ARCTIC MX-4 (4 g) - Premium Performance Thermal Paste for all processors (CPU, GPU - PC, PS4, XBOX), very high thermal conductivity, long durability, safe application, non-conductive, non-capacitive

Product Information

We tested each thermal paste with a low-tension air cooler mount, high-tension air cooler mount, and a high-tension AIO liquid cooler mount. Each application was given a 1-hour burn-in using Prime95 with ten load and cooling cycles over the course of the hour; six minutes each with a ten-second cool-down between. Each testing load session was then executed for a one-hour load period, again using Prime95. Unlike its Silver 5 counterpart, it doesn’t need curing for long hours for optimal performance. The Silver 5 requires up to 200 hours, thus it can represent a higher commitment than you might like. Now coming to the main point of this article, the following configuration is used for thermal paste testing: –

You also get effective cooling for an enormous number of surfaces before the tube is exhausted. Also, it’s an oil-based paste that is better than what you’ll find in less expensive thermal pastes. Thermal pastes are important in this day and age, and the battle of these two popular options makes for good reading. The Arctic Silver 5 and MX4 have seen many debates from users and reviewers operating on computers and other devices. Our experts took on the challenge, ready for the quest of finding the one that works best! When you’re searching for the ideal quality thermal paste to use, it’s difficult for a potential customer not to inquire about the number of years it will last. We like that the paste uses a micronized silver paste alongside ceramic particles to create a high-performance and durable design. Parts of the composition of aluminum oxide, boron nitride and zinc oxide solution will provide lower load temperatures than you’ll get from standard compounds. – Coverage Area: Covers a Wide Spot A thermal paste is a thermally conductive substance sold in fluid form and applied between a CPU and its cooler. When used, it ensures there’s no gap or space between the processor and its cooler.Liquid metal compounds make their way to the top of the temperature chart with slightly cooler values than the traditional pastes. Interestingly, the difference between the top and bottom of this chart is less than 4C. The XTM50 paste by itself has low viscosity, so can also just use the 'Dot method' to apply the paste and let the mounting pressure do its thing. But if you're too worried about applying using that method, then the bundled stencil and spreader make it very easy to get things done. In theory, you can use any application method for a compound with low viscosity, but the stencil makes it that much easier to apply. It's for new builders who don't necessarily have the technical know-how of properly applying thermal paste and how improper application can have a lasting impact on the overall performance of the CPU.

These two thermal pastes are excellent additions to your rig and computer. However, we are going to pitch our tent with the MX4. It has better all-round delivery on temperatures and performances. However, there is a catch to it. These wipes have very strong and unpleasant smell that doesn’t go away instantly. ARCTIC is not adding or mixing any artificial flavor for the fragrance to alter this smell. Each wipe is 115x115mm.If you apply Arctic Silver 5, you’ll notice that it has a high-density filling of micronized silver and enhanced thermally conductive ceramic particles. As such, it provides a new level of performance and stability for your CPU. However, we prefer the lasting power offered by the MX4, and it is often the first consideration of many here. It’s safe and straightforward to apply and install. Here is a statement from ARCTIC about MX-6. “With its improved composition, the ARCTIC MX-6 has a measurably lower thermal resistance than the MX-4. The basis for calculation is the temperature difference between the cooler base and the heat source (in C) in relation to the applied heat load (in W), which also results in the unit C/W. The higher the thermal resistance, the worse the heat can be transferred through the TIM layer. Thermal insulators, as an example, therefore always have a particularly high thermal resistance, while thermal interface materials usually have a particularly low one.”

We like that the Arctic MX4 performance is built to last over time. According to Arctic brands, you don’t have to reapply for up to eight years. Please note that not every run of the stress test may yield the same result. This could well be due to many factors like mounting pressure, thermal paste application, and varying ambient temperature. Not to mention the silicon differences even among the same category of chips. Hence, it is pertinent to mention the testing methodology along with the specifics. Each time the even spread of the thermal paste was verified and where the thermal paste spread was not even or gives the impression of a tear or a poor application, the result was dropped and the new test with correct spread was repeated. This is done to ensure the validity of the data.The Arctic Silver 5 thermal conductivity is one of the key reasons why it’s in demand. It’s a good choice for users who want to paste it to multiple devices. The wipe is made of 100% Limonene extracted from citrus essential oil. This would mean that these wipes don’t have alcohol or benzenes as this substance is used in industrial applications for cleaning as it is effective and gentle on metals and alloys. What’s more, it doesn’t contain any metallic particles to impede electrical conductivity. It’s a bit new to the world of thermal pastes, but it’s attracting a lot of attention. That’s why we are comparing it to the Silver 5 above. – Materials: Infused With Quality As shown in the slides above, the outcome of the different testing scenarios resulted in some interesting comparisons among the compounds. We’ll look at the overall thermal load averages for each, as well as the relative performance value of each in terms of price-per-gram. For the air cooling low- and high-tension tests, we used a large Noctua NH-D15 air cooler. We created the low tension mount environment by torquing the mounting screws to 1.13 Nm (10 in/lbs).

use to its final consistency designed for long-term stability. (This should not be confused with conventional A danger to look out for with thermal pastes is electrical conductivity. Apart from that, some pastes are more challenging to apply than others.

Are you looking for the best thermal paste to use on your CPU or GPU, but aren’t sure which one to go for? If that’s why you’re here, you’re in for a treat because we’ve personally tested over 20 of the most popular pastes used by both enthusiasts and builders to come up with our top 5 best thermal pastes.