Use aluminum foil to make a pad, layering on top of itself with thermal compound between layers - very thin TIM layers, you're simply removing air between the layers of foil.8 Apr 2013
Is thermal pad necessary?
Thermal pads (thermal paste soaked silicone sheet) lower the thermal resistance between device and heatsink, making heat transfer more efficient with than without. One is always used with the other. If no heatsink is present, no thermal pad is required.
Can GPU run without thermal pads?
The CPU and GPU both generate tremendous amounts of heat, and need to radiate that heat to then heat sink as quickly as possible. Thermal pads, no matter how efficient, will never conduct the heat rapidly and efficiently enough to be suitable for this purpose.
Can you use aluminum foil instead of thermal paste?
No. The thermal paste has to fill all small gaps between surfaces. Of course aluminum can do this, but you need to exert much higher pressure. Probably more than the processor would endure.
How long does a thermal pad last?
But hypothetically speaking, if like generic cheapo blue pads (6.0Wmk) last 6 months for 10$ for a repad, but Thermalright lasts 12 months for 30$ for a repad, it would be better ROI to just choose the cheap ones.9 Feb 2021
Does thermal pads really work?
While a pad is not as compressible as a paste, the range of available materials means thermal pads are extremely effective with any substrate. Additionally, thermal pads maintain their initial performance over the long-term since they are not subject to the same types of degradation as thermal grease.13 Aug 2021
Which is better thermal paste or pad?
The big advantage to thermal paste is its ability to be easily spread. It will conform to uneven surfaces very well, and fill large gaps more evenly than thermal pads. Another advantage is that with the ability to apply it as a thin layer, thermal paste can provide better thermal conductivity then the thicker pads.19 Dec 2019
Is thicker thermal pad better?
Yes, thicker is worse in terms of heat transfer. Doubling the pad thickness doubles the thermal resistance.