I didn't realise how much I needed a comparative thermal paste database until now—here's +1 rep to Igor's Lab for this world first

pcgamer.com:

Some like 'em runny, some don't. Whatever your preference, it can be incredibly frustrating to buy a new CPU or CPU cooler and realise you now have to deliberate over the dozens of thermal pastes on the market. I mean, it's just paste, for goodness' sake.

Well, frustrate no longer because Igor's Lab has just launched the "world's first interactive thermal paste database". This isn't just a collection of manufacturer stats, either (although it does include some of these in its comparison pages). This database compares the data borne from Igor's Lab's real-world testing of thermal compounds.

Igor says: «Our database is based on real laboratory values that we have painstakingly determined according to industry standards». And, pulling no punches, he continues by pointing out that «many of these results contradict the manufacturers’ marketing claims and ruthlessly expose contradictions and lies, but they are all well-founded, reproducible and legally sound».

Based on a recent conversation we had with Igor about the lengths he'd gone to to test these many pastes properly, his figures should be top-notch.

The measurements should «not only reflect the overall performance values of the pastes, but also enable an assessment of their suitability for a specific area of application (layer thicknesses, surfaces) as well as their suitability taking into account the individual capabilities of the respective user».

Igor says some of the data can even be used to assess the possible durability of the paste, but he won't accept liability for this—if we want to infer durability, that's on us.

One highlight of the database is that you can begin by filtering it for your skill level and use case. If you're a beginner, you'll want a less viscous (more runny) paste, and if you're going for a GPU re-paste you'll want a compound that has a low layer thickness of 25 to 100 μm.

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Once those filters