Pads Vs Pastes for Acer Nitro 5 2022. Which is good for my Acer Nitro 5
A couple of days I asked a question here about high temp of my cpu and I got many answers about my thermal paste type which I found later that My K5 Pro thermal paste was not good to be put on my cpu and gpu , So I decides to enter the field of thermal pastes to search for the best paste I should put to reduce my temp and can withstand very high load and dont dry qucikly in just couple of weeks . I was told about Thermal grizzy and their products so I entered their site and went to therma pastes category and found many types ( Duronaut , Kryonaut Extreme , Hydronaut , Aereonaut , Krayonaut -without the word extreme- ) So I didn't know what to buy then I notice another category named as Thermal pads which is about thin sheets placed on cpu instead of pastes , So I went to another search about what are those sheets and Found many types like ptm7950 and Kryosheets from Thermal grizzly .
Watching too many reviews and found out that sheets are Extremly good for long periods of time and reduce temp significantly so to recap this article :
Which is good for my Acer Nitro 5 that I use mainly for gaming on the very long term , pastes or pads and if pases , which type should I buy ?
and if pads , what should I buy ?
Join in, share your experience!
Best Answer
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Choosing between thermal pads and pastes is pretty straightforward once you understand their uses.
Thermal pads are primarily used on VRAM. With new innovations, thermal pastes like K5 Pro have emerged as replacements for thermal pads on VRAM, offering better performance. Similarly, TG Putty is another product designed to replace thermal pads for VRAM. Both K5 Pro and TG Putty are often referred to as "thermal putty" or "liquid thermal pads." However, they are specifically meant for VRAM and not for CPUs or GPUs.
When it comes to CPUs and GPUs, traditional thermal pastes are the standard choice. High-quality options include Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut, Arctic MX-4, and Arctic MX-6, which are superior for CPU/GPU chips. Regarding the PTM7950 you mentioned, it’s a promising new product, but I can’t confidently recommend it for the Nitro 5 since I don’t have enough experience with it. Personally, I’ve been using Arctic MX-4 (2019 edition) since 2021, and it’s still performing well. The newer Arctic MX-6 is also available now.
A word of advice: Don’t stress too much about finding a thermal paste that lasts for an extremely long time. Even with the best paste, gaming laptops require regular maintenance. After a year of use, fans and vents need cleaning to maintain optimal airflow. This process involves removing the heatsink, which means reapplying thermal paste regardless of its longevity.
Recommendations:
- For VRAM: Use K5 Pro or TG Putty.
- For CPU/GPU: I recommend Arctic MX-6 over MX-4 due to its improved performance. Avoid Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut for laptops since it tends to dry out at temperatures above 80°C, making it unsuitable for the high-heat environment of laptops.
If you’re considering PTM7950, do some research or wait for others' feedback before making a decision. While it seems promising, Arctic MX-6 is a safer and proven choice.
If you need guidance on applying thermal paste or cleaning your laptop properly, check out my comment in the post below:
windows 10/11 optimization guide for gaming
Windows 10/11 optimization guide for gaming — Acer Community
My AN515-43 laptop UserBenchmark-
https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/515145660
Answers
-
Choosing between thermal pads and pastes is pretty straightforward once you understand their uses.
Thermal pads are primarily used on VRAM. With new innovations, thermal pastes like K5 Pro have emerged as replacements for thermal pads on VRAM, offering better performance. Similarly, TG Putty is another product designed to replace thermal pads for VRAM. Both K5 Pro and TG Putty are often referred to as "thermal putty" or "liquid thermal pads." However, they are specifically meant for VRAM and not for CPUs or GPUs.
When it comes to CPUs and GPUs, traditional thermal pastes are the standard choice. High-quality options include Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut, Arctic MX-4, and Arctic MX-6, which are superior for CPU/GPU chips. Regarding the PTM7950 you mentioned, it’s a promising new product, but I can’t confidently recommend it for the Nitro 5 since I don’t have enough experience with it. Personally, I’ve been using Arctic MX-4 (2019 edition) since 2021, and it’s still performing well. The newer Arctic MX-6 is also available now.
A word of advice: Don’t stress too much about finding a thermal paste that lasts for an extremely long time. Even with the best paste, gaming laptops require regular maintenance. After a year of use, fans and vents need cleaning to maintain optimal airflow. This process involves removing the heatsink, which means reapplying thermal paste regardless of its longevity.
Recommendations:
- For VRAM: Use K5 Pro or TG Putty.
- For CPU/GPU: I recommend Arctic MX-6 over MX-4 due to its improved performance. Avoid Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut for laptops since it tends to dry out at temperatures above 80°C, making it unsuitable for the high-heat environment of laptops.
If you’re considering PTM7950, do some research or wait for others' feedback before making a decision. While it seems promising, Arctic MX-6 is a safer and proven choice.
If you need guidance on applying thermal paste or cleaning your laptop properly, check out my comment in the post below:
windows 10/11 optimization guide for gaming
Windows 10/11 optimization guide for gaming — Acer Community
My AN515-43 laptop UserBenchmark-
https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/515145660 -
One more personal question , for the arctic mx-4 you have , does it dry so quickly if temp go over 90 degrees for cpu ?
as I told you I play hard games such as god of war ragnarouk , spiderman 2 , last of us and these games frequently reaches temp 90 very fast so will this paste you use Or the upgraded version arctic mx-6 withstand such stress for at least a year ?
Assuming environment temp clean and not very high
1 -
Both ARCTIC MX-4 and MX-6 are excellent thermal pastes designed for long-term use, with both offering durability of up to 8 years under normal conditions due to their non-drying and non-bleeding properties.
The MX-4 provides reliable high thermal conductivity and stable performance, making it suitable for gaming scenarios where CPU temperatures can reach 90°C, lasting many years without needing reapplication.
The MX-6, as the improved successor, delivers about 20% better thermal performance with lower thermal resistance and higher viscosity, which helps prevent the pump-out effect and maintain long-term stability, especially in laptops or high-stress CPUs. This makes MX-6 slightly better for maintaining lower temperatures over time while still lasting up to 8 years.
In summary, both pastes offer long-term service life of up to 8 years, but MX-6 provides enhanced thermal performance and durability, while MX-4 remains easier to apply and very reliable. Both ARCTIC MX-4 and MX-6 thermal pastes do not dry out at 90°C. They are formulated with excellent non-drying and non-bleeding properties to ensure stable, long-term performance even under high CPU temperatures common in gaming or heavy workloads
Now-
- If your room is clean and dust-free, and your laptop’s cooling system is well-maintained, you can expect the thermal paste to last several years without reapplication.
- Since both thermal pastes can last so long The need to reapply thermal paste largely depends on environmental factors like room cleanliness and dust levels.
MX-4 has been targeted by counterfeiters, so buying from a trusted source is crucial. Scanning OR code can confirm if it's original or not.
windows 10/11 optimization guide for gaming
Windows 10/11 optimization guide for gaming — Acer Community
My AN515-43 laptop UserBenchmark-
https://www.userbenchmark.com/UserRun/515145661 -
You can try getting the PTM7950. It is a phase change material that can change itself from pad to paste state at a higher temperature. I recommend using this because it can last longer than the thermal paste and does not have the pump-out effect.
Please remember to include @AnhEZ28 when you want to reply back to my comment so that I can check your response.
Thank you and have a nice day!0
