Zalman Thermal Paste
New thermal paste, new PC.
![Zalman Thermal Paste](/content/images/size/w2000/2019/05/sds.jpg)
When I upgraded my rig to an AMD Bulldozer processor last year, I had run out of Zalman Super Thermal Grease 1, which came in small vial with an application brush.
Not willing to delay firing up my rig I decided to go with the stock thermal compound that was packaged with the processor. It seemed to do the job but I was interested to see the cooling performance if I changed the thermal compound. Noticing that Zalman had released a newever version I decided to try it out.
![Zalman STG2 in packaging](https://tomaytotomato.com/src/Frontend/Files/userfiles/images/thermal%20grease/310814_0016.jpg)
With any heatsink compounds I always find them quite viscous and require some plying when applied to a processor, to make this easier I warm the applicator syringe in some water to make the compound more pliable on the CPU's surface.
![Applying compound](https://tomaytotomato.com/src/Frontend/Files/userfiles/images/thermal%20grease/310814_0027.jpg)
I always paint a cross on the CPU and then smooth it evenly using an old credit card. Any spillages are mopped up with some cutton buds and ethanol.
![Coolermaster Sphere Heatsink](https://tomaytotomato.com/src/Frontend/Files/userfiles/images/thermal%20grease/310814_0020.jpg)
Once applied everything was quickly put back in situ of my rigs case, ready for some testing.
Idle | Battlefield 4 | Rome 2 |
---|---|---|
Old Compound | 34 | 68 |
Zalman STG2 | 32 | 62 |
From these temperature readings, the Zalman STG2 with its better thermal capacity comes into play at higher temperatures where there is a noticeable difference between it and the old compound.