Help with i7-4800MQ Thermal Paste!

Searched around for a bit and couldn't find anything that quite put me at ease. I was replacing the thermal compound on my i7-4800MQ but noticed that the pins pictured above the thermal plate were originally covered with paste from the factory and the black plastic thing pictured above that was actually placed on top of the pins with more thermal paste.

I have concerns with this, these pins look like they are part of the circuitry, and I am replacing the compound with Arctic Silver 5 which has some conductivity to it. Because of this I don't want to apply it to the pins as it came from the factory.

As far as information goes on the plastic-like piece, it's a thin sheet, glossy on the side contacting the heatsink, and it has some sort of silicone-like material covering the backside that I simply could not remove with alcohol. The side pictured is the side that was contacting the exposed pins.

If someone out there can share some information with me regarding the need of thermal compound on these pins or what the purpose of the black plastic sheet are for or if I even need to concern myself with these items at all would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!!

 

I have no idea but in the 2 CPU's I've seen, I've never had anything like that.. I would leave it alone.. Only put your paste on the metal in the centre of the CPU...

 

Well thanks! I had actually just done this and ran some tests, CPU temps were great! My old Dell Inspiron 17R I could regularly get to hit 99-100 degrees C with heavy CPU activities, this one peaked out at 77 after the re-paste. Before the re-paste it would hit mid 80's.

I put the plastic piece back on the pins since the silicone stuff could still kind of stick there, but I just put the thermal compound on the heat plate of the CPU.

 

Never seen it either, but good luck! Glad you got it sorted out. I suggest Arctic Silver Céramiqué 2 over Arctic Silver 5 if you feel like doing another repaste; the temps are a decent bit better (3-5 degrees under load). But if you have no problems right now, then keep what you got I say. But glad it all worked out.

 

I'd personally suggest Gelid GC Extreme or IC Diamond...

 

Thanks for the suggestions! I do plan on redoing them sometime, just from a review search on Newegg it looked like I couldn't go wrong with Arctic Silver 5 which is why I chose it, but hey! I sure won't argue with something providing even better performance if other people have had luck with it!

 

That's fine; I just have equivalent performance with AS Ceramique 2 to IC Diamond on my 4800MQ. GC Extreme is similarly in the ballpark. But I've not used GC Extreme and most people end up scratching dies with ICD, so I default to AS Ceramique 2 for my recommendations

 

AS5 is too old... I would stay really far away from it... ICD is fine if your'e like me.. Had it on my G73JH for 4 years and never needed to repaste..

 

I didn't mention "Arctic Silver 5". I mentioned "Arctic Silver Céramiqué 2". It's an entirely different thermal compound.

 

Quoted wrong post.. meant to quote OP...