Thermal Paste Spread Under Glass

[@TechIlliterate]

Thanks for watching :) Please leave a LIKE, it really helps the channel! Best Way to Apply Thermal Paste: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZfcf5qArs16q8U

[@CalintzJerevinan546]

You seriously need to shave your beard off. Very unprofessional and unhygienic.

[@HondaWyo]

what about and x with a dot in v's of the X

[@TheSlickmicks]

I've heard for the "buttered toast" meathod you need to butter the toast twice.

[@MattariOnline]

I'd like to add one other suggestion that I'm curious about. What if you did a "tall dot" or tower, if you will? Maybe even a coin size with a larger dot in the middle. That should allow it to press down from the center, avoid any air bubbles, but have enough paste to evenly cover the IHS.

[@Taylormade2350]

You should probably add the videos to the description that you mention so people can find it faster.

[@mariosiroky5454]

I usually just fill my whole bathtub with thermal paste and completely submerge my whole pc in it. It had yet to exceed -48° i did notice a 92FPS drop due to not being able to see my RGB through the thermal paste, so i made sure to cover the entire bathroom in RGB lights to eliminate FPS loss. 10/10 most effective method so far. Highly recommended.

[@khrlol42]

🤣

[@IcyUzi]

Lmao 😂😂😂

[@Epiclel_]

Make sure you turn the tub on, I heard liquid cooling makes temps 69x cooler.

[@PerfectionHunter]

LMAO ! 😂

[@wdowa94]

You are so awesome! LEARN ME!

[@viscountalpha]

X was found to reduce bubbles considerably and was quick and easy to paste on.

[@seeibe]

Glad to see the method I've always been using because it made sense intuitively held up well under this experiment!

[@kendog0013]

literally any method works as long as you put the required pressure onto the cooler when installing... he even said so in the video that air bubbles literally create margin of error differences... ill stick with buttered toast as I *know* for certain the entire IHS is covered, air bubble or not.

[@viscountalpha]

@@kendog0013 air bubbles get trapped. They don't have to be very large to create an issue. You can apply all you like, if anything, you are adding MORE air the more you spread.

[@icecreamdaycatlin8896]

​@@viscountalpha thermal paste is a pourous borderline ultra fine sandy metal particulate with very small amounts of oil. im pretty certain the bubbles are just forcing through the paste and exiting the material all together.

[@gdpiscopo]

X Gon' Give It To Ya

[@ModdBoy]

"The bubble disappears, but where did it go?" These are the thoughts that haunt you after and make you want to remove it and take a peek.

[@zwenkwiel816]

If you have enough thermal paste it can't hurt to check and just redo it. I know I messed up the pea thing at first. I dno maybe peas are just smaller over here? XD

[@h8GW]

Of course, that completely defeats the purpose, since all you see is smoosh and spikes. #DontWasteYourPaste

[@Bluntsmoke]

@@zwenkwiel816 fr though. first time I built a PC I purposely used a bit more because I was thinking a frozen pea, that's definitely not enough

[@dsgrts]

The same thoughts all over the world. LOL

[@Dan-tw1zw]

@@h8GW that's what she said

[@mariusfrost640]

It's important to ensure you apply the force in the center, to compensate for flexure of the acrylic.

[@CErra310]

That explains the bubbles

[@craiggallagher4461]

He used half of an acrylic photo frame which are usually pretty thick so I doubt flex would be an issue past a matter of microns or something.

[@chongtak]

@@craiggallagher4461 We sometimes see the acrylic bending though

[@ors5712]

try doing it while the acrylic sheet is covered so you don't adjust the pressure as you press based on what you see. then take off the cover to see which method is more prone to making bubbles

[@bobbygetsbanned6049]

Need to use the actual thermal cooler mount to push on the acrylic to see anything similar to real world results.

[@dorodo1125]

This video is great, to me it shows no matter the preference thermal paste will do its job, even the little spot that covers only 70% of the surface will do just fine.

[@iainballas]

Ah yes. A 10-dollar tube of goop that is the difference between a freshly assembled 2500 dollar computer, and a heat-treated brick.

[@xler3441]

Jesus loves you so much and He is waiting for you with open arms, please accept Him in your heart and life while He is near

[@rawpie2]

​@@xler3441nah

[@pcenero]

help, somebody get him away

[@Nupid_stigger12]

​@@xler3441 ew

[@loganmedia1142]

@@xler3441 I'm wary of zombies.

[@a.m.g.r7804]

I used to apply the x method, but Noctua actually recomments the penta pea method as it saves on the paste but does perfect coverage as outlined in your video. Noctua has a couple of videos on how to apply their paste based on the type and size of CPU.

[@obiitom]

looking at the documentation with my most recent purchase of NT-H1 they only recommend a single 4-5mm dot centre for the AM4/LGA20xx, a smaller single 3-4mm dot for the LGA115x, but 9 dots of varying sizes for the TR4 and LGA 3647.

[@weeooh1]

Agree, but only when the CPU has even sides (square). Alder Lake and Raptor Lake are rectangular so pea in center doesnt sound best. Maybe 2 peas placed about 1 cm apart?

[@evergreatest7644]

​@@weeooh1 Or maybe a thick rice, or an oval perhaps ?

[@binal-flecki2387]

@@weeooh1 the rectangular cpu need a cross like the one christ died on

[@swiftly1937]

AMD also recommends the penta dot method as well. I just follow what the manuals say most of the time.

[@regwatson2017]

Keep doing these sorts of reviews about PC internals and components and results in real-world. You don't need to try and compete with the sites that are test benching everything to within a micro-millisecond. Just answer the average users' queries about the best way to do things and whether it makes any difference which way it's installed. You've found your niche ! Thanks.

[@TechIlliterate]

Thanks Reg, I appreciate that. I'll keep chugging.

[@mccalejk2]

There really isn't a wrong or "better" way to apply thermal paste. It's just grown into more of an internet meme that people take too seriously. Also, it is a myth that you must cover the entire IHS. CPUs have hot spots. Those are the areas that need the thermal paste. Kudos on the ingenious way to test this though.

[@imagesbyraphael]

At the start, I thought you were going to push the acrylic against the heatsink rather than the CPU. So that way you can see how the grooves and grain might affect the way it spreads out.

[@DrGeta666]

all coolers have polished surfaces now, it's not a thing

[@NoOne-yp1qe]

@@DrGeta666 Can I ask what 'now' means? I just bought a cooler for a really old computer...which now you can ask, "What is 'really old'?" xD But yeah, do you mean AM5/LGA1700 and newer or you mean anything after AM2?

[@rhobson]

@@NoOne-yp1qe"grooves and grain" have never been a thing, heatsinks have them due to cost-effective machining processes. In the past I've dropped several degrees by lapping (making the bottom "mirror-like") the heatsink I was using at the time, and besides the cheapo colored alloy finish removed, I also removed the "grooves and grain" from the bottom of the heatsink. So no, grooves and grain do nothing but "trap" more thermal paste on them, worsening the heat transfer (although the end result may be minuscule).

[@peterdarr383]

@@rhobson Just playing "Devils Advocate" here - if the Chip was smooth and the heat sink were grooved, with paste, and no air pockets, wouldn't the grooves provide MORE surface area for the paste to transfer heat into ?? Or does "smoothness" get the sink closer, and - as long as you set up glass and sand-paper, why not polish the chip too ??

[@rhobson]

​@@peterdarr383 I see your point of view on this, but let me try to explain better: in a perfect world, both surfaces of the chip and the heatsink would be completely flat, and would make perfect contact just touching, providing a perfect heat transfer by conduction. Since we do not live in a perfect world, we use thermal compounds (paste, glue, sheets, "liquid metal'...) to fill the gaps between the surfaces from the chips and the heatsink, otherwise these small gaps would have "air", and the heat transfer in these gaps would happen by convection - and the air has a very poor thermal conductivity this way...

[@KevinWatters]

Having worked in the electronics industry and in other industries... application of the HSC to BOTH faces in a thin even layer then apply both together with the added 'wiggle' to seat them well.

[@hullahupp]

Thanks for the idea. Is it probably better if the thermal paste covers the entire CPU? If so, you should rather take more, right. Should you then try to remove thermal paste that has spilled out to the side with cotton swabs?

[@Slyfoxx]

More isn't necessarily better though. The goal is to have a thin, even layer over the entire CPU. If you have too much it could actually slightly hurt your temps, as the CPU transfers heat better with direct contact to the heatsink, but thermal paste is needed to ensure they're touching completely. In an ideal world, the CPU would fit absolutely perfectly to the heatsink, with no gaps or air, and thus thermal paste would not be needed​@@hullahupp

[@helloken]

Incredibly helpful/interesting. The effect on temps is debatable, but it's still nice to have a better idea how well the paste is applied, simply a matter of OCD more than actual results. Very cool idea and very well illustrated to us! Thank you!

[@wonsz]

Thank you so much! I was very scared of doing anything myself inside my laptop but it was overheating and wheezing recently, it just needed a good clean up and a bit of new paste. It took me forever (my sinks were attached with two big fans, it was a struggle) but finallyI managed to clean everything up, add new paste and now laptop is running quieter and doesn't get so freakishly hot. THANK YOU!

[@JunkBondTrader]

I used the pea method, based on Noctua's cooler manual suggestion. Mine was about half the size of your pea, and seems to have done the trick. Right now my pc is at 29 C. Never goes beyond about 72.

[@Aaron-uz8xt]

Ya his pea was huge

[@Mobay18]

Just spead the paste over the entire surface of the CPU using your finger tip. This worked for me for over 20 years. Not kidding. It is the most optimal solution since you get 100% coverage and don't need to worry about any bubbles or missing an area.

[@CrunchyTire]

For years I've done an X with small dot in each open space between the lines

[@ReddwarfIV]

Same

[@Benzin0]

I think mounting a cooler puts a lot more pressure than your tests because I've always used the pea method and the coverage was 100% when I pulled the cooler off.

[@slick6227]

then you are probably damaging your motherboard, be carefull, you can bend those things without too much force and that can short some components, so i would advise to take a little extra care there

[@Benzin0]

@@slick6227 the way coolers are designed, you cannot put too much pressure on the CPU. When you screw the screws in until they don't turn anymore, that's when you reach the optimal pressure level. You just can't go any further.

[@inquity6]

I always do the pea method as well, the X makes me nervous about some bleeding over the edge.

[@owensharp8568]

@@inquity6 This stuff is all non conductive though, I have had huge blobs of it on the board and never caused an issue. The whole subject is just wives tales and inexperienced loud mouths.

[@inquity6]

@@owensharp8568 I guess its just my experience with using liquid metal that made me that way lol, I'd always assume they all are obviously I was wrong. I'm always overly cautious when working with someone's computer parts so. When I got back into PC building arctic silver 5 was no longer the best of the best.

[@rhiantaylor3446]

Might help to start by saying what the objective should be - which is to cover the whole of the CPU with as thin a layer as possible. The paste is only there to fill the gaps between imperfectly flat surfaces and, wherever possible, direct metal to metal contact is much better. if the surfaces are not perfectly flat there would otherwise be air gaps and air doesn't conduct as well as thermal paste but thermal paste doesn't conduct as well as direct metal to metal.

[@Stars-Mine]

the pressure of all mounts makes it impossible to have to thick a layer, spread and lack of air is all that matters.

[@aggibson74]

@@Stars-Mine not correct

[@Stars-Mine]

@@aggibson74 Literally correct, look at everyone who has tested it such as gamers nexus. you cant put on to much paste, dont worry about it.

[@zwenkwiel816]

So just weld your cooler to your IHS 😎

[@zwenkwiel816]

@@Stars-Mine well you can do too much, the excess just squeezes out but yeah If you tighten down your cooler properly its impossible to have too thick of a layer or something. Might make a mess though...

[@agx111]

X is the best method i see and jam with a toast also 1 arctic mx 4 tube worked for almost 4 times nice

[@eyemastervideo]

I do the 5 dots, center dot being a bit bigger. Then I don't clip the heatsink yet, I twist by like 10 degrees or so, back and forth a few times, the heatsink to make sure I spread and squeeze as much out from under there as possible.

[@SomeGuy-sz1by]

Really glad to see this video. I work in the professional computer building industry. This is always discussed amongst the techs & engineers. I have always done the big X, corner-to-corner. Then a smaller x to make it like a snowflake, those smaller ends extending from the center, outward to the sides. I always start each line from the center, so a bit extra is left there each time. Giving me that extra dollop in the center.

[@orionlax626]

Sounds like you're putting way too much on. You need as little as possible.

[@SomeGuy-sz1by]

@@orionlax626 Incorrect. It is actually very difficult to put too much on (sorta). I have half a dozen expired tubes worth $300 a piece, of thermal paste. I assure you (for funzies) I have put WAY TOO much on before. When they order too much at work & it goes past the expiration date, we spread the wealth & give it to people (rather than throw it away, the stuff is still good, just can't use it on customer product). You also don't want to go for the "as little as possible" method. It is always best to have a bit more than you need, especially if you are not experienced. The amount between the processor & whatever, needs to be enough to fill all the gaps & handle the thermal transfer load effectively. There really isn't a SUPER-SWEET spot that NEEDS to be achieved. I guess what I am saying is, take it from a guy whos been building computers professionally for 15 years & has like $3K worth of thermal paste on the floor at his feet (lol) - don't be afraid to add a lil extra dollop if you feel like there is too little.

[@orionlax626]

@@SomeGuy-sz1by It's hard to use so much that it seriously hinders performance, and it's definitely better to use too much than too little. I'm just saying the perfect amount is almost nothing. Like you said, it's about filling holes, not actually covering the surface. People are too paranoid about using too little paste because it seems to be the tyre-kicking of the PC world.

[@cpu64]

The reason tile mortar is applied line and groove is so that air gets squeezed out as the tile sets, it's best to not do shapes that fence in air (circle, infinity...)

[@DustinCox-t8h]

YES I don't even do tile, but i assumed that's what the grooves and channels are for. So when a pocket of air hits one it can escape instead of retreating back into the paste.

[@AdrianJayeOnline]

THIS IS THE BEST VIDEO, shows you exactly what happens with the paste AWESOME

[@VonSchpam]

The key observation of this experiment should not be the amount of coverage or the pattern, but how easily Thermal Compounds are designed to spread under pressure. You do not need very much compound to achieve an effective amount of coverage. A common error users make is to use more than necessary and overestimate the amount required. You don't actually need as much as many users typically think and they end up with excess that might actually impede thermal conductivity. The job of thermal compound is not to transfer heat, per se, but to displace air by filling in the microscopic imperfections in the surfaces of the CPU heat spreader and cold plates of the cooler assembly. Heat transfers best with direct surface to surface contact and air is a good insulator. The less air trapped between the surfaces the better; and the more direct contact between surfaces that exists; the more heat energy can be transferred through the spreader into the heatsink and away from the CPU core. Thus total coverage of the heat spreader with thermal compound is not critical, so long as a good surface to surface contact directly above the CPU cores is achieved. Caking thermal compound to the point of it oozing out the sides of the assembly, not only wastes thermal compound, but may actually create a barrier that degrades the quality of the direct surface to surface contact and lessen the efficiency of the heat assembly as the thermal compound hardens naturally into a wax like consistency over time.

[@markuswittmann2624]

Bullshit. Jay proofed that it doesnt impact, the presure of the cooler is way enough to thin the paste. There is only to less paste, not too much. Well, atleast you dont use conductive paste or liquid metal, thats another Story.

[@RobinHood-yk8og]

There is no such thing as too much TP. TP fills the gaps between IHS and cooler plate, which are defined by the hardware - CPU, MB, Cooler, Mount - not how much TP you use. Using too little TP risks not filling the gaps. Thermal conductivity will then be limited. Using 'too much' TP will ensure the gaps are filled and will ensure conductivity is not constrained.

[@Benne175]

@@RobinHood-yk8og Think its better just to define ’too much’ If it oozes out on the sides, yes it is too much and TC its wasted. But you have a point. The pressure leaves the thin layer needed left so in that regard, it doesn’t mattter if it little too much TC... You can just remove the excess it with finger, paper.

[@RobinHood-yk8og]

​@@Benne175 Wasting TP is not a thing... an entire tube costs a few bucks. Unless the user knows the exact amount of TP needed to get full coverage - and no one does - then there are 2 options available when applying it: 1 - err on the side of too little which will definitley constrain performance and in the extreme, risk cooking your CPU 2 - err on the side of caution and use enough that it 'oozes out on the sides'. Option 1 could lead to massive productivity losses or in the worst case scenario, CPU replacement bills. Option 2 just means you run out of TP sooner than necessary. There are no other downsides. A few bucks vs potnetially hundreds/thousands in lost productivity/repairs.... In conclusion... wasting TP is not a thing. Too much TP is not a thing.

[@Allangulon]

Thermal paste is far too thick in my opinion. A proper mating of surfaces is way more effective than filling gaps with a substance with a lesser thermal conductivity than metal or even mineral oil. Oil: 125mW/(m.K), thermal paste 3-8mW/(m.K) Thermal paste almost qualifies as an insulator. I lapped both surfaces until completely flat and applied 2 drops of mineral oil which lowered the temps by 20°! Never trust someone who claims you NEED their product!

[@VoidStriker1523]

Basically half my job is ensuring epoxy coverage underneath die. The x is the best pattern for a square object, but keeping a bit heavier in the center of the X helps prevent air bubbles and improve coverage

[@lrmcatspaw1]

As long as you use red thermal paste for AMD, green thermal paste for nVidia and blue thermal paste for Intel, you will get the right RGB proportion.

[@macblink]

😂

[@amorgan5844]

Man i wish you could have done a butter but with small channels like when you use a trowel like tile thin set. The channels allow the arrow to escape when its collapsed.

[@clorky2]

Great video. I would suggest you cover the glass with tape when you put it on and take the tape off, once you think you are done. This way you prevent yourself from cheating due to the visual feedback. Some methods might work better when you don't see how the paste spreads.

[@CookingWithCows]

I would probably suggest using a thin sheet of plexiglass or just plain cling wrap and just put the regular cooler on top and tighten it like you would in a normal build. That way you get the right pressures and behaviors and you can then take it off without disturbing it.

[@munchkinmatt1670]

This is a really cool visual of what approximately happens. Great vid!

[@Tumbolisu]

The reason that the air bubbles look like they disappear is because the glass is getting covered with thermal paste. Shakey hand movements cause it to reach more and more surface, until eventually you just see gray. The bubbles are exactly where they used to be, just right underneath an ultra thin layer of gray goop.

[@Just_Call_Me_Tim]

I swear... on first read through of your comment I thought you wrote "...gray poop." 🤣😂

[@vwvMARDUK]

@@Just_Call_Me_Tim Same.

[@UniverseGd]

@@Just_Call_Me_Tim "...gay poop." seriously :D

[@johnconnor3865]

...aaand Eric Cartman has entered the chat.

[@jamesbyrd3740]

no, they're pushed out by the pressure. how tf would slime trap air when you're putting massive pressure on it? maybe if the surfaces were very uneven and created a pocket for air to hide, but how would method make this better. every time this is tested with temps the conclusion is it doesn't matter, as long as you use enough

[@Nobbi_Habogs]

Nice, thats what is the internet needed, another of thousands videos about thermal paste spreading. Does now every hardware channel make a "new" test how thermal paste looks like under glass?

[@GoldenGateNum9]

I think a lot of the misconstrued mythologizing about this is that every application is never the same, like the butterfly effect, In my opinion I think for an inexperienced person the X marks the spot to play it safe.

[@zkilla4611]

I like the X. I usually do the Buttered toast. My next I will try X as I thought it spread nicely.

[@legen_dary42]

@@zkilla4611 I've used different methods but the one with the best coverage and least bleed for my AM4 CPUs was the penta-dot, however the X went on the 14900

[@paulb4uk]

This was great to see i have always spread my thermal paste i have done it that way for 20 or more years but the x pattern and many others all work fine .

[@jhenry48809]

I wonder if in these tests if your acrylic is flexing and adding more to the bubbles, and reducing the spread from the middle of the cpu to the edges. In either case this gives a decent representation.

[@Pegaroo_]

I've seen several videos on thermal paste application (some from major tech tubers) but I don't remember any of them doing something a simple as using a bit Perspex so you can actually see how the paste spreads. Great Vid 👍

[@ellypsis603]

Been using the cross method for about 8 years on Intel and amd, Always Works the best

[@Underground.Rabbit]

Are you Christian?

[@45KevinR]

Two years old, but still a very useful demonstration. Certainly in the early days there were risks that neither the package or the heatsink could be trusted to be flat, even if it was smooth. In those situations the paste is vital, and it needs a chance to cover and fill all of the contact surface. The (big) pea method did this with only minor risks of spill and mess. With the size of modern packages it feels like the X method gives better corner to corner coverage.

[@lumby5335]

I normally go with 5 sided dice, but I like the X. Regardless I rarely apply paste or overclock.

[@xQuandaleDinglex]

You...you don't use paste??? 😱

[@AdamAmbrus]

tbh a repaste is only really necessary when your temps feel off or you've gone like 5 years without one

[@paulcohen1555]

Very good test of the methods. And also very professional way doing that. (The sound quality also adds to the experience)

[@Seromontis]

I've been doing the x method for several years. Seems to work fine. As long as you don't put too little or too much, you're fine.

[@FizzixGeke]

Thanks for posting this video. My PC has been shutting-down with greater frequency. I started monitoring the CPU temps and saw that they were averaging in the high 60's C, spiking into the low 80's. Time to re-apply thermal paste! (And thoroughly clean everything else) I followed your advice of using the X method. CPU temp is currently averaging high 20's.

[@SwishaMane420]

Pea dot method has never failed me, as long as theres enough paste. Any air escapes out the sides as pressure is applied.

[@Miraihi]

And you actually don't really need to cover the whole CPU with thermal paste, only the places where the contact is suboptimal. So the less the better.

[@Hammersch]

@@Miraihi Yes it is only in the center and 1.5-2 cm radious its not much.. People always exaggerating. I would never do what this dude does its to much in every method to me it is ridiculous..

[@beboid]

@@Hammersch u can literally draw a cock and balls with thermal paste and the temps will be within 1 degree of all the others lmao it doesnt matter

[@clockmaster_77]

Great idea using the transparent plexiglass for showing the thermal paste spread. Thank you

[@anonymous5401]

bro how hard are you pressing down???

[@tony359]

finally! As you say the subject is constantly debated on forums!!

[@NebulaTraveler2956]

Nice comparison :) It would have been nice to make sure that the pressure / pushing force is right (right in respect to the pressure which the colling element, mostly a cooling fan, will apply). As long as you increase the pressure it will lead to an ongoing spread of the thermal paste and sometimes you could missimulate the effect a bit by applying too much pressure just to get the paste to each corner (here again, too much in respect to the cooling element which would have a set pressure if you mount it in the right way).

[@TechIlliterate]

I've considered redoing it, make a device to mount a think acrylic sheet.

[@TSIXGaming]

wow i commented on an earlier video and this answers it perfectly well i guess judging screw tension still will be harder to balance than pressing down on a transparent glass

[@JoeBob79569]

I like to rotate the cooler after I put on the paste, maybe 20-30 degrees each way a few times, and then rotate it in a little "wax on/wax off" fashion. My thinking is that I want to try to get some of the bare metal to touch in a few places, and let the paste fill in any dips or humps. As opposed to having a layer of paste everywhere when it's not really needed.

[@Slobbering_Koala]

This is actually the correct line of thinking when using thermal paste, metal to metal contact is ideal but since machining leaves behind high and low spots we need to fill the gaps. In all honesty, I think he uses too much thermal paste.

[@marcelldavis1870]

Very nice to see this under glass!

[@billj5645]

Great idea to do tests with a clear material so you can see the results! Value of a steady hand? When you are putting on a big aircooler how steady can you be with it? Especially if you are changing a cooler while everything is in the case and you are dropping the cooler down into the big hole. So this leads to another question- how do these various methods work if you put the cooler down so that it contacts on one side of the cpu then rocks into position towards the other side?

[@maxmustsleep]

very interesting! i usually go for the X with one dot in the middle of each V shape

[@CalculatedRiskAK]

The "bubbles" worry usually is moot because a lot of coolers are putting way more pressure down on the CPU than your hands will. The air bubbles get squeezed out with all the excess paste generally.

[@jmlinden7]

The problem is that, with the 'butter' method especially, sometimes there isn't excess paste, which may lead to air gaps.

[@heclanet]

It's an epic theme that will continue for generations. 🤣 I in particular used to distribute an even layer with a spoon of ice cream or similar.

[@Space_Reptile]

hey little suggestion if its not too late: if you wanna see how the grooves and channels on coolers affect the spread, use the acrylic on said heatsinks as in apply some thermal paste to the heatsink as if it was the CPU, then press the acrylic on it

[@reptilianoverlord7627]

I do the X method with little dots in each open space :)

[@starluxstudio619]

The video we've needed since forever

[@UrsusMagna]

You should try what tilers do. They use notched tile trowels to avoid bubble. You could probably make one suitable for spreading thermal compound by just cutting notches into an old credit card or something.

[@w49660]

I believe they use notched trowels to give the adhesive room to spread out while still being able to level the tile, not to avoid air bubbles, which you see all over if you pull up tiles. (Not too big, though, or they sound hollow when you walk on them, which means not enough adhesive was used.)

[@veskibateman2070]

I clicked this video in less than a second while making a sort of honking sound. Excellent stuff.

[@coffeecup086]

I use the “X” method and have been for years, but I do modify it just a tad. After I draw my X, I add a dot of thermal paste in the openings of the X. It might be overkill, but it gives me peace of mind.

[@JacobKinsley]

This is the way I've always done it. I always put way too much on but it's work that pays for it.

[@orionlax626]

@@JacobKinsley And the people who use the product if it gets too hot.

[@alphanerd2305]

I use a variant of the butter spread. I don't actually use a card to spread the paste. I start a few millimeters in from the edge of the IHS and slowly spread my Arctic Silver across the IHS using the tip of the tube to spread it around leaving a nice thin layer. Been using that method for over 20 years and it works quite well. Some other methods have a tendency to spread the paste over the edge of the die and if you use too much, it can work its way under the chip and into the pins. I see this problem a lot in both amateur builds and even some professional builds. There's not likely to be any air bubbles using any of these methods due to the amount of pressure the cooling block places upon the IHS. There's no way your hand pressure on the acrylic could ever reach the amount of pressure placed by the mounting bracket.

[@philtkaswahl2124]

I've just always done the penta dot method for years and haven't had any noticeable issues.

[@themuddyrug55]

Very informative thanks for this! Building a computer at christmas so Im glad this came up

[@DJLKM1]

It's all fine looking at the spread while pressed with glass, but what many forget is that cpus/gpus get hot, heats up the paste and the paste then spreads even further acorss the thermal surface. You really only need a thin layer of paste, as the paste is Only used because of the microscopic pits and other impurities of the metals used. When it comes to thermal paste, less is better. Ive been a tech & applying paste now for over 35yrs.

[@mccalejk2]

The amount of "spread" caused by a 90C temp isn't going to change much. That's just a silly statement. You'll never notice the extremely minute difference. You can test this out by putting it in ~200f oven

[@pino_de_vogel]

i always do the spread with a tiny dot in the middle this gives a guarantee 100% coverange and prevents a air bubble. And dont be afraid to spread a little thicker. You spreaded really thin. A bit of overflow really does no harm infact you have more cooler contact as the side of the heatspreader an give off heat. And my 3770k that has bin on 5ghz sins 2012 or 2013 cant remeber has arctic silver 5 since day one and never replaced it and still preforms the same.

[@i_Have2BrainCells]

02:13 looks the best overall

[@ZodiakAsHell]

Penta dot and X looked really nice

[@Aaron6791ae]

This was soo enjoyable to watch kinda like the feeling you get peeling off peel. So incluconsion, about the only thing you don't want to do with thermal paste is use too little.

[@Pazo139]

I started using the spread butter method. Guarantees full coverage. Works great on my 5800x3d.

[@Terrackhimself]

I tend to use X method, but I add really small dots in the open parts of the X. 🙂

[@Olav_Hansen]

I add the dots only with nameless brand paste. As you saw, mx4 is good quality paste so x is good, but nameless paste tends to have worse spread so the dots are for then.

[@Terrackhimself]

@@Olav_Hansen I've been a fan of, and have used Arctic Silver 5 for over a decade now. I just add the dots to make sure. I saw a video once where they over applied (like ridiculous amounts) of thermal paste and everything was fine LOL.

[@Olav_Hansen]

@@Terrackhimselfover applying isn't a problem that often, since most paste doesn't conduct. But this vid has reinforced the idea that X is a worthwhile endeavour.

[@Terrackhimself]

@@Olav_Hansen I did not say it was not a worthwhile endeavor, I was simply saying what I do.

[@syd.a.m]

This? ※

[@BWGPEI]

Having never had the inclination to do this - Kudos to you!

[@Vfulncchl]

It probably depends more on the volume applied rather than the shape

[@i3l4ckskillzz79]

I usually cover the whole head spreader with a thin layer of thermal paste. I think this is the safest way to ensure everything is covered. Had good experience with it so far

[@danielsatko-]

very bad. as u see on big chips u form a bubble in center. on gpu it is problem

[@i3l4ckskillzz79]

@@danielsatko- i testet many methods and this was the best. there´s nothing bad. by the way pressing glass on a heat spreader is a completely diiferent story than a propper cooler with much mure tourqe apliete to it

[@CraigWhargoul]

been using X method with 4 small dots for years

[@Digmen1]

Great test idea I always wondered how much Thermal paste there is out there in the whole world in half used tubes!

[@chieftain20]

Through my own experimentation I've found my favorite is a super thin, but very even buttered toast. Then a small dollop (of jam) in the middle. I also try to wiggle the mount a bit to help even out any differences from an off center placement. I love the MX5 that Arctic recently released.

[@BlueRice]

I do the same except no dot in the middle. There was a video 15 years ago I recalled. The engineer explained it in dept. That the best method was very thin that appears it was almost putting nothing in it. The paste was enough to cover micro holes. But applying paste like that is hard and time consuming. Again the paste is meant to bridge heatsink to lid because of uneven surface of micro holes.

[@SuperMilhauz]

Thanks! I am glad someone made this cause I’m overthinking some stuff and this helped me have a good sleep 😁

[@TAZnator]

The X marks the spot!

[@mockier]

I like that you used perspex, able to apply more force that way.

[@balenaluba4215]

I've always used what everyone calls a "small ammount", and when I took the cooler off(weeks later, sometimes months) it's spread across the entire IHS, edge to edge, corner to corner, in a layer so thin that you can almost read the writing on the CPU. _That's_ what I call "perfect ammount". With my 2200g with Wraith Stealth or with my brother's 2700X with a large TUF cooler (can't remember the exact name), I applied the paste on both of them myself, and monitoring the temps they never went over 65°C in stress tests, and lower in normal gaming regime. And for the record, I have tested them with the "recommended ammount" and there's little to no difference, so why bother using more when less is more? More paste is bad too, there needs to be just enough to fill the gap, any more and it's an insulator. But noo, if there's not thermal paste seeping in my RAM slots then I have too little.

[@elvancor]

I'm sold on the X. I had guessed that a square would be ideal, but it turns into a circle. An X actually turns into a square.

[@krugtech]

Everyone misses a very important step- rub. I learned about thermal compounds from Dow. They told me to rub the cooler on the cpu. Rub the glass on the cpu, when you feel a slight increase in drag, stop. pretty much those patterns will work with a rub. Rubbing make the thinnest layer of thermal compound.

[@jcpt928]

Yeah...except the oils from your skin are not conducive to thermal conductivity; and, depending on the level of oils [or other things] on your skin, you may actually compromise the chemical makeup of the thermal compound. I would agree with your concept if you're wearing a rubber glove.

[@fermitupoupon1754]

@@jcpt928 he means that you should wiggle the cooler around a bit on the CPU before you screw it down. When you wiggle the cooler around on top of the CPU, you'll feel that it goes from slippery to sticky, which is when you've displaced all of the air bubbles.

[@jcpt928]

@@fermitupoupon1754 That does make more sense than the finger. Ha.

[@AndresWamonde]

i make an hourglass and then 2 dots on the sides, mostly just because i like doing it that way but its worked so far

[@jimr5703]

My thoughts are to use as little paste as possible. The ideal condition is to have direct CPU to cooler contact and let the paste fill in the gaps. I lap my CPU if it needs leveling, apply a pea sized bit of paste and when I gently press the cooler in place I also slide it back and forth slightly until I can feel the metal to metal contact. Based on dis-assembly for my last few upgrades, most of the paste is squished out and I get perfect coverage. Never lost a CPU to heat and I've been building PCs since 1983.

[@seushimarejikaze1337]

yeah, and new generation of "experts" is just saying it doesnt make a difference... lol, well it does... when the paste will start to dry out. method of application never shows flaws when the compound is fresh, only when it gets older. and when the paste gets older, if the layer is too thick(pressure was too low etc.), temps noticeably go up. so as you said, paste is meant to enhance the thermal conductivity, by minimalising air pockets, and not to form a layer of goo both on cpu and on mobo xD

[@mccalejk2]

@@seushimarejikaze1337 You lost any credibility when you said "cpu" and "mobo"... think about it, lol

[@mccalejk2]

That's the thing, there is no such thing as "perfect coverage". You're never going to get a bare minimum application that just fills in the microscopic gaps and pits. Applying a "perfect" amount of thermal paste has always been an inside joke to the educated PC builders. Furthermore, it is a myth that you must cover the entire IHS.

[@seushimarejikaze1337]

@@mccalejk2 i really cant see how credibility is in any way tied to what i said, as all said, is true and comes from actual experience from maintaining and troubleshooting my own pc(that evolved a lot since 2004, first one completed around year 2000) for more than 19 years.. anyway its not a myth, but i guess, people nowadays dont care for hardware life as long as sensors show them "correct" temp... thing about covering whole ihs comes from the fact that if you dont, there might be temperature differences within the cpu (by extension between cores) that potentially can do damage. depending on the manufacturer and a model it can either lead to minor problems or none, but better to be on the safe side and go for bigger contact area between ihs and radiator, right? (or dont do it, proper care for hardware is a personal thing and all up to you {its your money} and some people dont even clean their pc of dust{psu included} even once a year, then come to me saying their pc doesnt "boot up" and if i could help... lolz)

[@HMNNO]

Really good test! Thanks for this

[@balto2455]

you forgot the stefan etienne method XD

[@Exlet_alpha]

Thanks for interesting practices ! I usually use "※" or ◇ with center dot.

[@holotape]

I also use the buttered toast method but instead with a dollup of marmalade

[@wellsbengston4132]

Thank you. This is EXACTLY what I was looking for.

[@akaraven66]

The X or 5 dot method is the best, and yes it does make a difference more so the paste you use as long as you have a large enough coverage, it won't be perfect every time and the heatsink (air cooler or AIO) will apply a better pressure across the IHS when you screw it down so that helps spread it better.

[@lexluthermiester]

@Tech Illiterate This was excellent! It would be interesting to do this same type of test with Glass instead of plexi, mostly because glass doesn't flex like plexi does. Might better show what actually happens to the air pockets..

[@jklappenbach]

I always spread the paste with a tool to get the perfect thickness and make sure it has complete coverage. It makes a huge difference if your hope-and-splotch method doesn't get complete coverage. And by spreading yourself, you *know* you've done the job. No guesswork. And the final time that happened to me, I tried lifting the cooler off the chip and nearly damaged the chip when there was enough adhesion to rip the chip out unexpectedly.

[@vch42]

Nice one. Great channel, great quality content, love it. It would be interesting to not apply the pressure completely by hand, but rather have the transparent sheet rigged with holes so that one could install it using the cooler mount screws. This would get the results very close to real life. Not to mention that these tests vary alot depending on the thermal compound used, with their different viscosities. Last but not least, der8auer, after also making these kind of glass sheet tests, said on a GamersNexus video that due to the very high mount pressure between the heatsink and the CPU IHS, trapping air bubbles of a size that actually matters is almost impossible. Here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXTUqXhjaqinadk I would personally add that in a DIY home situation like this, it is actually impossible to NOT trap microscopical bubbles in the compound, which even out, and they do not really matter in the end thermal performance and measurements. AND they will eventually escape thanks to the pump out effect through thermal cycling.

[@creed5248]

That's what I was thinking - make it like the actual heatsink assembly

[@TheVoxbox13]

I have yet to build my own PC (family / time/money/etc)... but it's on my bucket list. This was fascinating. Love that it's practical, and not basically theoretical [ like: this (x) is .01 millisecond better than (y) ]. Also - The outtakes at the end. Subscribed. 👍

[@hank-ey3mz]

this entire topic doesnt matter or affect cooling even at a miniscule scale

[@TechIlliterate]

Bingo!

[@pumello]

This is genuinely interesting. Good video :)

[@EperkeDashh]

But where is the verge method?

[@oldtimefarmboy617]

A thin line across the top and bottom and a thick line down one side. Then tilt the heat sink towards the side where the thick line is until it touches then tilt the heat sink level across the chip. Great coverage and no bubbles.

[@forgottenalex]

And to think I was just doing the X method this whole time just to make pirate puns to myself when I was building PCs.