AS5 vs. Stock

[JogaBonito1502]

I will be getting this HSF to mount on my 5400+ X2 BE that should arrive on Wednesday. At home I have AS5 thermal paste, but the HSF will come with one of its own. Which one should I use? I'm asking because the AS5 is not adhesive while, I think, the other one is. Will just the mounting brackets fully support this MASSIVE (IMO lol) HSF in a horizontal position? All the ones I've had have been fully screwed to the motherboard (directly, no mounting brackets) therefore I've never had to worry about this.

While on the subject, what's the best way to apply thermal paste? I've used my school card in the past, but I'm not sure it was very effective. As carefully as I spread the paste, there still was some little streaks, as though made with .5mm graphite, running down the top of the CPU where I would have little to no thermal paste (I think this happened because my school card wasn't completely flat on the very sides--thickness).

Also, will a CPU fry because of lack of thermal paste or excess of thermal paste? I'm pretty sure it would just run hotter if it was lacking, but I'm not sure about excess. And when I say lacking I mean when it's not evenly spread.

 

[Äߧý∩†H♠H䎀]

You don't need adhesive. The only way I'd use adhesive if your going to leave that heatsink on that board permanently. Your going to have a hell of a time getting it back off.

The mounting bracket is probably similar to my 9700. It secures it in there just fine.

I use a sandwhich bag for applying my thermal paste. Just put a small amount on the heatsink the spread it around. I use a quetip and 70% rubbing alchohol to remove the previous thermal paste.

A cpu shouldn't fry but it won't run as cold as it is supposed to if you have to much or to little. You just want a very thin layer coating the heatsink. Enough to transfer the heat.

 

[Atomic Rooster]

The thermal paste that comes with your HSF is not adhesive. The mounting bracket that holds the HSF works very well so you shouldn't worry about it coming off.

You wont "fry" your CPU having too little or a bit of excess thermal paste on it. But it wont cool to it's best of it's abilities.

Just follow the instructions on the AS5 website for the best results: How to apply Arctic Silver 5

 

[JogaBonito1502]

Thanks guys. I already read the guide on how to apply, I just wasn't sure on what the best way to spread the thermal paste. I'll use Absynth's idea of a sandwich bag.

 

[Atomic Rooster]

The guide doesn't suggest spreading the paste at all. It says to leave a small anount in the center and then mount the HSF. The reason being that the core on the CPU is in the center of the heat spreader and that it offers a more effective transfer of heat if the paste is just around the center and not spread all over the top of the heat spreader.

Since the vast majority of the heat from the core travels directly through the heat spreader, it is more important to have a good interface directly above the actual CPU core than it is to have the heat spreader covered with compound from corner to corner.

 

[JogaBonito1502]

Ok this makes it easier on me. So just a 3/4 BB size on the very center of the processor?

 

[Atomic Rooster]

Yup. Then give it slight twist left and right and your good to go.