Arctic Silver?

[Andrew Pratt]

The last time I looked for a review of the various cooling pastes out there the two that I read both said that Arctic silver was no better at cooling the CPU then regular paste...and yet every review I read now on the various CPU's all use Acrtic Silver...so which was is it? Does it help or not?

[Trevor Schell]

Andrew,,
Not sure what is better.
My local computer store recommended the Artic Silver II Thermal Compound.
A little pricey at $14.97 for the tube, ecspecially when all you are to use is one tiny drop onto the processor.
Anyways ,I wanted to be safer than sorry so I took their advice and bought one...
Maybe they were laughing at me once I left the store.

This should last me for the next 100 years or until I decease,,whichever comes first.




Trevor
My HomeTheater S.E.
Sonically Enhanced
C5

[Andrew Pratt]

Well Jeremy owes me for all the times he's borrowed my SPL meter and Avia so I'll likely bug him and borrow his

[Jariten]

Artic silver is more dangerous than useful....
some stories talk about the artic silver paste shorting the CPU out...

I have tested artic silver and other types of compound....and noticed no difference at all ..except the price ^_^;;

[Andrew Pratt]

Jariten the Arctic silver II compound is much less condusive to conducting electricity so its less of a concern now...valid point though.

[SiliGoose]

Yea, AS2 does not have a shorting issue.

Do a Google search for reviews. I've read several that find significant temp reductions with AS2. AS3 just came out recently (I have a tube on the way with my new Swiftech) and is getting even better reviews.

$14 for a tube is probably for the large tube. I paid $6 for the 3 gram tube (more than enough for 2 or 3 CPU's) at NewEgg.




-Sili

[Andrew Pratt]

Well I'm getting ASII for free (calling in a favour) so I'll give it a go to start with. I think trevors price was in canadian funds

[SiliGoose]

Ahh...Canadian bucks. When are we going to start using the same monetary system?




-Sili

[Andrew Pratt]

Goose the unibuck has been discuessed for a number of years but moving to a single currency for north america would mean we'd have to give up controls (like our interest rates and infaltion etc) For various reason's we'd rather not...see argentina for an example of what can happen when a country looses control over its finances.

For a citizens perspective it would sure be nice if we didn't have to convert the two currency's but I'm not sure I'd like seeing my paycheck read 2/3's of what it does now

[SiliGoose]

Good point. Though I'm sure wages would equal out to some extent over time.

All eyes are on the Euro. Perhaps a success story there will get things rolling on our front.




-Sili

[Andrew Pratt]

Yes I'm sure there's more then a few people watching the Euro

[Bing Fung]

I remember reading an artical about Artic Silver II that stated in tests it lowered temperature by about only 2 degrees C, while not a lot, it was still a difference.

The biggest thing was it did not break down and separate solids from liquid, during high heat like some of the other compounds. This may be an indicator that over time, the AS II would retain it's transfer efficiency and long term stability.

I have not rescearched the AS III compounds to know how it differs from the II.

I do use the AS II, and it can be a bit more of a mess to clean up.

If your a tweaker looking to extract that last bit of performance from everything, why not? I have wasted more money than the cost of a tube of AS II on items that have given me less milage

Shine on you crazy diamonds!




Bing

[SiliGoose]

AS3 helped lower my CPU temps by over 10 degrees celsus!!

OK...AS3 along with the new Swifty....so maybe that's not a fair statement.




-Sili

[Bing Fung]

10C ? 8O 8O Thats a huge amount Sili, I would guess that is mostly due to the copper Swifty.

If AS3 could lower CPU temps by 10C alone that would be like the elixer of PC life




Bing

[SiliGoose]

Yea, it's the Swifty. Interesting though is that I upgraded from the smaller Swiftech MCXC-370 which is a very capable cooler in its own right. The drop of 10c (with very similar ambient room temps) is certainly more than I had expected.

I expect a rise in temps soon, however. I can't take the 80mm Delta 68CFM fan on the Swifty. I ordered a Sunon 50CFM to replace it. I need cold but I need my sanity too.




-Sili