you will be putting it through. You should also make sure that you purchase the right amount so that you do not end up wasting money by buying too little or too much of it.
1. Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Thermal Grease Paste
Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Thermal Grease Paste is a high-performance thermal interface material specifically designed for CPU/GPU cooling. Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut is a synergy of highly refined thermal compounds from around the world, working together to excel in performance and function. This product is perfect for computer enthusiasts, gamers, or those that need superior CPU cooling.
2. Gelid Solutions GC-Extreme Thermal Compound
Gelid Solutions GC-Extreme thermal compound delivers very high heat conductivity and allows easy application. It is completely non-corrosive, does not contain any solvents or silicon compounds, is non-flammable, and has no curing time needed. This makes GC-Extreme excellent for use in high-performance systems. GC-Extreme has a gel like consistency which reduces the risk of leakage between other components.
Phobya’s Liquid Metal Thermal Compound is a type of liquid metal thermal paste that can help you achieve better cooling performance for your custom-built PC. It works the same way as other thermal pastes which use metals to transfer heat away from electronic devices that produce heat. It comes with a syringe, though, which makes it easier to apply the right amount of the compound in making sure your CPU and GPU’s temperatures and heat and kept under control.
4. Arctic MX-5 Thermal Compound
ARCTIC MX-5 thermal grease is a must-have for effective heat transfer from the CPU to the cooler on every desktop computer, workstation, and server. It has been specially developed to provide exact compatibility with silicon heat spreaders on both Intel and AMD CPUs and also ensures exceptional cooling performance resulting in maximum overclocking headroom. Its unique metal-free, the non-capacitive formula is designed with extremely high thermal conductivity and extremely low thermal resistance values for best possible performance with all current and future generations of processors with different sizes and shapes of the silicon heat spreaders such as Intel® Core™ 2 Duo.
5. Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Paste
The Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Paste is a superior product for those who want the best thermal paste on the market. Made with 99.9% micronized silver, each tube contains enough paste to cover and protect 20 surfaces. Rated at 8.7 W/mK, the Arctic Silver 5 is guaranteed to deliver excellent heat transfer and cooling for your CPU or GPU.
6. Noctua NT-H2 Thermal Compound
Noctua’s new NT-H2 is a pure, non-electrically conductive thermal compound based on the same high-performance thermal compound as their award-winning Noctua NT-H1. It has been thoroughly revised to meet the latest demands and expectations of today’s high-end CPU air coolers. The new NT-H2 is highly recommended for use with overclocked Intel “Skylake” processors. This special edition comes with three 3.5 grams syringes of thermal grease, which is sufficient for many customers to install all their CPU or GPU heatsinks,
7. ONCRO 2 Pack, Grey Carbon Based Hy510 Thermal Grease
ONCRO 2 Pack, Grey Carbon Based Hy510 Thermal Grease is a thermal paste designed to enhance the transfer of heat from a processor to a heatsink. ONCRO� 2 Pack, Grey Carbon Based Hy510 Thermal Grease is treated with high quality components that provide superior thermal conductivity and exceptional performance. The thermal grease comes with an applicator making it easy to apply which makes your installation quick and smooth. This thermal grease has been made in the USA.
8. Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut Thermal Grease Paste
Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut thermal grease paste and liquid metal paste is a heat conductive compound based on silver and graphite. It is used for thermal interface materials, electric components and IC chips soldering, the heat sink for CPU, graphic card, etc. The thermal interface material consists almost exclusively of silver. The purity of silver is 99.999%, which allows it to meet the highest demands in electronics manufacturing.
9. CORSAIR XTM50 Performance Thermal Paste
CORSAIR XTM50 thermal paste offers optimal cooling and low-temperature performance. It’s made for use with high-end CPUs, and it provides users with a more efficient thermal transfer than most comparable competitive brands. This thermal compound features a long working life of up to 10 years, and it has a tensile strength of 50N/mm². This means that you’ll be sure to get more than enough use from it.
10. Antec Formula X Thermal Paste
【Processor】AMD Ryzen 5 5500U 2.10GHz 6-Core Processor (11MB Cache, up to 4.00GHz); 【Display】15.6″ diagonal, FHD (1920 x 1080), micro-edge, anti-glare, 250 nits, 45% NTSC
Antec’s new thermal compound paste formula X is 3-4 times more effective than the normal thermal compound. It offers a wide, smooth spread so you can cover all the CPU surfaces uniformly. Formula X is solid at room temperature to prevent issues with clogging of the application syringe, or making a mess when applying. Antec’s formula X makes contact with the CPU surface evenly expanding the contact area to the maximum level available, therefore increasing cooling performance & reliability. Mess free 1.5 mm diameter application tip delivers 1.8 mm diameter uniform line easily over the whole surface.