Best Thermal Paste

Thermal Grizzly TG-AL-3 Conductonaut tops this list not just because the paste is as good as it is but also because this is the biggest, most comprehensive package. While most products sell you a syringe filled with thermal paste and nothing else, this package includes two applicators, two lint-free cleaning pads, and five cotton swabs, so you have everything you need to replace old paste and apply the new one.

That being said, this product costs more than most thermal pastes not as much because the package is so extensive but because this paste is made from liquid metal. Thanks to that, the paste is more suitable for those applications that require the highest efficiency. We're talking about components with the best heat dissipation where the temperature ranges are above eight degrees Celsius.

With its high thermal conductivity, the paste increases the indium content, making sure that the most expensive, high-performance parts do not overheat under extreme loads. But, even despite its thermal conductivity reaching 73 W/mK, this paste is not good with aluminum surfaces.

Nevertheless, considering that the thermal compound here is almost 10 times more effective than most thermal pastes' and the aforementioned extensive package, Thermal Grizzly TG-AL-3 Conductonaut towers above its competition.

People that feel like paying 20+ bucks for thermal paste is not reasonable but still do not wish to settle for a middling product will find that ARCTIC MX-4 does not disappoint. To start with, apart from GPUs and CPUs, this paste can be used between most semiconductors and heatsinks. To continue, unlike liquid metal pastes, this product is metal-free, which means that it isn't electrically conductive.

In other words, you don't have to worry about short-circuiting and corrosion damage that cheap liquid metal pastes can cause. When applied, the people at ARCTIC guarantee that the paste will last at least 8 years before it starts losing its thermal conductivity properties.

Before that though, you need to apply the paste, which is not the toughest challenge that you'll face that day since, thanks to its balanced consistency (not too thick yet not too runny either), even beginners can easily apply this paste. Still, we would recommend following the video on the company's website to make sure you don't create air pockets between the processing unit and the cooler.

As long as you do that, ARCTIC MX-4 will serve you faithfully for almost a decade. Also, the packaging is recyclable, so you can buy this product knowing that you're not increasing your environmental footprint.

Noctua NT-H1 Pro-Grade Thermal Compound Paste is the best budget thermal paste. Despite being so easy on the pocketbook, the premium-grade hybrid compound used here ensures optimal heat transferring between the processing unit (both on the CPU and GPU) and the heatsink. To add more, most thermal pastes usually start becoming less efficient within the first 2-3 years, whereas this paste will normally last 5 years before the initial efficiency starts deteriorating.

Having said that, while the paste is quite durable when applied, inside the syringe, it will usually dry out in 2, 3 years tops. With that in mind, we would recommend using the entire syringe within the first 2 years, so share one with a few friends, the 3.5-gram syringe will give you somewhere between 4 and 20 applications (depending on the unit's size) anyway.

Last but not least, the cardboard package that this syringe is shipped inside will prevent deformations during transportation and the Quick Response (QR) code on the package will let you easily access application instructions.

In closing, anyone who builds his own computer will be able to benefit from Noctua NT-H1 Pro-Grade Thermal Compound Paste. Then again, people with laptops and most consoles (especially PS4) can use this paste to prolong their favorite platform's lifespan too.

Arctic Silver 5 costs practically nothing (around 6 bucks at the moment). Nevertheless, this high-density paste, filled with a micronized silver compound, is excellent at enhancing thermally conductive ceramic particles, fitting not just high-end graphics cards and processors but also most heat-sinks and coolers.

More impressive is the fact that, besides micronized silver, this product contains sub-micron zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, as well as boron nitride particles, which is why (and how) the paste is able to keep the temperature somewhere between 3 and 12 degrees lower than usual. But, this is also why you must make sure the paste does not come in contact with miniature circuits since the metals here can easily corrode these circuits.

Its thermal conductivity and density are not stated but, from what we can tell, the paste is denser than standard metal-free thermal pastes and more conductive but not as dense and conductive as high-end liquid metal pastes. That said, considering that this one costs 5 times less than its high-end liquid metal relatives, we cannot really complain about that.

To summarize, if you have a high-end system but don't trust pastes made from liquid metal, you should try Arctic Silver 5.

Everyday users with limited experience that are looking or have just bought the parts for their first custom PC should complete the system with Cooler Master HTK-002-U1.

First things first, volume-wise, this product caps at 2 grams, while most syringes are filled with 3.5 grams. In case you're not aware, 3.5 grams is usually an overkill since 2 is more than enough to cover both the CPU and the GPU (even the most powerful high-end models). Nevertheless, this paste does not dry out inside the syringe, so if you don't end up using the whole thing - don't throw it out, you can remove it and apply a new layer after a couple of years.

But keep in mind that the paste is a little runny, so be careful when applying it. Don't worry though - the Zif Socket Templates will ensure that you can easily apply the paste onto different socket types, while the applicator on the syringe will let you produce an even layer without any prior experience.

In short, average and even most above-average systems don't need a high-end thermal paste. No, generally speaking, Cooler Master HTK-002-U1 will prove more than enough to keep the system running without hiccups and without overheating concerns. Also, the protective cap will prevent the paste from leaking out, enabling safe storage.