Shin-Etsu X23-7783D and IC7 Diamond TIM Review

[nyke]

For computer geeks out there that want to use the best Thermal Paste (TIM) for their CPU and heat sink cooler I recommend Shin-Etsu X23-7783D.

It has been a year and a half owning this computer and I wanted to replace the stock paste that came on the bottom of my heat sink block because as most heat sinks come with shit thermal paste on them.

I did some research and tried IC7 Diamond from microcenter.com but when I applied it holy hell it was difficult to apply. I even put it in a hot cup of boiling water for 5 minutes and it barley helped spread it, it just rolled off in chunks. I finally got it on evenly.

So I ran some tests on my computer. With the IC7 it did run cooler but not by much.

Being that I was not satisfied with the product I went to Frys Electronics to pick up some Arctic Silver 5 which I have had great luck with since it spreads so smooth but it takes 200 hours to fully cure... that is just stupid. I was going to get it anyways but they were out of stock. I then saw Shin-Etsu X23-7783D and it was 4 bucks cheaper than Arctic Silver 5 so I figured I would try it.

It is hard to spread but not nearly as hard as IC7 Diamond. I used a hair dryer on low heat while applying it to make it more pliable and it went on so smooth.

Started my benchmarks and WOW there was a significant difference. Here are my numbers.

All tests done in home with 75 degrees F and humidity at 42% (I have a humidifier)

Stock TIM:
No Load: 55c
Load (100% Stress): 78c

IC7 Diamond:
No Load: 49c
Load (100% Stress): 72c

Shin-Etsu X23-7783D:
No Load: 40c
Load (100% Stress): 66c

My computer is a i7 965 overclocked to 4.0Ghz with water cooling.

This was tested using 3D Mark 11.

Feel free to comment!

[Sertain TKell]

I typically just use Artic Silver 5. IMO, a lot of using thermal pastes comes down to how you use it. If you put too much or not enough, it really screws up everything. How much you use really depends on the consistency of the paste in question. If it's thick like AS5, then the most you use is about a rice grain equivalent.

Ideally you want to plane (smooth) out the top of your CPU and bottom of your heat sink so that there is as much metal to metal contact as possible, the job of the thermal past is to just fill in the microscopic cracks. If you have too much, it becomes an insulator as metal to metal conduction is better than paste to metal.

You can buy the best thermal paste in the world but if don’t know how to use it right, you are just throwing your money away.
-Sertain

[nyke]

I typically use a razor blade to spread the TIM around and make as thin as possible layer. I like AS5 as it is so easy to apply but according to AS5 it takes 200 hours to cure.

[Sertain TKell]

I typically use a razor blade to spread the TIM around and make as thin as possible layer.

Very good BKM.