Fight with the lotus effect ...

... Something like that could describe the attempt to distribute the thermal grease. In that regard, I have to agree wholeheartedly with the previous speaker. Neither on the spotless GPU (I used to clean the ArctiClean Set of Arctic Silver) still on the radiator, the pretty tenacious thermal paste was spread well. It was far more paste on the attached spatula stick than on cooler or GPU. From the GPU has the thermal paste with a spatula rather walk than to distribute them. The spatula itself is too soft to be able to exert adequate pressure here can and to squeeze the adhesive paste away.

After several minutes, fighting and two unsuccessful attempts I finally went to the Blob method, although this is not my favorite method for applying a heat transfer compound. It is interesting that the approximately 800g heavy cooler after reversing the graphics card has been held solely by the thermal grease without tighten. He stuck formally to the graphics card. And that on an adhesive surface of approximately 2.5 x 2.5 cm, mind you.

The conductivity of the paste is however beyond doubt. In idle about 2-3 ° C lower. Under full load the preset temperature target of the graphics card (a hitzkopfigen GTX 770 with about 290W TDP) is reached much later. Previously, the temperature went up to 81 ° C at BF4 (Multi, 64er slot). After replacing the thermal grease have been max. Reaches 74 ° C (which is likely to be but in addition also due to some Airflow-promoting alterations in case). The fan of the GTX turn up much later, and only on lower RPM than before.

Thus, the effort has paid off. For Änfanger I would, the paste but not recommended. Here should similar results can be obtained with a much better distributed MX-2. Practiced hands or lover of blob-and-press method will certainly have less difficulty. I myself will before the next use time in the water bath heat the paste, and then, if necessary, update the review once again.