This - www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyXLu1Ms-q4 - Youtube is very interesting, it shows how heatsink compound spreads underneath at the interface between the top of the CPU die and the underneath of the fan/waterblock plate........ DELETE this duplicate post please! (couldn't see how to delete it myself!)
Thats interesting. I tend to go for the blob in the middle or spreading. looks like I'll be a blobber from now on.
I've been a spreader, I rub it into the heatsink with a finger in a sandwich bag and then spread a thin layer on the cpu/ihs. I think I'll use the pea or cross method in the future!
It depends what processor I'm using. Example would be that when I rebuilt my old P4 550 system recently for a friend I used something between the rice grain and pea method. But when I am using a Core 2 I use the line method in the same direction that the chips are oriented under the heat-spreader.
just seen a same thread in the hardware forum by same OP http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=201152 Originally Posted by _Fanatic View Post I reseated my q6600 a few times using spread, line and cross. Never saw a single temp difference but hey ho. Interesting vid all the same, haven't seen it before.
Thats very informative Personal preference has always been spreading. The laminated card inserts from Corsair RAM has always worked well for me lol.
I suppose when you think about it, squashing a blob means that you start with no/little air between the cooler plate and the die surface, then you're simply forcing out that blob (that had no/little air to start with), and air can't "appear" out of nowhere if it wasn't there to start with. Conversely, if you spread out the compound first, it's probably virtually impossible to get it totally flat, and there will therefore be a certain amount of undulation and variation on the surface after you've spread it, although not necessarily apparent when just looking at it from 12-24 inches away. It's likely that when you put the cooler plate on to that (slightly) undulating layer of compound you're first trapping air in those undulations, then compressing them out as you apply pressure - which is exactly what the video shows. The Arctic Cooling web site recommends a line of compound, which sort of follows the above logic, but probably gives greater/better coverage than a simple blob etc? in my humble opinion, every little helps when trying to get a stable and cool PC.
