Seeking the perfect thermal paste to maximize your CPU’s cooling efficiency? Let’s dive into the top picks. Let’s find out: What is the Best Thermal Paste For CPU?
Selecting a premium thermal paste might seem straightforward, but there are so many alternatives available that it can become a difficult and time-consuming process. To transmit heat to the CPU cooler, thermal paste is intended to reduce tiny air gaps and irregularities between the cooler’s surface and the CPU’s integrated heat spreader, a metal piece incorporated into the processor’s top.
Excellent thermal paste will enable your CPU to send more of its waste heat to your cooler, which will keep it running cool. This can have a significant effect on your performance. If you want to maximize the overclocking potential of your system, selecting the finest thermal paste is also crucial if combined with a decent thermal paste.
There are several names for thermal paste, including “thermal compound,” “thermal grease,” and “TIM” (Thermal Interface Material). The majority of pastes consist of metallic or ceramic particles contained in a special binder that makes them easier to apply, distribute, and clean up. These heat pastes can be electrically conductive or non-conductive, depending on their particular formula. Thermal pastes that are electrically conductive have the ability to transfer electricity between two places; thus, when you turn on the power, motherboards, and CPUs can experience damage if the paste leaks onto other components. Extra caution is needed because even one drop in the wrong direction might result in a dead PC.
Best Thermal Paste For Cpu
ProlimaTech PK-3 Nano Aluminum
Best Premium Thermal Paste
Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
Runner-up: Best Premium Paste
Cooler Master MasterGel Pro v2
Best Premium Paste: Top Tier Alternate
Arctic MX-5
Best Premium Paste: All-Around Performer
NAB Cooling NB Max Pro
Impressive Price/Performance Per Gram
- Best Thermal Paste For Cpu
- Selecting the Best Thermal Paste For Cpu in 2024
- Best Thermal Paste For Cpu in 2024
- Best Premium Thermal Paste
- ProlimaTech PK-3 Nano Aluminum
- Runner-up: Best Premium Paste
- Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
- Best Premium Paste: Top Tier Alternate
- Cooler Master MasterGel Pro v2
- Best Premium Paste: All-Around Performer
- Arctic MX-5
- Impressive Price/Performance Per Gram
- NAB Cooling NB Max Pro
- Best Thermal Paste For Cpu 2024 | The Best Thermal Paste for PC CPU, GPU and Laptop
- Conclusion | Best Thermal Paste For Cpu
- related topics:
- Best Thermal Paste For Cpu | FAQs
Selecting the Best Thermal Paste For Cpu in 2024
Consider the following factors while looking for The Best Thermal Paste For Cpu:
1. Thermal Conductivity: In order to maintain the safety and cooling of your system, it is crucial to select a paste with the appropriate levels of thermal conductivity that offer complete stability and flexibility. The efficiency with which heat is transferred from the CPU to the heatsink is shown by the thermal conductivity rating that each thermal paste has been assigned. A paste’s thermal conductivity is further decreased when it exceeds the component temperatures. The conductivity of liquid and non-metallic substances varies. The usual conductivity of a liquid thermal paste is 70 W/mK (watts per square meter of surface area), whereas non-metallic compounds have a conductivity of 4–10 W/mK. Generally speaking, a compound’s ability to transmit heat will increase with its number rating.
2. Density and Viscosity: Selecting the appropriate density of thermal paste is crucial to improving the application process. This will make it easier for it to fit throughout the CPU. Not only is liquid thermal paste often hard to apply, but it has a density far lower than regular thermal paste. The proper consistency of the paste must be considered while selecting it so that it may be applied directly to the CPU or GPU without running the risk of damaging the internal parts.
3. TDP: The power that a CPU will consume is indicated by its thermal design power. You may use this as a rough idea of how hot it will get. A processor with a higher TDP is probably going to need more power, which means it’s going to heat up a lot. To make sure the optimal thermal compound can withstand the heat produced and keep the components safe and cool.
4. Cooling Solution: If the cooling solution being utilized is ineffective, it will be nearly impossible to lower the temperature of a system, even with the finest thermal compound available. Users of PCs must ensure that the cooling system they are utilizing is capable of handling the heat that their processor produces. If not, it won’t matter what kind of thermal compound is selected.
Best Thermal Paste For Cpu in 2024
Best Premium Thermal Paste
ProlimaTech PK-3 Nano Aluminum
| Electrically Conductive | No |
| Thermal Conductivity | 11.2 W/mk |
| Ease of Use | Simple |
| Performance | Excellent |
| Cleanup | alcohol pads or cotton swabs |
Pros
- Stable
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
PromilaTech PK-3 Nano Aluminum paste is a fairly viscous thermal compound integrated with aluminum and zinc oxide, which often gets closer to, but does not surpass, liquid metal compounds in our testing. Because of the paste’s exceptional stability, it’s easy to apply to any surface and clean up. With this paste, you really can’t go wrong because it works well for the majority of CPU applications.
Runner-up: Best Premium Paste
Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
| Electrically Conductive | No |
| Thermal Conductivity | 12.5 W/mk |
| Ease of Use | Simple |
| Performance | Excellent |
| Cleanup | alcohol pads or cotton swabs |
Pros
- Stable
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Expensive as pricing is per gram
A gently viscous thermal compound with high stability, Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut is easy to work with and resists drips and runs. This paste is popular among system builders since it is incredibly simple to apply and clean up.
Best Premium Paste: Top Tier Alternate
Cooler Master MasterGel Pro v2
| Electrically Conductive | No |
| Thermal Conductivity | 9 W/mk |
| Ease of Use | Simple |
| Performance | Good |
| Cleanup | alcohol pads or cotton swabs |
Pros
- Easy application & cleanup
- Simple to find
Cons
- Pricey as the price is per gram cost
a substance with the characteristics of a typical thermal compound, such as a thick, flexible viscosity and strong application stability. MasterGel Pro v2 is easy to use, straightforward to apply, and readily cleaned. Specific substances are not listed on technical spec sheets.
Best Premium Paste: All-Around Performer
Arctic MX-5
| Electrically Conductive | No |
| Thermal Conductivity | 6.0 W/mk |
| Ease of Use | Simple |
| Performance | Excellent |
| Cleanup | alcohol pads or cotton swabs |
Pros
- Smooth, fast spread
- Easy application & cleanup
- Excellent overall performance
Cons
- Expensive
MX-5 is an original mix based on carbon microparticulates in what is believed to be a silicon or silicone basis. It is not a straight replacement for their well-liked MX-4; instead, it is a new formulation for passionate application.
The smooth, viscous compound with a delicate blue tint has a somewhat more fluid viscosity, similar to thin toothpaste, which makes it simple to apply and clean. This allows for extremely quick and smooth spreading during cooler stress, but if applied to vertical surfaces, it may also leak and run. This paste is only going to be available till supplies run out since Arctic is retiring it in order to launch their new MX-6.
Impressive Price/Performance Per Gram
NAB Cooling NB Max Pro
| Electrically Conductive | No |
| Thermal Conductivity | 8.5 W/mk |
| Ease of Use | Simple |
| Performance | Poor |
| Cleanup | alcohol pads or cotton swabs |
Pros
- Cheap as low price per gram
- Smooth spreading
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean up
NB Max Pro is a creamy, silky paste that doesn’t transmit electricity and flows easily while tensioning. This paste is reasonably priced, offers decent price/performance per gram, and is easy to apply and clean up immediately.
Best Thermal Paste For Cpu 2024 | The Best Thermal Paste for PC CPU, GPU and Laptop
Conclusion | Best Thermal Paste For Cpu
- The Best Premium Thermal Paste: ProlimaTech PK-3 Nano Aluminum
- The Runner-up Best Premium Paste: Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
- The Best Premium Paste Top Tier Alternate: Cooler Master MasterGel Pro v2
- The Best Premium Paste All-Around Performer: Arctic MX-5
- The Impressive Price & Performance Per Gram: NAB Cooling NB Max Pro
related topics:
- Best CPU For 4090 Ultimate Gaming Experience 2024
- Best CPU For 3060 Ideal Choices For Gamers 2024
- Best Motherboard For Ryzen 7 5800x Latest Models 2024
- Best Picks: Best Motherboard For 7800x3d | Budget To High End 2024
- Best Picks: Best Am5 Motherboard | First Choice 2024
- Best Picks: Best Non WIFI Baby Monitor | Safe and Reliable Options 2024
- Best Picks: Best Motherboard For Ryzen 9 5900x | Gamers Top Picks 2024
- Best Picks: Best Gaming Monitor Under 200 | Top Selling Monitors 2024
- Best Picks: Best Monitor For Mac Mini | Budget To Premium 2024
- Best Picks: Best Monitor For Xbox Series S | Buyer’s Guide 2024
- Best Picks: Best Hardware Picks For Ultimate Performance | Complete Guide 2025
Best Thermal Paste For Cpu | FAQs
How Much Thermal Compound Should I Use?
You should only use a pea-sized amount of paste. Put it in the middle so that the heatsink can push the material down onto the CPU.
What is the Shelf Life of Thermal Compounds?
The Shelf Life for for unopened thermal is maximum three-year long.
What are the major factors to consider when choosing a thermal paste?
Heat transfer, application simplicity, support for a thin, uniform layer, & electrical conductivity are all important considerations when selecting a thermal paste.
