How to Choose the Best Non-Conductor Thermal Paste

Whether you’re an avid gamer, a video editing enthusiast, or just someone who wants to binge-watch TV without turning their laptop into a frying pan, thermal paste is a must. If not applied correctly and with the right type of paste, your CPU will overheat in no time, causing serious issues that can degrade or even destroy your expensive computer components. Thankfully, there are many different brands and types of Non-conductive thermal paste on the market, so it’s important to choose one that suits your specific use case and requirements. The best way to determine which one is right for you is to read reviews and recommendations from trusted sources or online forums.

While liquid metal compounds such as Arctic Silver 5 or the new Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut have higher thermal conductivities than traditional pastes, they can damage your components if accidentally squirted in the wrong places (as well as being hard to apply evenly). On the other hand, ceramic and carbon-based pastes like Noctua NT-H1 are electrically non-conductive and safer for beginners to use.

The main ingredient of most non-conductive thermal pastes is a heat-conductive metal oxide or ceramic filler suspended in a polymer base that offers high mechanical and chemical stability. These fillers are typically boron nitride, aluminum oxide, alumina, beryllium oxide, or zinc oxide.

The best non-conductive thermal pastes will also offer a balance of cost and performance. It is also important to note that the performance of a thermal paste depends heavily on the quality and preparation of its contact surfaces. Improperly prepared surfaces can significantly degrade its stability, conductivity, and lubrication properties.