Thermal Paste

[Citizen Soldier]

Im wondering if i put the right amount of thermal paste on my i7 cpu. I read somewhere that is was good to leave a rice grain size amount right in the middle and that is what i did. As of now i am getting 28C at idle and 38C full load with the V8 coolermaster. Are these good temps or can i achieve better?

 

[s14sh3r]

Those are excellent temps. What are you using to stress the cpu?

 

[FreakingHell]

Yeah, what are you using for full load?

Won't get much better than that. What thermal compound did you use?

 

[QB]

Keep in mind that using too much thermal paste can be a very bad idea. Not only will it not improve your temps, but it can drip down onto the MB and cause all kinds of problems (unless it's ceramic).

Your temp range seems fine for idle/full load based on what I've read about i7 processors.

 

[Citizen Soldier]

nvidia stress test. i dont have any other software to test it yet.

 

[Waddle Dee]

Prime 95 is the most widely used stress test

 

[Citizen Soldier]

Prime 95 is the most widely used stress test

ill will check it out. thanks

 

[s14sh3r]

The accepted standard on most overclocking forums is Prime95. Here's the link: http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft/

You don't have to sign up to get it, just go to step 3 and download the version that suits your OS.

There are other programs out there that will stress your cpu to its limits and create lots of heat, but they're mostly for extreme testing purposes. Prime95 will stress your cpu harder than pretty much any game or app you can run in normal use.

 

[FreakingHell]

Intel Burntest is the best for checking absolute max-load temps. I don't run an overclock 24/7 unless it can survive this w/o error.

 

[s14sh3r]

Prime 95 is the most widely used stress test

While was typing out that Tolstoy, you beat me by one minute! *shakes fist*

 

[BaHAmuT]

Im wondering if i put the right amount of thermal paste on my i7 cpu. I read somewhere that is was good to leave a rice grain size amount right in the middle and that is what i did.

Did you spread the "rice grain amount" of thermal compound across the chip? Or did you just slap the fan/heatsink on top of the droplet of compound?

I haven't played with the i7 chips but I always spread the compound across chip, creating a thin layer of compound that will be touching the heatsink.

 

[Waddle Dee]

Did you spread the "rice grain amount" of thermal compound across the chip? Or did you just slap the fan/heatsink on top of the droplet of compound?

I haven't played with the i7 chips but I always spread the compound across chip, creating a thin layer of compound that will be touching the heatsink.

+1

Using a credit card is usually a good way to go about spreading or using you finger with a plastic baggy over it.