need thermal paste

[Deathstar1]

use isopropyl alcohol to remove the pad

Look here for application instructions

Whilst the site I linked is AS5 specific it is a good general guide.

 

[faith4]

thanks, so dont use thermal pad ?
is thermal pad that bad for coolings?
and so the processor iam buying has the hsf with thermal pad on it ?

 

[Deathstar1]

1/. It's up to you, I would
2/. Not in the slightest, they're usually very efficient
3/. Yes

 

[Kage]

"I switched to Arctic Silver 5 right away and it cools much much better."

That made me laugh for some reason. Makes it seem like you switched when you first got it before turning it on. How did you notice a difference?

Yeah Arctic Silvers probably your best bet. Though mine has an Arctic Cooling make of thermal compound called 'MX-5' or something or other that came with it. Supposedly works better, at least with the heatsink I have, compared with Arctic Silver from reviews.

 

[faith4]

i dont get why they use thermal pad if its not efficient.....
but thanks for letting me guys.

 

[Kage]

I'd be efficent enough to keep sufficent cooling, but its quicker for the company to apply onto each one before packaging I guess.

The X2 processors use heatpipes anyway on the heatsinks, which would help it along, compared to older AMD processors, so you might not notice much difference.

 

[TRDCorolla1]

i dont get why they use thermal pad if its not efficient.....
but thanks for letting me guys.

Thermal pads work great and you should be fine with it. It's hell out of a lot easier to apply thermal pad than thermal grease, in my opinion. I mean, all the CPUs come stock with thermal pads instead of the grease. My Athlon 64 is using the thermal pad, the little square looking putty like thingamajig.

 

[Kage]

Yeah, I believe my Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 PRO uses a pad, but a custom made pad. Well, its square and sort of blue, so it probably is a pad
Performs well though!

 

[jcon891]

I just got a 3200+ and the heatsink came with no paste, and no pad on it. i had to put the paste on myself.

 

[PB]

Retail always has a heatsink. But i would get rid of that thermal pad. Thermal pad = no no. Use some AS5 (and whatever you do, dont EVEN look at the Cool labratory liquid metal crap.) I must ad to your post, that the intel pad on the core 2's will be just as good than any paste you use .if you are going to oc to world record heights you will see no difference in temps using your miracle cream,When you are talking cooling fans when ocing then that can make the pc scream.