How Thermal Compound Spreads (MX-2 Edition)

Not sure which method to apply? Watch how the compound spreads under the heatsink!

Part 1 Video (more methods): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyXLu1...

My theory on why spread method may not be the best: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17...

It is not necessary to cover the whole CPU/heat spreader. Because most of the heat is concentrated around the core area which is at the center. Hence the center of the CPU is more important.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[Kaio1979]

The :) method became the o.O method fairly quickly... interesting...

[ChicaWolverina]

That really tells me I should be using twice as much Arctic Silver. But one thing I wonder might be missed by most of the comments is that after it heats up and with the spring tension constantly on it there should be even more spreading, I should think at least as much as a third more?

[hytlerson]

OH REALLY THAT'S VERY NICE.

[eggroll9000]

LOL you don't have to explain any of the science to me, I probably know it better than you do. Take your "fool" and stick it where the sun doesn't shine.

The image in the description isn't accurate because thermal paste doesn't turn into a solid brick lying on your CPU just because you spread it out. If the heatsink base actually is convex like that, it will displace the paste in the center anyway. Except that you'll still have better coverage in the corners than with the dot method.

[zBEASTORz]

This is verry usefull!! thanks alot!!

[TYRONEBIGGLES]

x method is better! covers a perfect center, and about 75% of chip, combined with ghaddafi you get temps between 900 or 100centigrade. it all depends wether you're into dprk or dnb. anyways just lube it up ok!

[eggroll9000]

Thermal paste doesn't even get in contact with the CPU but with its heatspreader. And you know what a heatspreader does? It spreads the heat. From the center to the corners. So what you wrote there doesn't really make sense. It's always better to dissipate heat from a larger area than from a smaller one. And obviously it's better for the heatsink to have contact with the entire heatspreader, rather than just with its center.