Here we can see a small amount of paste being extruded from each syringe with Tuniq TX-2 on the left and Arctic Silver 5 on the  right. Granted, there is a difference in applicator size with TX-2 in a 3.5 gram syringe and the Arctic Silver 5 in a 12 gram syringe. However,  this should give you a rough idea on just how much thicker AS5 is over the TX-2 competitor.

     Application of the TX-2 onto the test CPU was clean and easy. The lower viscosity makes it easier to get a nice even application. The goal is to use the least amount of paste as possible and not act like you're trying to put icing on a cake. There are more than a few ways to achieve this, but I use the credit card method.

     Start by depositing a small amount into the center of the processor's Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS).  Then use the edge of a credit card to evenly distribute the paste to all corners and edges of the IHS. The last step will be to make one solid pass from one side of the IHS to the other. While some folks like to use a razor blade, I prefer a credit card because you have both a short and long working surface. This makes it easy for folks like me with less than ideal eye-hand coordination to get the job done without making a mess.

     The Test

     We're going to be testing the TX-2 on a fully operational and overclocked Intel Core2Duo E6850 processor. Here are the system specs:

     We're going to test the system with both Arcitc Silver 5 and TX-2 applied to the CPU. A fresh application of Arctic Silver 5 was applied and allowed to cure for three days before testing. The TX-2 was only allowed to cure for 1 hour before being tested.  

     Ambient temperature for the test was controlled at 70°F / 21°C with 30% relative humidity. Once the PC reached the windows desktop, the CPU was allowed to rest for 3 minutes at idle before taking this  Idle Temperature reading.

     The CPU was then ramped up to a 100% utilization rate and a temperature reading taken at different time intervals. The chart below will depict the temperature in Celsius at the time that the reading was taken. Arctic Silver will be represented on the red line, and Tuniq's TX-2 will be shown in blue.

     Starting from an idle load, the TX-2 was responsible for keeping the CPU 4° cooler than the AS-5 could. The same was also true during the 100% utilization test at the 30 second mark. From that point and until the end of the test, the TX-2 maintained a 3° Delta between Arctic Silver 5. This puts the TX-2 performance marks right on bottom, which is where we want it. 

     When it comes to CPU temperatures, whether you're overclocking or not, you want the absolute lowest temperatures you can achieve. With Tuniq's TX-2 you can help edge out a little more heat and spend less at the time of checkout doing it. 

Note: Club Overclocker is now using a new rating system based on a score of 1 to 5.
Please go to our rating system page for more information.

Performance:	5 out of 5
Innovation:	5 out of 5
Quality:	5 out of 5
Stability:	N/A
Aesthetics:	N/A
Software/Drivers Pack:	N/A
Overclocking:	N/A
Value:	5 out of 5
Project Skill Level (5 being most difficult)	3 out of 5