PS3:Best thermal paste?

[Nesh]

My repaired FAT PS3 has become as loud as a vacuum cleaner...again!

I wouldnt mind changing the thermal paste sometimes when it gets loud again. But I am looking for a good thermal paste. The best one available actually.

The most common solution I have heard is Arctic Silver 5 but some say that it has been surpassed by better solutions
So I am looking for your own input since I trust these forums better.

 

[swaaye]

http://benchmarkreviews.com/?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=62

AS5 is up near the top. I just buy cheap 22g syringes of Ceramique 2.

Proper application matters a lot. Especially with those heatsinks with exposed heatpipes in the base.

 

[BoardBonobo]

I use a mix of AS5 on CPU's and MX5 on GPUs. AS5 takes ~150 hours to prove whilst MX5 is pretty much good to go within a hour or two.

 

[Akumajou]

I did a lot of research into the subject before settling on Artic Silver 5.

There are many comparison reviews you can find via search engines to find out as well.

Now I chose AS5 and for me and my PS3 February 2007 made console it made a huge difference... however to cure the thermal paste I ran the PS3 for 20 plus hours straight on a single race track in Gran Turismo 5 with 16 Ferraris because all 16 were premium cars... the curing time for AS5 is actually alot longer than that but afterwards the game that was actually giving me a loud fan problem...GTA IV (and the only reason I applied the paste...since GT5 did not) never game me a loud fan problem again...

I know other people on the web that used Uncharted 2 as a curing game... of course I did that back in January 2011 and I applied it myself... I also applied AS5 to most of my graphics cards and some CPUs that needed it. but also use some cheaper TM on regular stuff.

 

[2real4tv]

My repaired FAT PS3 has become as loud as a vacuum cleaner...again!

I wouldnt mind changing the thermal paste sometimes when it gets loud again. But I am looking for a good thermal paste. The best one available actually.

The most common solution I have heard is Arctic Silver 5 but some say that it has been surpassed by better solutions
So I am looking for your own input since I trust these forums better.

Did you repair it yourself. If so what did you do, I still have my fat and would like to repair it.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Why do you run a cure-in exercise? Why not just use the console normally and let it cure in its own time? Seems counterproductive to me to apply thermal paste to keep the chips cool and then run them extra hot for some hours before the paste can fully do its job.

 

[Akumajou]

Shifty, as I understand it, it depends on how hot the cpu or gpu can get.

I cannot afford to actually follow the manufacturers claimed curing time however I made the decision based on how certain games made heat feel coming out of the main vent.

Also the thermal paste is already working the moment you power on the part and run it to its full load temps...the heat should be transfering/leaving in a

n efficient manner.

when I disassembled my PS3 the factory thermal paste was very well and generously applied, and in my case the dust, even after the years was not bad.

Used an alcohol wipe to clean off the old thermal residue and then used a spatula that came with another thermal paste to apply.

I wanted to heat up the tm as5 on purpose, note that it was January. In July I did a 10-12 hour GTA IV session with no AC just to see how hot it could get and the tm+fan killed the noise much more effectively. I also did as5 on my EVGA GTX 285 FTW 720/1620/1390 clocks.

 

[Akumajou]

I also allow a 3 to 5 minute cool down period after ending a gaming session on consoles and PCs...and always try to preach that to others given that many of my non-techwise friends just shut off immediately and many of them have or had a couple dead PS3s and many xbox360s... But then theres different habits where some place these then 400 to 600 consoles on the rug/floor or some vent blocking narrow spaced shelf.

 

[BoardBonobo]

Why do you run a cure-in exercise? Why not just use the console normally and let it cure in its own time? Seems counterproductive to me to apply thermal paste to keep the chips cool and then run them extra hot for some hours before the paste can fully do its job.

The cure in period is through 'regular' use. You just have to remember to switch it off to let it cool down. No need to run it super hot.

It's mainly the AS5 style pastes that require any period of downtime to fully cure. The newer none conductive pastes are far more flexible in that respect.

 

[Nesh]

Did you repair it yourself. If so what did you do, I still have my fat and would like to repair it.

I didnt repair it myself. Some repairing shop fixed the YLOD I got and after some time it got loud as hell. They supposedly have fixed it again but got very loud again even though I havent used it at all.
I am not sending it back to them again. This time I am going to reapply the thermal paste because I am pretty sure they havent even fixed it the second time. They just reapplied the paste. A bad one too probably which dried off and hence why it got loud again

 

[BoardBonobo]

I didnt repair it myself. Some repairing shop fixed the YLOD I got and after some time it got loud as hell. They supposedly have fixed it again but got very loud again even though I havent used it at all.
I am not sending it back to them again. This time I am going to reapply the thermal paste because I am pretty sure they havent even fixed it the second time. They just reapplied the paste. A bad one too probably which dried off and hence why it got loud again

I have encountered a few overheating, noisy, laptops that seem to have used some really cheap thermal paste that over time has dried out and formed a ceramic like layer. The gross effect being that it acts as an insulator instead of a thermal conductor!

 

[Akumajou]

Did this shop ever give you a detailed explanation of what they were doing?

Like did they list what type/brand of paste?

dust cleaning?

or in your YLOD case if they used a heat gun blower?

I know a "pc repair guy" who owns his own shop and told me he tried putting customers PS3 mainboards in an oven...and of course fail, did not work or better yet he really had no clue about consoles or laptop repair imho.

Also how does the heat feel coming from the vents?

Does the console feel hot like all around or does it feel like the air is blown out is too hot while the fan is loud?

My experience is that the PS3 heatsink system is very efficient, the air no matter 12 hours or summer should feel warm as in its leaving not causing an ambient heat build up like with GTX 285 cards.or others...

Find out before you disassemble and if you do take pictures and have extra lamp light to inspect the mainboard.

 

[orangpelupa]

btw you also can make PS3 fan run at max speed on boot to push out dusts. Unfortunately i forgot the button combination

 

[Akumajou]

I use an old technology that must have been invente by ancient aliens, its called a "dust cover" way back in the last centure they used to sell them and use them to help prevent dust build up on Beta/VCR/VHS players...I believe laser discs used to use that too.


When I use the console I remove it, when I shut down and leave I place it on.

 

[Persistantthug]

My repaired FAT PS3 has become as loud as a vacuum cleaner...again!

I wouldnt mind changing the thermal paste sometimes when it gets loud again. But I am looking for a good thermal paste. The best one available actually.

The most common solution I have heard is Arctic Silver 5 but some say that it has been surpassed by better solutions
So I am looking for your own input since I trust these forums better.

I used ARCTIC SILVER 5 on my PS3 (made Oct 2008).
I opened it Sept 2011, cleaned it, and changed the paste....but I just did it because I wanted to perform the maintenance, not because it broke.

Today my PS3 works like the 1st day I bought it (December 2008). The only small issue I had afterwards, was that I ended up with 3 screws left over. Meh.....they're not important though...right.

 

[swaaye]

I have encountered a few overheating, noisy, laptops that seem to have used some really cheap thermal paste that over time has dried out and formed a ceramic like layer. The gross effect being that it acts as an insulator instead of a thermal conductor!

Note that some thermal compounds are a wax and are solid at room temp.

But yeah I've seen the ceramic crust before too.

 

[almighty]

Gelid GC Extreme...best on the market but pricey.

 

[Nesh]

Gelid GC Extreme...best on the market but pricey.

I wouldnt mind paying a price for something that works best. Have you heard anyone using it for PS3?

 

[almighty]

I wouldnt mind paying a price for something that works best. Have you heard anyone using it for PS3?

No matey I haven't, I just know that in the PC it's un-matched.

If it can handle and out perform any other thermal paste on the big hot hardware we have on PC it should have no problems with a PS3

 

[Gradthrawn]

No matey I haven't, I just know that in the PC it's un-matched.

If it can handle and out perform any other thermal paste on the big hot hardware we have on PC it should have no problems with a PS3

Based on the very thorough testing linked to by swaaye, it does appear to be among the best, but far from unmatched.

Product Name Material Description Viscosity Avg Temp Difference Performance Grade
Zaward HSC-G (0) Aluminum Oxide Low / Thin 38.25°C A-
Thermaltake CL-O0027 TG1 (0) Aluminum Oxide Moderate 38.25°C A-
Evercool Cruise Missle STC-03 (0) Aluminum Oxide Low / Thin 38.25°C A-
Gelid GC-2 TC-GC-02-A (0) Aluminum Oxide Low / Thin 38.20°C A-
Arctic Cooling MX-2 Thermal Compound (0) Aluminum Oxide Low / Thin 38.20°C A-
Coolink Chillaramic (0) Zinc Oxide Grease Low / Thin 38.20°C A-
Innovative Cooling Seven Carat Diamond (6) Carbon/Aluminum Oxide High / Thick 38.20°C A-
OCZ Freeze OCZTFRZTC (0) Aluminum Oxide Moderate 38.10°C A
MG Chemicals 860 Silicone HTC (0) Zinc Oxide Grease Low / Thin 38.10°C A
Zalman ZM-STG2 Super Thermal Grease (0) Aluminum Oxide Moderate 38.05°C A
Cooler Master ThermalFusion 400 RG-TF4-TGU1-GP (0) Aluminum Oxide Moderate 38.00°C A
TIM Consultants T-C Grease 0098 (0) Aluminum Oxide Moderate 37.85°C A
GC Electronics Silcone Z9 10-8108 (0) Zinc Oxide Grease Moderate 37.80°C A
Shin-Etsu MicroSi X-23 7783D (0) Aluminum Oxide High / Thick 37.75°C A
TIM Consultants T-C Grease 0099 (Copper) (0) Copper/Aluminum Oxide Low / Thin 37.70°C A
Tuniq TX-3 (0) Aluminum Oxide Moderate 37.65°C A+
Gelid GC-Extreme (0) Aluminum Oxide Low / Thin 37.65°C A+
Thermaltake Grease A2150 (4) Polysynthetic Silver Low / Thin 37.65°C A+
Arctic Silver 5 Polysynthetic Thermal Compound (4) Polysynthetic Silver Low / Thin 37.55°C A+
Shin-Etsu MicroSi G751 (0) Aluminum Oxide Moderate 37.55°C A+