Thermal paste and cooler - How much would they mean?

[Aleksej89]

Personally i am really a fan (pun intended) of the large 200mm case fans.
They are silent and the amount of air they can push is greater than two or even three smaller fans (according to math).
I use PC cases that house primarily these large 200mm fans wherever possible and so far i am very satisfied with them.

Obviously thermal paste is EXXXXXXXTREMELY important, and surprisingly there is a difference in quality between thermal pastes.
Overall they are all very cheap considering that one tube will last you for at least a year or two (even longer) so frankly always go for the best available.

CPU cooling is very important and you need a good reliable quality CPU cooler that will be properly mounted and properly applied the thermal paste.
If your PC is kinda old then dont spend a lot of $ on an old system, a high quality air cooler will do the job.
Google "best X 2018" for various articles on which products seem to do their job well and for what price.

[Noomz]

The Corsair H60 isn't very good, but from what you said there shouldn't be any issues.

What did the paste look like when you checked it?

Do you have a pic of your comp? We can do a much better job of giving feedback on the setup if we're able to see it. Pushing 1.3v+ with that small rad might be the problem, to OC that chip as much as you are might want to upgrade the cooler. I'd recommend staying away from an AiO and just get a decent air cooler for like $30-40

If you do upgrade the cooler, I recommend this one in terms of bang for buck: http://a.co/d/bHuIGSy

I haven't taken it off to check in all these 8 years I've had it. But it's the standard faire paste, as I bought the PC from a website with pre-chosen parts. So it's most likely the paste that comes with the processor that they've used.

Here you go!


As you can see, it's a bit cramped in there already. At the front sits 2 120mm fans that blow air in. Ontop is just a fan grate with no fan. Not sure if I could put one there, or if it's needed.

I've also had recommendations for the Dark Rock 4 Pro and the NH-D15. The Dark Rock looks the best so far.

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Personally i am really a fan (pun intended) of the large 200mm case fans.
They are silent and the amount of air they can push is greater than two or even three smaller fans (according to math).
I use PC cases that house primarily these large 200mm fans wherever possible and so far i am very satisfied with them.

Obviously thermal paste is EXXXXXXXTREMELY important, and surprisingly there is a difference in quality between thermal pastes.
Overall they are all very cheap considering that one tube will last you for at least a year or two (even longer) so frankly always go for the best available.

CPU cooling is very important and you need a good reliable quality CPU cooler that will be properly mounted and properly applied the thermal paste.
If your PC is kinda old then dont spend a lot of $ on an old system, a high quality air cooler will do the job.
Google "best X 2018" for various articles on which products seem to do their job well and for what price.

Yeah there's not too much I can do for this old PC, but I figured I'd do the cheapest things I can do, such as thermal paste and perhaps a new cooler. As you say, it seems that the paste can make a big difference and in an overclocking situation even 3-4 celcius differences are important.

[Ange]

I'm sitting here overclocking my i7-2700. Everything was working great when I had it set to 4,5, but it QUICKLY rose above 80 degree's on the stresstest and I stopped it right then. I've lowered it since and I'm still experimenting with what might work, but I'm sitting here wondering how much it could help me to slap on a fresh coat of thermal paste and a better water cooler.
I bought this PC perhaps 5-6 years ago, my current watercooler is a Corsair H60 which apparently isn't a superb watercooler. I imagine it could do with a changing after all these years.

What are your thoughts and recommendations?

I use my i7-2700k @ 5.0 GHz since 06.12.2011 with aircooling and a noctua cooler. The date is posted, because it was the time of the handselected first batch in EU. With the OC badge of 2700k's I don't have to rise the VCore to keep 5.0GHz even for compiling/intel-burn-test-marathon. And thats all it takes to keep the temps low. If you need heavy rise on your VCore, it means you got a potatoe and should stop.

Thermalpaste doesnt matter that much, the amount (MINIMAL) you use matters more with the allignment of your cooler than the brand. (I used acrtic silver, because it was provided with the CPU)

With 3Dmark/intel-burn-test loop for 10+ hours I get around 67-70°C for all cores, the noctua fan's are limited to 5V, I don't like more noise.

TLDR

The OC ability of your CPU sample is the only thing what matters. If you got a CPU potatoe, no cooling system or paste will change that.

[Cilraaz]

I haven't taken it off to check in all these 8 years I've had it. But it's the standard faire paste, as I bought the PC from a website with pre-chosen parts. So it's most likely the paste that comes with the processor that they've used.

I'd put good money on a re-application of thermal compound doing you a world of good, with or without a new cooler. Eight years is pretty far beyond typical "lifespan" of a single application of thermal compound.

Based on the photo, the only other suggestion I could make would be better cable management. I don't know what your options are with that case, though. Good airflow can lower temperatures by a lot.

Thermalpaste doesnt matter that much, the amount (MINIMAL) you use matters more with the allignment of your cooler than the brand. (I used acrtic silver, because it was provided with the CPU)

The amount used, provided ample IHS coverage, actually matters very little. Gamers Nexus tested different methods and amounts and saw very little difference in any application method or amount.

[Miyagie]

The Corsair H60 isn't very good, but from what you said there shouldn't be any issues.

What did the paste look like when you checked it?

Do you have a pic of your comp? We can do a much better job of giving feedback on the setup if we're able to see it. Pushing 1.3v+ with that small rad might be the problem, to OC that chip as much as you are might want to upgrade the cooler. I'd recommend staying away from an AiO and just get a decent air cooler for like $30-40

If you do upgrade the cooler, I recommend this one in terms of bang for buck: http://a.co/d/bHuIGSy

For a small AiO cooler the H60 is very good and is not far behind the Noctua NH D15.
https://www.guru3d.com/articles_page..._review,9.html
And even the old H60 version of the OP is better as the Evo 212.

[Onikaroshi]

I haven't taken it off to check in all these 8 years I've had it. But it's the standard faire paste, as I bought the PC from a website with pre-chosen parts. So it's most likely the paste that comes with the processor that they've used.

Here you go!


As you can see, it's a bit cramped in there already. At the front sits 2 120mm fans that blow air in. Ontop is just a fan grate with no fan. Not sure if I could put one there, or if it's needed.

I've also had recommendations for the Dark Rock 4 Pro and the NH-D15. The Dark Rock looks the best so far.

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Yeah there's not too much I can do for this old PC, but I figured I'd do the cheapest things I can do, such as thermal paste and perhaps a new cooler. As you say, it seems that the paste can make a big difference and in an overclocking situation even 3-4 celcius differences are important.

With how dusty that is, you might want to pull the fan off the radiator and blow out all the dust. Just blow out all the dust in general.

[Noomz]

I'd put good money on a re-application of thermal compound doing you a world of good, with or without a new cooler. Eight years is pretty far beyond typical "lifespan" of a single application of thermal compound.

Based on the photo, the only other suggestion I could make would be better cable management. I don't know what your options are with that case, though. Good airflow can lower temperatures by a lot.



The amount used, provided ample IHS coverage, actually matters very little. Gamers Nexus tested different methods and amounts and saw very little difference in any application method or amount.

I've moved my GFX one slot down so that more air can flow towards the waters radiator, but yeah I really wish I could do something about all the cables. I might be able to bundle them together better but that's about it. As you said, the case is limited.
I've also used compressed air to clean the radiator and the front fans and their filters. After all that, I appear to have lowered my temps by 3-4 degree's.

But as you said, I think that all I really need now is the new paste, which I've ordered. I'm not running my CPU stabile at 4,4Ghz and the hottest it got was 81 on Core 1 of 3 hours of Battlefield 5 on Ultra.

During my research on all this I've actually watched some videos from that channel. They're very good! That video in particular was great for me right now, so I know the proper methods.

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With how dusty that is, you might want to pull the fan off the radiator and blow out all the dust. Just blow out all the dust in general.

I did just that shortly after taking the photo! It's very clean now. As are the front fans and their filters. My GFX is also moved one spot down, to let air flow better.

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For a small AiO cooler the H60 is very good and is not far behind the Noctua NH D15.
https://www.guru3d.com/articles_page..._review,9.html
And even the old H60 version of the OP is better as the Evo 212.

And small was what I wanted to go for with it! Whenever I end up getting an entirely new PC, I will most likely get a larger case, for future hardware updates and better airflow.

[Cilraaz]

I've moved my GFX one slot down

That may degrade your GPU performance. Typically the top PCIe slot is x16, while the second slot is x8. I can't say for sure without knowing your motherboard model, but that is the standard layout. In that case, moving your GPU down a slot would cut bandwidth potential by a good margin. The actual drop in performance won't necessarily be huge, but it does add potential complications going forward.

During my research on all this I've actually watched some videos from that channel. They're very good! That video in particular was great for me right now, so I know the proper methods.

If you're potentially interested in other channels in addition to Gamers Nexus, I also like JayzTwoCents, Linus Tech Tips, and Bitwit.

[xenogear3]

I can assure you that you are wasting your money and time.

This CPU can only overclock to a certain speed.
An extra fan doesn't help.

[Onikaroshi]

I can assure you that you are wasting your money and time.

This CPU can only overclock to a certain speed.
An extra fan doesn't help.

That "certain speed" is .2 ghz over what he is trying to hit. And 60 bucks for a new cooler or 15 bucks for a new fan is all some people can afford. Not everyone has a spare 3-500 bucks lying around for an upgrade.

[Noomz]

That may degrade your GPU performance. Typically the top PCIe slot is x16, while the second slot is x8. I can't say for sure without knowing your motherboard model, but that is the standard layout. In that case, moving your GPU down a slot would cut bandwidth potential by a good margin. The actual drop in performance won't necessarily be huge, but it does add potential complications going forward.



If you're potentially interested in other channels in addition to Gamers Nexus, I also like JayzTwoCents, Linus Tech Tips, and Bitwit.

Both of them are 16x. Or rather, all 3 of them! I've noticed no loss of performance in anything, so it's not been lying to me. On the opposite, my OC has definetly had a good effect.


I'm gonna sit and watch them some more.

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I can assure you that you are wasting your money and time.

This CPU can only overclock to a certain speed.
An extra fan doesn't help.

That certain speed has been put between 4,5 and 5, depending on how good this particular one might be. Normally it runs max 3,9 in it's turbo mode.
I simply want to turn down the heat on what I already have. So if I can get between 600-1000Mhz at the same or better temperatures than before, for 50 bucks, that's worth it for me.

[Cilraaz]

Both of them are 16x. Or rather, all 3 of them! I've noticed no loss of performance in anything, so it's not been lying to me. On the opposite, my OC has definetly had a good effect.


I'm gonna sit and watch them some more.

Well, that's cool. I wonder if that's something that changed with PCIe 3.0. I know most PCIe 3.0 boards are only x16 on the top. In any case, glad to hear it. Here's hoping the new TIM application takes care of the rest of the heat issues for you.

[Onikaroshi]

Well, that's cool. I wonder if that's something that changed with PCIe 3.0. I know most PCIe 3.0 boards are only x16 on the top. In any case, glad to hear it. Here's hoping the new TIM application takes care of the rest of the heat issues for you.

Really depends on the board, you can get 16x, 8x, and 4x slots in many different configs.

[bbr]

NZXT H2 Midi Tower


I have an open case because of how warm my apartment tends to be, no matter the season. It's either too warm or too cold in here...
Corsair TX 850W PSU for it all, so power ain't an issue.

Forgive my ignorance, but what does LP and HP stand for in regards to RAM?
Speaking of, the only issue with the size of either of these aircoolers is wether or not my RAM sticks will fit next to it, since my 16 gigs of RAM uses all 4 slots.

That looks almost identical to a Define R5
See: https://www.fractal-design.com/home/...efine-r5-white
It's a great case, I own the same one

Yeah there's not too much I can do for this old PC, but I figured I'd do the cheapest things I can do, such as thermal paste and perhaps a new cooler. As you say, it seems that the paste can make a big difference and in an overclocking situation even 3-4 celcius differences are important.

Your cable management is the stuff of nightmares.
Did you consider a modular PSU? It would sincerely clean that mess up,. and in turn make it easier to keep the case clean as well.
The corsair block is liquid cooling I guess? How often do you need to refill that?

[Onikaroshi]

That looks almost identical to a Define R5
See: https://www.fractal-design.com/home/...efine-r5-white
It's a great case, I own the same one




Your cable management is the stuff of nightmares.
Did you consider a modular PSU? It would sincerely clean that mess up,. and in turn make it easier to keep the case clean as well.
The corsair block is liquid cooling I guess? How often do you need to refill that?

You don't refill AiOs, they're entirely self contained.

[bbr]

You don't refill AiOs, they're entirely self contained.

https://www.quora.com/Do-I-have-to-c...h-what-in-a-PC

Good point.
Some people use fancy colored tubes,. but this one does seem to be a small loop, probably running in a metal setup - it should be fine.
PVC or plastic / colored ones will definitely need refilling.

[Onikaroshi]

https://www.quora.com/Do-I-have-to-c...h-what-in-a-PC

Good point.
Some people use fancy colored tubes,. but this one does seem to be a small loop, probably running in a metal setup - it should be fine.
PVC or plastic / colored ones will definitely need refilling.

With open loop cooling (or custom cooling) yea, you have to drain and check it often. Most say at least once a year. This is to check for things like galvanic corrosion (often times metals will be mixed, there's chemicals in the fluid to prevent it, but it can still happen) and the quality of the liquid, some are known to leave powdery substances around.

Open loop systems also tend to be quite expensive, though one of the leader's in the market EK is currently trying to make it more affordable with their Aluminum series of coolers, including ones with graphics options for only around 240 bucks.

[Evildeffy]

Both of them are 16x. Or rather, all 3 of them! I've noticed no loss of performance in anything, so it's not been lying to me. On the opposite, my OC has definetly had a good effect.

I'm gonna sit and watch them some more.

Incorrect.

The 1st slot (dark blue) is a PCIe x16 slot with 16 lanes mechanically attached.
The 2nd slot (white) is a PCIe x16 sized slot with only 8 lanes mechanically attached.
The 3rd slot (black) is a PCIe x16 sized slot with only 4 lanes mechanically attached.

With newer cards you WILL notice a difference but unless you push the highest end 2080 Ti or or the 1080 Ti the difference should be no more than ~5 - 10%.

The specs for this are on ASUS' own website explaining this as well.

You may not notice a difference in performance, but it's there nonetheless.

It's extremely easy to differentiate these things as you simply have to turn the motherboard around and see how many soldered pins are sticking out of the location of the PCIe slots.
With this particular motherboard you can see the differences perfectly as you have x1, x4, x8 and x16 laned slots, only thing missing is x2 .. but I think you can extrapolate that one on your own with the presence of the others on the board.

[Noomz]

Well, that's cool. I wonder if that's something that changed with PCIe 3.0. I know most PCIe 3.0 boards are only x16 on the top. In any case, glad to hear it. Here's hoping the new TIM application takes care of the rest of the heat issues for you.

THank you for the assistance!

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That looks almost identical to a Define R5
See: https://www.fractal-design.com/home/...efine-r5-white
It's a great case, I own the same one




Your cable management is the stuff of nightmares.
Did you consider a modular PSU? It would sincerely clean that mess up,. and in turn make it easier to keep the case clean as well.
The corsair block is liquid cooling I guess? How often do you need to refill that?

Yeah I've considered it but it'd just start upgrading things on a PC that should be replaced. I'll try and do something about the cords, but they're so many and so damned thick...
It's an H60 and should never need refilling. Closed loop system and so on.

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Incorrect.

The 1st slot (dark blue) is a PCIe x16 slot with 16 lanes mechanically attached.
The 2nd slot (white) is a PCIe x16 sized slot with only 8 lanes mechanically attached.
The 3rd slot (black) is a PCIe x16 sized slot with only 4 lanes mechanically attached.

With newer cards you WILL notice a difference but unless you push the highest end 2080 Ti or or the 1080 Ti the difference should be no more than ~5 - 10%.

The specs for this are on ASUS' own website explaining this as well.

You may not notice a difference in performance, but it's there nonetheless.

It's extremely easy to differentiate these things as you simply have to turn the motherboard around and see how many soldered pins are sticking out of the location of the PCIe slots.
With this particular motherboard you can see the differences perfectly as you have x1, x4, x8 and x16 laned slots, only thing missing is x2 .. but I think you can extrapolate that one on your own with the presence of the others on the board.

Well uh, seems like I need to move it back up then! I've a slightly overclocked 1060. Thank you!

[Mashanerz]

For a small AiO cooler the H60 is very good and is not far behind the Noctua NH D15.
https://www.guru3d.com/articles_page..._review,9.html
And even the old H60 version of the OP is better as the Evo 212.

The H60 in your link goes from tied for 1st at idle to 20th under load.

That should say it all, but to go further into it these are all basically the same since it's just Aseteck pumps on various fans/rads, and the H60 is a small rad which means it's going to have trouble dissipating the heat like a 240 or 280.

The sweet spot for AiO cooling is 280mm, but the the OP's case looks crowded, and it doesn't look like there's space for it.

https://www.gamersnexus.net/hwreview...plus-benchmark

I still stand by my bang for the buck comment, but if money isn't a concern, then the Noctua is amazing.

All this said though, I don't know if it's a cooling issue, might just not be stable at that clock/voltage.