Thermal Paste Vs. Thermal Pad
I have some spare thermal pads and limited thermal paste. does a thermal pad work just as well as some thermal paste? @vehiclefreak409
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I would think so, I have used thermal pads before with relatively good success. I have found the ones that are more paste feeling rather than rubbery work better for higher heat CPU and heatsink applications.
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NO! You're talking about a 1/4 conductive capacity from pads vs paste, at best. Thermal paste only for CPU. SSD etc often require a thicker application and don't output much heat - thermal pads can work in their range but not for a CPU. Thermal paste is good for thinner surfaces. As you can see application can range however just keep in mind those pads are less thermally conductive than paste in general, so understand how much thermal you need/want to reduce from your application and move from there.
Also the whole point of paste on a cpu is to fill the air gaps between the uneven layers in the metal's microscopic surface and provide better, more immediate distribution of heat from cpu surface to your cooler's heatsink surface. Think about how thick a pad is, it is obviously not ideal for such application.
by Scott
A bit late of a response and I already tried it long ago, haha. I ended up having to pry the CPU off the heat sink with a hammer
by Aiden