Artic Silve 5... or should I say MX-2 now? [Archive]

slim142

09-30-2008, 10:43 AM

It looks like many people in here use MX-2 now instead of AS5. Everytime I read "What TIM to use...." or "What TIM is better..." I see more people answering MX-2 than AS5.

Not too long ago, it was all about AS5, what happened now? Did MX-2 prove to be better? or is it that I have read too many personal preferences posts without noticing?

Bojamijams

09-30-2008, 10:43 AM

MX-2 is better. Better heat transfer and no 'curing time' waiting either.

slim142

09-30-2008, 10:48 AM

Yeah I forgot that.
Many people mention that the 'curing time' is really annoying and seems to be one of the strong reasons why people go for MX-2.

Bojamijams

09-30-2008, 10:49 AM

Its just a bonus. Especially when wanting to try different mounts to get best temps (and ESPECIALLY on the EK Supreme)

I think the AS5 curing time was something like 200 hours. Pfft, yeah right.

slim142

09-30-2008, 10:52 AM

Its just a bonus. Especially when wanting to try different mounts to get best temps (and ESPECIALLY on the EK Supreme)

I think the AS5 curing time was something like 200 hours. Pfft, yeah right.

Are you serious? 200 hours?
Where did you read that? Is it in the AS5 website? Cause I would definitely like to read that :shakes:

If its true then I would probably just stick to MX-2 :yepp:

Bojamijams

09-30-2008, 10:59 AM

AndrewZorn

09-30-2008, 11:09 AM

MX-2 is a lot less expensive too, the reason I ended up sticking with it. It must be hard to declare one TIM as having lower temperatures, due to the nature of remounts and TIM application being so varied as-is.

Cralle!

09-30-2008, 11:10 AM

woot? Thats way to long! I have been having AS5 for about 3 week now and cant see a :banana::banana::banana::banana: in temp diffrence!

YMAA

09-30-2008, 11:16 AM

Masscool Shin-Etsu x23 FTW.

situman

09-30-2008, 11:18 AM

MX-2 is also non-conductive. I know cause I spilled a big glop of it on my mobo and no issues whatsoever. I would have been crying if it was AS5. Oh it does conduct heat better than AS5 as well. Even MX-1 was better than AS5.

AndrewZorn

09-30-2008, 11:21 AM

AS5 is also 'non-conductive'. How much this means, who knows.

slim142

09-30-2008, 11:46 AM

http://www.arcticsilver.com/as5.htm

"Important Reminder:
Due to the unique shape and sizes of the particles in Arctic Silver 5's conductive matrix, it will take a up to 200 hours and several thermal cycles to achieve maximum particle to particle thermal conduction and for the heatsink to CPU interface to reach maximum conductivity. "

:shocked:
I cant believe I missed that...

MX-2 is a lot less expensive too, the reason I ended up sticking with it. It must be hard to declare one TIM as having lower temperatures, due to the nature of remounts and TIM application being so varied as-is.

I just realized this too. I bought MX-2 and AS5 and the AS5 is like half the size othe MX-2, and MX-2 was just a dollar extra.

woot? Thats way to long! I have been having AS5 for about 3 week now and cant see a :banana::banana::banana::banana: in temp diffrence!

I have mines for like months and temps dont decrease at all :shrug:

I will use MX-2 once I reapply TIM for my water cooling project. Thanks a lot everybody :up:

zanzabar

09-30-2008, 11:46 AM

AS5 is also 'non-conductive'. How much this means, who knows.

as5 is electrically capacitive so it becomes conductive

and x23, mx-2 and tx-2 are all the same and 2x-2 is $2.50 for a normal 5g tube u cant beat that price unless u go for a 30g tube

slim142

09-30-2008, 11:49 AM

Masscool Shin-Etsu x23 FTW.

I also heard a lot about this brand. Is it really good? their best tim? better than MX-2?

Whats the difference between
Shin-Etsu X23-7783D and Shin-Etsu G751? Petra has the G751 as sold out so it makes me think that it might be a really good tim.

hotdun

09-30-2008, 12:42 PM

I'm a big IC Diamond fan myself but it's a b*itch to apply.

slim142

09-30-2008, 01:03 PM

I'm a big IC Diamond fan myself but it's a b*itch to apply.

That one is also on Petra, what could you say about it? Have you compared it to MX-2?

Jimmer411

09-30-2008, 01:19 PM

I switched from AS5 to MX2, I didnt notice a difference.

DeathWalking

09-30-2008, 01:25 PM

gxavier

09-30-2008, 01:38 PM

I like Zalman's STG-1. Has the best application method of any TIM out there... nothing beats the quick brush on. Cure's just as fast as MX2, and the temp difference is negligable.

slim142

09-30-2008, 01:54 PM

Innovation Cooling's Diamond 7 TIM test results (http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/showthread.php?t=182778)
Check it out. I don't blame you if you don't want to read the whole thing, I split it up over a couple of days when I found it a couple months ago. You can check the end-results of a crapload of tests here, on their website (http://www.innovationcooling.com/thermal.htm).

From the quick read I gave it, it sounded and seemed interesting. However, havent seen many people using it. I would like more info about this one before anything. Also about that Shin-Etsu one. Im not the kind of person who goes and buys and tries without a really good base.

I like Zalman's STG-1. Has the best application method of any TIM out there... nothing beats the quick brush on. Cure's just as fast as MX2, and the temp difference is negligable.

If its the one that comes in CNPS-9700, then I tried it and IMO is the exact samething as AS5.

Martinm210

09-30-2008, 06:35 PM

I use MX-2 in testing because you can buy a massive 30G tube, it's non capacitive (good for when you're using so much and it gets on everything), it's non curing, and it's easy to install.

I've seen good gains using collaboratory liquid pro over AS5, but it's a total PITA to install and remove..not at all conducive for testing.

Sparky

09-30-2008, 06:54 PM

as5 is electrically capacitive so it becomes conductive

No. Capacitive =! conductive. And it is only very slightly capacitive, just enough to be aware of but I have yet to have it cause a single issue.

iandh

09-30-2008, 07:03 PM

I use neither. Ceramique for me. I've tried MX-2 and AS5...

I just like it, dunno why. I bought Shin-etsu once and it made me want to slit my wrists.

Sparky

09-30-2008, 07:25 PM

I'm using ceramique now, will be for a LOOOOOONNG time since I got that massive 22g tube from petra's a while back :p:
It's OK, a pain to apply since it is so thick but sometimes that's good (like on your 4870 sinks for example).

zanzabar

09-30-2008, 07:26 PM

No. Capacitive =! conductive. And it is only very slightly capacitive, just enough to be aware of but I have yet to have it cause a single issue.

dosnt capacitive mean that once it gains a charge it will hold it for a period and if overcharged and discharge and act like its conductive for a short period

Sparky

09-30-2008, 07:31 PM

dosnt capacitive mean that once it gains a charge it will hold it for a period and if overcharged and discharge and act like its conductive for a short period

Sort of.. but not quite. capacitance is a separation of charge. Since arctic silver has real silver in it, separated by oils, then it can be slightly capacitive because of that. So no current flows through it but on top of another circuit such as a trace it can act as a slight capacitor and potentially disrupt digital signal pulses. The question is, is it enough to actually cause any trouble? Possibly, I personally haven't seen it do anything but it the potential is there, hence the warning.

zanzabar

09-30-2008, 07:41 PM

its still more than mx-2 or tx-2 and has a cure time, and i was temp drops with it when i was on air, i necver put as5 onmy current block but i would expect to still see 1-2C lower

Innovation Cooling's Diamond 7 TIM test results (http://www.xtremesystems.org/Forums/showthread.php?t=182778)
Check it out. I don't blame you if you don't want to read the whole thing, I split it up over a couple of days when I found it a couple months ago. You can check the end-results of a crapload of tests here, on their website (http://www.innovationcooling.com/thermal.htm).

1.5C lower than ASC isnt an accomplishment the only real review i saw put it the same/within margin of error as the x22/mx-2/tx-2, but again mx-2 in the 30g tube and tx-2 in the 3.5g tube are 2 of teh cheapest per g and get about the best results of non damaging TIM

hotdun

09-30-2008, 07:48 PM

That one is also on Petra, what could you say about it? Have you compared it to MX-2?

I saw between 1 and 2C difference from AS5....multiple mounts.... Haven't tried MX-2 yet but will be soon. I've also tried the Zalman "paint-on" TIM and really liked it.

sirheck

09-30-2008, 08:29 PM

I have never seen one bit of difference from any TIM:shrug:
I even ran an old socket A barton core overcl:banana::banana::banana::banana:ed for almost
a year with no paste.

Now that i could see a difference:yepp:
But it still survived and worked just fine.

I use whatever is handy or laying around.

sirheck

09-30-2008, 08:30 PM

Hey why did i get the bananas when typing overclocked?

Sparky

09-30-2008, 08:33 PM

probably double-typed the c so it came out clc which then, well, ya know ;)

sirheck

09-30-2008, 08:35 PM

I am tired.

and half blind.

veedubfreak

10-01-2008, 09:38 AM

I used to always run as5 but last time around i ordered mx-2 just because of the cure time on as5. Cant say i really have noticed any temp differences. Still have a few small tubes of ceramique around too that came with i think my waterblocks, but i dont remember offhand.

slim142

10-01-2008, 11:41 AM

Well, we are in times in which every single dollar matters so I guess because of price and curing time, MX-2 is the winner. I hope it doesnt let me down while doing my water cooling setup!

HaCKs

10-01-2008, 02:02 PM

Well, we are in times in which every single dollar matters so I guess because of price and curing time, MX-2 is the winner. I hope it doesnt let me down while doing my water cooling setup!

to be fair, if it were really a time when every dollar mattered, we wouldn't all be buying new video cards and 100's of $ to keep them chilled :-)

I feel you though, I'm unemployed and my third biggest motivation to find a job right now is nehalem!

slim142

10-01-2008, 03:10 PM

to be fair, if it were really a time when every dollar mattered, we wouldn't all be buying new video cards and 100's of $ to keep them chilled :-)

I feel you though, I'm unemployed and my third biggest motivation to find a job right now is nehalem!

Yeah your are right
But worse would be spending those 100's of $ in a cheap way to end up ripped off or mad ;)

Over here, my next upgrade will be 32nm Nehalem :up:

TouGe

10-01-2008, 03:23 PM

I'm a big IC Diamond fan myself but it's a b*itch to apply.
+1
I'm a recent convert and now a believer in this stuff. I still use MX-2 on the NB, SB, and GPU since its easier to spread but I definitely like this stuff for the CPU.

HisShadow_

10-01-2008, 04:39 PM

mx2 lasts for 8 years , as5 around 6 months , just about the best reason imo to use it (unless of course your a big tester of parts and reseater then the cure in time would proly be the best reason), i know its all i used since it came out and idont have 1 complaint.

sirheck

10-01-2008, 04:59 PM

What can I tell you, I buy the stuff in the 30g tubes.:) All around, MX-2 is about as good as it gets with the ease of spread, low cure time and ability to hold a good mount.

andyc

Yeah i use MX-2 to hold the memory heatsinks on my video card.
So far they havent fallen off.

I have pulled the cpu out of a s939 mobo amd set-up a few times:eek:
using amd,s standard paste which i believe was mx-1.

DeathWalking

10-01-2008, 05:37 PM

I guess I should have given links to specific posts comparing IC7 and MX2. Anyway, here are a couple (thanks to 64dragon for finding them for me :p:):
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2906531&postcount=152
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=2947293&postcount=442

hotdun

10-01-2008, 06:45 PM

Heh,

Interesting.... One thing I did notice though, folks don't see to have any luck on getting a even spread across the IHS with the stuff, and that concerns me with mount consistency.

andyc

Man, it ain't easy with the Diamond. It's like trying to apply wet playdough. I still love it though...