Arctic Cooling MX-2 Thermal Compound

So you just got a new system and that stock heatsink just isn't cutting it anymore?  Upon replacing a heatsink (or even removing it at all), it is absolutely necessary to thoroughly remove the Thermal Interface Material (TIM) from the heatsink and chip surface before laying down a fresh layer of TIM and reattaching the heatsink.  Many seasoned computer cooling enthisiasts remove the stock TIM before they even install the new heatsink, knowing that there is something better than the stock goop or pad that is included on most heatsinks.  But if you are a newcomer to the world of computer component cooling and find yourself needing to replace the TIM on one of your heatsinks, you'll quickly discover the surprisingly wide selection of thermal compunds available today.  Arctic Silver products have no doubt been the defacto choice here, but they are no longer the only high-performance game in town.  Arctic Cooling (yes, they are completely different than Arctic Silver) is well known for their unique cooling solutions focused on low noise and competitive prices, but they have also gone through a couple thermal compound versions.  Recently, Arctic Cooling has released a new TIM product to toss onto the market: MX-2.

For those of you who may be new to the exotic world of thermal compounds, there are more differences than you might expect.  Firstly, I want to make it clear that thermal adhesive is NOT the same as everything else.  Thermal adhesive is exactly what it sounds like, a thermal interface material that adheres or bonds the surface of the chip to the base of the heatsink.  For all intents and purposes, thermal adhesive can be considered a permanent bond (it is not meant to be removed once it is secured).  If it has the word "adhesive" anywhere in the name, consider it a permanent solution.  Thermal tape and thermal pads are also a type of sticky thermal interface material but is not usually permanent.  Everything else (whether you call it thermal grease, thermal goop, silver paste, or yummy silicone spread) is meant for heatsinks with their own retention mechanisms to hold it on the chip surface.  The Arctic Cooling MX-2 is considered a thermal grease or thermal compound.  With that out of the way, let's take a look at the list of features for the MX-2 thermal compound...

Feature	Author's Comment
High Thermal Conductivity	The higher the thermal conductivity, the faster it can transfer heat from one surface to the other, and the better it will cool.
Low Thermal Resistance	Essentially the same as having high thermal conductivity.  The lower the thermal resistance, the less it will resist heat.  In other words, it does not resist heat transfer.
Non-Electrical Conductive	This is actually probably the most important feature.  If a thermal compound is even the slightest bit electrically conductive and it gets dribbled across some small transistors or pins on the component (CPU, motherboard, video card, etc), you have a chance that it will short.  For obvious reasons, shorting out an electronic computer component is not a good thing.  If you are using the TIM on a part with exposed transistors or pins nearby, then be sure to select a product that is not electically conductive.
Non-Capacitive	Basically means the MX-2 compound will not build up or store electrical energy.  This is also important for the reasons listed above under electrical conductivity.
Non-Curing	The MX-2 does not have a minimum curing time before it achieves best performance.  This means that you will achieve relatively the same cooling performance out of the first five minutes of operation as you will after five days or 5 months.  In comparison, Arctic Silver quotes a 200 hour curing time before their Arctic Silver 5 product reaches its full cooling potential.  Unless you are unordinarily impatient, this is a non-issue.
No Bleeding	After installing your heatsink with MX-2, it should not run off the edges and disappear.  It should stay only under the heatsink on the surface of the chip where you put it.  This is a good thing as you obviously don't want your thermal compound to disappear after you've meticulously installed it.
Odorless	You'd be surprised how bad some thermal adhesive can smell!  Thankfully, this is is basic type of thermal grease and will not start killing brain cells the instant you pull the cap off.

About the only thing you need to remember after reading through the list of features is that it is safe for virtually any relevant use it was intended for.  The MX-2 is not electrically conductive or capacitive, so you are safe to use it on any component without fear of shorting anything out.  Since the MX-2 is not bundled with any extras (besides difficult packaging), let's get into the real meat of this review: the results!