The Best Thermal Paste (2023 Reviews)

Computers spend significant amounts of energy when active, which requires constant heat dissipation. For every challenging task, the computer needs to spend more energy, generating even more warmth.

This is especially true for the most crucial components of a PC, specifically the motherboard, graphics card, and CPU (Central Processing Unit). Of these three, the CPU is usually the piece of hardware that generates the most heat inside your PC case.

To prevent CPUs from overheating, typically we include a heat-dissipating device (for less powerful or obsolete models) or an active cooler (a heat-releasing device with attached ventilators).

Properly transferring heat from the heatsink to the CPU can be challenging, however, as the contact between the two components is rarely flawless. To overcome this problem, something needs to be added to improve the contact. The optimal solution is to add thermal paste between the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader) and the cooler’s cold plate.

If you search for thermal paste on Google, you will likely end up with dozens of diverse solutions. With all of the available options, how can you know which type is optimal for your computer?

To help you make the right choice, we will explain what thermal paste is, how it functions, how to apply it, and which variety is the optimal for domestic use.

What Is Thermal Paste?

Simply put, thermal paste (aka thermal compound) is a special chemical mixture that is exceptionally heat-conductive.

The thermal compound works best when applied correctly. It needs to be placed between the heat spreader (cooler) and the heat source (CPU).

What makes this chemical compound even better for home use is that it is completely electrically insulating. Even if you accidentally miss your CPU and get some of the paste on your motherboard, nothing bad will happen. It is secure and straightforward to use.

How To Apply Thermal Paste to Your CPU

Applying thermal compound to your cooler or CPU can seem like an intimidating task at first. However, it isn’t complex if you know what you are doing.

The first question is whether your cooler is already installed or if this is the first time you are building the computer.

If the cooler is already installed and you want to reapply thermal paste, then you will probably need to open up your PC case and remove the heatsink. Removing a CPU cooler can get complex, so we recommend referring to the manual.

Once removed, be sure to clean the previous mixture from the IHS and the cooler’s cold plate. The easiest way to remove thermal paste is with potent alcohol. If you can, use a microfiber cloth. If not, you can use ordinary toilet paper.

Soak the paper in the alcohol and start wiping. The paste should come away after a few strokes.

The paste compound usually comes in a syringe, so applying it should be relatively simple. It is quite thick, so don’t worry about applying too much pressure to the syringe. It won’t spray all over the place, but you should still be cautious.

How much you should apply depends on which method you want to use. The most common way of applying thermal paste is known as the pea method. To do this, you need to add a dot of thermal compound on the CPU itself, which is the size of a small pea. The pressure from the cooler will ensure the paste spreads evenly across the entire IHS.

This is a dependable method, and it guarantees the paste won’t overspill.

Another well-known options are the “spread” and the “cross technique“. Both are quite simple. Using the first one, you put the paste and spread it across the entire CPU. The second approach necessitates applying the compound in a cross pattern.

These alternatives are widespread because they ensure there are no air pockets between the thermal source and the heat dissipator.

With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the most prevalent brands of thermal paste currently available on the market and determine which one is the best.

Noctua is a leading brand for air coolers and very popular. They always provide superior quality products for CPU cooling which is why they are respected. Some of their renowned coolers are NH-D15, NH-D15S, NH-U14S, NH-U12S and more.

Since their products are so consistent, their thermal paste must be good as well, right? That is correct.

Noctua’s NT-H2, as expected, delivers in both longevity and performance. Its operating temperature is between -50 and 110°C, and it can last for up to five years (when applied). You will receive 3.5 grams in the syringe, which equals up to twenty uses. Of course, this depends on the application method you choose and the type of CPU you apply it to.

The NT-H2 is a direct upgrade of the NT-H1 and enhances temperatures on all types of platforms based on Noctua’s performance comparison chart.

At around $20, it isn’t a poor offer—but there are cheaper alternatives.

Another widely popular brand for thermal paste is Thermal Grizzly. Their most current successful product is Kryonaut.

The temperature range for usage is from -250°C to 350°C. Even though it may appear unnecessary, this indicates the paste’s high quality, as your computer’s CPU likely won’t surpass 350° Celsius.

Thermal resistance is also quite advantageous at 0.0032 K/W

As this is the 5.55-gram syringe, you will probably get more uses out of Noctua’s NT-H2 when applying on Ryzen or Intel 10^th/11^th gen processors. We estimate around twenty to twenty-five applications.

The only downside to Kryonaut is there’s no formal information regarding its durability at this point.

This product is ordinarily listed at around $20, and you can get the one gram option for just $6.

Arctic is a popular thermal paste solution for many PC enthusiasts, experts, and tech reviewers. It is highly effective and economical.

Of course, we’re talking about everyone’s cherished thermal paste solution by Arctic, the MX-5.

The temperature it works at is like Noctua’s NT-H2, but slightly superior. It goes from -40°C to 180°C. This package has four grams of paste, which can be used around twenty times on LGA1200 processors, AMD’s equivalent, or Intel’s future Alder Lake.

Nevertheless, the biggest benefit of the MX-5 is that it has an eight-year warranty for both storage and usage time.

Once you apply MX-5 to your CPU, you won’t have to do a re-paste for a very long time. Despite its remarkable durability, it is still advised to do one at least every four to five years.

This is unrelated to the MX-5 product or the Polar brand. Polar Silver is competent when it comes to thermal compounds, adhesives, and cleaners. For this part of the list, we will be focusing on Arctic Silver 5.

According to their official website, this compound is made of uniquely shaped silver particles to ensure the best coverage and enhance the contact area. With an operating temperature of –50°C to 180°C, it is an excellent solution for your cooling needs.

Arctic Silver claims their 3.5-gram syringe will be enough for fifteen to twenty-five uses on smaller CPUs and six to ten applications for bigger CPUs, such as Threadripper.

This might be the most cost-effective option out there since you can find the 3.5-gram syringe for less than $10. We highly recommend it.

A lot of individuals might say that Conductonaut is not a thermal paste, but there are many tech enthusiasts who would argue against that. It may not have the exact consistency as the compounds in the mentioned products, but it fulfills the same function and yields comparable outcomes.

The reason why Conductonaut is different is due to the fact it is liquid metal, compared to a thermal compound. Why use liquid metal? Metal is exceedingly thermally conductive, and using liquid metal ensures every minuscule crevice on the cooler’s cold plate and the CPU’s IHS is filled and covered.

Conductonaut’s operating temperature ranges between 10°C and 140°C. In theory, liquid metal should provide much better results than even the best thermal compounds on the market. Your CPU’s temperature could conceivably drop by several degrees with it.

Conductonaut comes in a single-gram syringe, which translates to about ten applications.

There are two disadvantages to using liquid metal, however. First, it may not be as durable and long-lasting as other compounds. It is also electrically conductive, so if there is any spillage when tightening the heatsink, you may damage your motherboard or even kill your CPU.

You will need to be extremely alert when applying it.

Prolimatech Pk-3 Nano Aluminum is a suitable alternative, with long-term stability and minimal chances of drying up.

You can find the five-gram syringe for about $20 on Amazon. This converts to approximately twenty uses for compact processors and about ten uses for processors with a larger IHS.

The official website has no information on operating temperatures or how long it is supposed to last. Despite that, based on the numerous reviews from customers and professional reviewers, this seems like an excellent option.

Graphite Thermal Pad

Thermal paste and liquid metal are getting improved every year, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look at other solutions.

The most promising alternative, currently, is the graphite thermal pad. The benefits of this thermal pad are convenience, reusability, and longevity.

The graphite thermal pad will never dry out, which means its usage time could be much longer than even the Arctic MX-5. It could, in effect, even be a permanent solution as it is reusable. If you plan on changing your CPU or cooler, you can easily repurpose it.

There’s no requirement for an alcohol solution, wiping, cleaning, and then reapplying. You can just remove it and affix it to another PC.

What’s even more fascinating is that it’s like some of the top-notch heat compounds available in terms of thermal efficiency.

The downside is it’s electrically conductive. It is also quite slippery, so you will need to be extremely cautious when installing the heatsink. You will have to secure the pad so it doesn’t move from its position.

Which Thermal Paste Is Best for You?

With six separate brands to choose from and even a graphite thermal pad, how can you establish which solution is best for your computer?

Here is a brief overview that can assist you in making an educated choice:

We’re giving our Best Overall Award to the Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut since it is priced fairly, produces outstanding results, and you’ll get a few grams more than the competition.

Best Value goes to the Arctic Silver 5 for the 3.5-gram syringe, seeing as you can find that syringe for as low as $6. Considering you can get up to twenty-five uses from it, it’s undoubtedly the greatest value.

Whichever you choose, all the products mentioned above are excellent thermal paste solutions. You can’t go wrong.