Standard heatsink sufficient?

[cyrax]

Just wondering if the heatsink for a Athlon x2 3800+ would be sufficient cooling for it? I may overclock it a tad, but not that much. Also, do you need to buy that thermal paste/grease for your heatsink? I heard that the heatsinks now have a thermal pad on the bottom of them so you don't need the grease now or something, or is that just a myth?

 

[Tyr]

Yeah the stock heatsink will work fine and they do come with a thermal pad on them too. I would recommend buying thermal grease for it anyway because it will work better. Just make sure to get all of the thermal pad stuff off by using some high purity rubbing alchohol before applying the Arctic Silver 5.

 

[cyrax]

What's wrong with using the pad? What's the benfit of using the grease?

 

[Tyr]

It will keep your CPU cooler. You can use the thermal pad if you want but a tube of AS5 is only $6.

 

[cyrax]

Isn't the thermal paste harder to get off though?

 

[Apokalipse]

it's not that hard to get off.
anyway, stock cooling is sufficient. if it wasn't, they wouldn't give it to you with the CPU.

 

[cyrax]

Ok then, so you recommend using thermal paste though, instead of the thermal pad? Do you have to remove the pad first, or can you use both?

 

[aliasaid]

Just make sure to get all of the thermal pad stuff off by using some high purity rubbing alchohol before applying the Arctic Silver 5.

 

[Apokalipse]

I do recommend thermal paste. Arctic Silver is good.

 

[Nitestick]

agreed. get some AS5. if you are overclocking only a little or keeping it at stock the stock cooler is sufficient. in fact i would reccomend keeping the stock cooler because otherwise your cpu warranty is voided (despite the fact AMD can't really tell you're not using it)