Battle of Conductors: Liquid Metal vs. Thermal Paste Showdown

Thermal paste vs liquid metal – which of these conductors is the right for your gaming PC? Is one really better than the other?

In this blog article, we’re aiming to answer all your conductor questions, covering the basics of what each one is, their benefits, and which one you should use in your PC.

What is Thermal Paste?

Thermal paste is a compound that is thermally conductive. It is primally used to eliminate any gaps between the IHS of a CPU and a cooler, making the process of drawing heat away from this vital component, far more efficient.

You can find thermal pastes manufactured from different compounds, including metal, silicon, and ceramic. All of which have slightly different properties, but still do a similar job.

Advantages:

Easy to apply.
Can remove and re-apply as many times as you wish.
Not electronically conductive so you don’t risk short circuiting or damaging your other components.
Cheaper option compared to liquid metal.

Disadvantages:

Thermal conductivity isn’t as effective as liquid metal

What is Liquid Metal?

Alternatively, liquid metal is another less mainstream compound that is used on processors to help transfer heat away from this vital component to a heatsink. Liquid metal is typically crafted from a combination of metallic alloys, such as Gallium, all of which are extremely conductive, for more effective heat transfer. This helps to keep your processor cool and whisper quiet, reducing the chance of overheating and/or any performance issues.

Advantages:

More effective heat dissipation in comparison to thermal paste.

Disadvantages:

Harder to apply as its electronically conductive – getting one small drop outside of your processor can result in your components short circuiting.
More expensive in comparison to thermal paste
As the main component to liquid metal is Gallium it can chemically react to aluminium – if your CPU has an aluminium top plate, it’s best to avoid using liquid metal.

Liquid Metal vs Thermal Paste: Which One Should I Use in My PC?

Now that we’ve covered the basics of what each is, which one should you use when building your gaming PC?

Both solutions come with their own suite of benefits, the main one of which is their ability to effectively dissipate heat from your processor, ensuring maximum transfer. Thermal paste and liquid metal are both more than capable for helping keep your CPU temperatures down to a minimum, allowing you to enjoy the blisteringly fast performance that you paid for. Which one you choose, depends on your individual preferences, skill set, and the demands of your hardware.

Beginners should really avoid using liquid metal as its harder to apply and the application process comes with more risks. However, if you are a building enthusiast or perhaps have a PC with a lot of demanding hardware, liquid metal is going to be your best bet. It’s more effective at transferring heat, meaning the cooling demands of your components will be met. You won’t have to worry about all that expensive tech overheating!

It’s Time to Pick Your Conductor

The time has come for you to pick the conductor that’s right for your set up.

At Overclockers UK, you can find both thermal paste and liquid metal from a variety of leading manufacturers, including Thermal Grizzly. We’ve included our top contenders down below, but you can also shop the whole range by clicking the button below.

Shop Thermal Paste