Arctic Silver III outperformed?

WyreTheWolf · Jan 1, 2003, 03:41 AM

TherMagic Thermal Interface Compound (TIM) Features

TherMagic TIM consists of the suspension of a highly conductive thermal transfer material in a unique formulation of viscous silicone oil. In addition to demonstrating high thermal conduction capability, the suspended material is a fluid, amorphous substance at normal system operating temperatures. The amorphous quality of TherMagic TIM's filler material eliminates any structural barrier to forming a "Zero Bond line" between the computer processor and the heatsink, therefore reducing trapped air. It also enables the material to flow readily into the microscopic surface imperfections, displacing air trapped in these cavities and providing high surface area contact.

TherMagic TIM Performance

Actual operating system performance data gathered for TherMagic TIM supports experimental lab data. TherMagic TIM produced a thermal resistance of .363, as compared to .425 for Arctic Silver III and .494 for generic Silicone Grease. This represents more than a 15% improvement in performance. By minimizing resistance to heat removal, TherMagic TIM produced CPU core temperatures 2deg C lower on average.

This is available at TigerDirect here

What are your thoughts?

ToshiroOC · Jan 1, 2003, 09:41 AM

To be perfectly honest, I'm not excited in the slightest, and I don't think a better conducting material is what is needed here with thermal compounds - the key is THICKNESS! The thinner you can get the layer without taking too much off the better. Since thermal resistance is additive, think of the fact that a layer of TherMagic 17% thicker than a layer of ASIII would be just as resistive - meaning that if you simply used a very thin layer in the first place you didn't need to splurge on the newer material. Word of Advice: Get whatever you want, then use a credit card/exacto knife and lower the thickness of that Thermal Compound as thin as possible, and then you will see improvement.

WyreTheWolf · Jan 1, 2003, 09:50 AM

ToshiroOC... I wasnt planning on buying it... I got some for free LOL... It wasnt meant to be a pi$$ing contest either. I was just postin this as news. That is all :P Anyways, supposedly this stuff has a better thermal dynamic... meaning that at the same thickness this stuff is supposed to outperform the ASIII ... I think that is worthy of a little praise!

ToshiroOC · Jan 1, 2003, 10:07 AM

Lol, sorry if I sounded negative or anything or made it sound like a pi$$ing contest, just I get sorta annoyed when people seem to get excited over thermal compounds that have some fractional improvement over the next brand, and then see minimal change in temperatures because they didn't make it too thin or their old thermal stuffs was plenty good and making it better wasn't going to make much of a difference. Now, getting some for free, thats a damn good deal! very cool

EDIT: Also, you asked for our thoughts, and that is almost straight from my line of thought - including the rambling long sentences that I like to think of as my trademark

WyreTheWolf · Jan 1, 2003, 10:54 AM

Ah I see! Its cool... but look at it this way... 2 degrees cooler is better than two degrees hotter!

JavaFox · Jan 1, 2003, 06:58 PM

While I do agree that any improvement is better than none, I probably will never put a metallic/silvery compound on my CPUs. They are typically expensive, but more importantly, too frickin' hard to clean off.

ToshiroOC · Jan 1, 2003, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WyreTheWolf
Ah I see! Its cool... but look at it this way... 2 degrees cooler is better than two degrees hotter!

True, true, true. However, those 2 degrees can be achieved without buying new expensive thermal compounds in my opinion. Someone with a lot of spare time (who isn't me - I have a Swiftech that takes 30 minutes to take off of my un-shimmed Palomino without breaking stuff

) should go and test some of this - a thick layer of ASIII, and a thin layer of ASIII, and a very very thin layer of ASIII, and see which one works better (my money would be on the thin thin layer).

ToshiroOC

WyreTheWolf · Jan 1, 2003, 10:24 PM

of course the thinner the better.... but this stuff isnt paste... It is a liquid. it actually is quite easy to clean up... and easy to apply super thin

DriveEuro · Jan 1, 2003, 10:44 PM

Hey, Do shims actually help much to too a processor?

ToshiroOC · Jan 1, 2003, 11:30 PM

not much unless you are prone to crushing your die...

Jan 1, 2003, 03:41 AM	#1
WyreTheWolf Wolfish Bastard Join Date: May 2002 Location: Cave; Ozark Mountains Posts: 2,110 Rep Power: 0	Arctic Silver III outperformed? TherMagic Thermal Interface Compound (TIM) Features TherMagic TIM consists of the suspension of a highly conductive thermal transfer material in a unique formulation of viscous silicone oil. In addition to demonstrating high thermal conduction capability, the suspended material is a fluid, amorphous substance at normal system operating temperatures. The amorphous quality of TherMagic TIM's filler material eliminates any structural barrier to forming a "Zero Bond line" between the computer processor and the heatsink, therefore reducing trapped air. It also enables the material to flow readily into the microscopic surface imperfections, displacing air trapped in these cavities and providing high surface area contact. TherMagic TIM Performance Actual operating system performance data gathered for TherMagic TIM supports experimental lab data. TherMagic TIM produced a thermal resistance of .363, as compared to .425 for Arctic Silver III and .494 for generic Silicone Grease. This represents more than a 15% improvement in performance. By minimizing resistance to heat removal, TherMagic TIM produced CPU core temperatures 2deg C lower on average. This is available at TigerDirect here What are your thoughts?

Jan 1, 2003, 09:41 AM	#2
ToshiroOC Unbiased. Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,812 Rep Power: 0	To be perfectly honest, I'm not excited in the slightest, and I don't think a better conducting material is what is needed here with thermal compounds - the key is THICKNESS! The thinner you can get the layer without taking too much off the better. Since thermal resistance is additive, think of the fact that a layer of TherMagic 17% thicker than a layer of ASIII would be just as resistive - meaning that if you simply used a very thin layer in the first place you didn't need to splurge on the newer material. Word of Advice: Get whatever you want, then use a credit card/exacto knife and lower the thickness of that Thermal Compound as thin as possible, and then you will see improvement. __________________ [img][/img] [color=White]Peace be with you, Joe.[/color] Driverheaven Staff Member (Supermoderator)

Jan 1, 2003, 10:07 AM	#4
ToshiroOC Unbiased. Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,812 Rep Power: 0	Lol, sorry if I sounded negative or anything or made it sound like a pi$$ing contest, just I get sorta annoyed when people seem to get excited over thermal compounds that have some fractional improvement over the next brand, and then see minimal change in temperatures because they didn't make it too thin or their old thermal stuffs was plenty good and making it better wasn't going to make much of a difference. Now, getting some for free, thats a damn good deal! very cool EDIT: Also, you asked for our thoughts, and that is almost straight from my line of thought - including the rambling long sentences that I like to think of as my trademark __________________ [img][/img] [color=White]Peace be with you, Joe.[/color] Driverheaven Staff Member (Supermoderator)

Jan 1, 2003, 10:44 PM	#9
DriveEuro HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gurnee Illinois Posts: 4,677 Rep Power: 0	Hey, Do shims actually help much to too a processor? __________________ [color=orange]ASUS P4P800 Deluxe [color=black]-[/color] 2.4C --> 3300mhz [color=black]-[/color] Mushkin PC3200 at 220 5-2-2-2 (cpu limited) [color=black]-[/color] BBAti 9800Pro at 430/375 [/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]01[/color] [color=black]3[/color][color=gray]D[/color]M[color=black]a[/color][color=gray]r[/color]k[color=yellow]03[/color] 16001200 12801024

Jan 1, 2003, 11:30 PM	#10
ToshiroOC Unbiased. Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 4,812 Rep Power: 0	not much unless you are prone to crushing your die... __________________ [img][/img] [color=White]Peace be with you, Joe.[/color] Driverheaven Staff Member (Supermoderator)

Jan 1, 2003, 09:50 AM	Thread Starter #3
WyreTheWolf Wolfish Bastard Join Date: May 2002 Location: Cave; Ozark Mountains Posts: 2,110 Rep Power: 0	ToshiroOC... I wasnt planning on buying it... I got some for free LOL... It wasnt meant to be a pi$$ing contest either. I was just postin this as news. That is all :P Anyways, supposedly this stuff has a better thermal dynamic... meaning that at the same thickness this stuff is supposed to outperform the ASIII ... I think that is worthy of a little praise!

Jan 1, 2003, 10:54 AM	Thread Starter #5
WyreTheWolf Wolfish Bastard Join Date: May 2002 Location: Cave; Ozark Mountains Posts: 2,110 Rep Power: 0	Ah I see! Its cool... but look at it this way... 2 degrees cooler is better than two degrees hotter!

Jan 1, 2003, 06:58 PM	#6
JavaFox E Pluribus Unum Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,203 Rep Power: 0	While I do agree that any improvement is better than none, I probably will never put a metallic/silvery compound on my CPUs. They are typically expensive, but more importantly, too frickin' hard to clean off.

Jan 1, 2003, 10:24 PM	Thread Starter #8
WyreTheWolf Wolfish Bastard Join Date: May 2002 Location: Cave; Ozark Mountains Posts: 2,110 Rep Power: 0	of course the thinner the better.... but this stuff isnt paste... It is a liquid. it actually is quite easy to clean up... and easy to apply super thin