Thermal Paste Advice

[Macdude2010]

Hello all,

I will be performing a processor upgrade on my Mac Pro 2013, and I was wondering if it would be advisable to take the GPU's off of the thermal core and reapply the thermal paste on them before sealing everything back up again.

 

[Demigod Mac]

Had good results replacing my Titan X's paste with Arctic MX-4.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/replacing-thermal-compound-on-gpu.1882602/

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Gelid and Coolabratory produce the best thermal pastes. You can't use the latter with aluminium heat sinks so be careful with that.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/thermal-paste-performance-benchmark,review-32804.html

 

[SDAVE]

The X method is also good.

 

[h9826790]

If the temperature is fine for the GPUs, and you have no plan to OC it, then better not to touch it. Try to fix something that is working perfectly can only lead you to more trouble.

However, if that's hot, why not?

 

[shujnparo]

good info,thanks for your sharing

 

[TzunamiOSX]

Gelid is very good, don't use Coolabratory Liquid Metal (MetalPad also). Coolabratory products are difficult to remove from the Heatsink (own experience). It is better to use a silicon based thermal paste. Also don't use IC Diamond 24 Carat, because you get scratches on your Heatsink and CPU. This ist not a Problem for a PC user, but the prize of $300 for a new Mac Pro Heatsink is a problem for Mac user.

Gelid GC Extreme is one of the best silicon based pastes.

 

[flehman]

I've had good experience using MX-4 and Arctic Silver 5 to upgrade the CPUs on a 3,1 and a 4,1->5,1. I only did that in the context of an upgrade though. If your GPU is currently OK I would not mess with it. Same as the rules for home improvement projects:

1) Don't kill yourself
2) Don't break things any worse than they already are
3) Attempt repair only after observing rules 1 and 2!

 

[Demigod Mac]

Thanks for recommending Gelid. I just applied GC-Extreme to my CPU and GPU and temps are down 1-3° C across the board compared to Arctic MX-4.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Thanks for recommending Gelid. I just applied GC-Extreme to my CPU and GPU and temps are down 1-3° C across the board compared to Arctic MX-4.

I used Gelid Supreme as it was the only one I could find. It's about the same results.

 

[sumo.do]

Thanks for recommending Gelid. I just applied GC-Extreme to my CPU and GPU and temps are down 1-3° C across the board compared to Arctic MX-4.

Over the last two years or so I have run AS5, Tuniq TX-4 and Thermene on my 2012 Mac Mini 2.6Ghz. AS5 gave a minor drop in temps. Thermene was a complete dud (DON'T USE IT). Tuniq was a little bettor than AS5. These minis run seriously hot when the CPU is maxed. I have probably run Tuniq TX-4 for the last year and a half but I recently put Gelid GC Extreme on the mini and I was amazed that the temps dropped around 4ºC at peak and 6ºC or thereabouts on idle. The temps use to hover around 100-102ºC (sometimes higher, occasionally 99ºC) when I run HandBrake, but with Gelid they hover around 96-99ºC. 100% of the time that I have run HandBrake in the past my fan always had to run at 100% but with Gelid this is the first time I have even seen the fan actually run around 80%.

Gelid GC Extreme is a similar consistency to Tuniq TX-4 (fairly thick) so it is really good for the unrefined heatsink on the minis. I have four Mac minis and they all have gaps in between the sink and the processor surface so the thick 'toothpaste like' thermal paste is best to fill the gaps.

In terms of method, I use about a rice grain drop on the GPU and a thin line on the CPU that stops around 2mm from each end. The line is around 2-3mm thick.

Gelid GC Extreme - Incredible stuff.