Evaluation of Thermal Pads

Objective

This document reviews the efficiency of two types of Thermal Grizzly thermal pads—Carbonaut and Cryo Sheet—as alternatives to thermal paste for cooling an AMD Ryzen AM5 CPU.

Thermal Solution Overview

• Cryo Sheet Thermal Pad: High performance, non-reusable graphene pad. Costs about $22.
• Carbonaut Thermal Pad: Carbon-based, reusable pad. Costs about $19.
• Hydronaut Thermal Paste: Traditional thermal paste with varied price depending on tube size.

Thermal Paste Drawbacks

• Messy Application: Difficult to clean if smeared on components or hands.
• Limited Longevity: Thermal paste dries up, diminishing efficiency.

Testing Methodology

• Temperature Benchmarks: Conducted using Cinebench under factory settings and adjusted fan speeds.
• Reuse and Efficiency: Tested ability of thermal pads to maintain efficiency after removal and reapplication.

Key Findings

1. Initial Efficiency

   • Cryo Sheet achieved the lowest temperatures.
   • Carbonaut performed slightly worse than thermal paste.
   • Performance improvement of Cryo Sheet scaled well with increased cooling system settings.

2. Reuse Impact

   • Carbonaut maintained performance even after reuse.
   • Cryo Sheet lost efficiency upon reapplication, confirming manufacturer's recommendation against reuse.

Conclusions

• Cryo Sheet offers better performance but cannot be reused, unlike Carbonaut.
• Reusing pads poses risks of microscopic damage affecting thermal performance.
• Traditional thermal paste remains a cost-effective and versatile solution despite its messiness and need for periodic reapplication.

Recommendations

• For maximum thermal efficiency, use the Cryo Sheet if one-time installation is assured.
• If convenience and reusability are priorities, opt for the Carbonaut pad.
• Evaluate specific needs and downsides to decide the most suitable cooling solution.

Additional Resource

For significant temperature reduction beyond 1-2 degrees, consider adjusting CPU settings, as explored in this tutorial video.