I had just received a new processor for my main system, the AMD 6400+ Black, which with its higher than average clock speed and voltage requirements should offer an excellent test bed for a thermal compound comparison. Neither compound was given any "burn-in" time as this is not a stated as a requirement of their use, unlike other pastes such as AS5 that suggest temperatures will improve over several days time.

Idle temperatures were averaged over several minutes with the computer sitting at a desktop with no applications running. Load temperatures were generated by running the Folding@Home SMP client to bring each core to 100% utilization. The CPU Core Temp application was used to log temperatures from the DTS of the chip.


The OCZ Freeze compound was very close in performance to the Tuniq TX-2, so much so in fact that I am going to chalk this one up as a tie. By averaging the temperatures over a period of time and rounding to the nearest whole degree our margin of error is likely +/- 1° C and that is all that separates the Freeze and TX-2.

Conclusion

It seems that AS5 may finally be considered obsolete. First with the Tuniq TX-2 and now with the equally as good OCZ Freeze, the once-reigning king of thermal compounds seems to be getting bested at every turn. The new pastes also have no capacitance and thus can be used next to other electrical components without worry. They're also much easier to clean up after.

Although our test subjects were too closely matched to name either one as a clear winner, OCZ firmly establishes itself as a leader in the thermal compound arena with their Freeze paste. Along with the previously-reviewed Tuniq TX-2, the OCZ Freeze is most definitely a great choice for overclockers and those seeking the most cooling performance possible from a thermal interface material.

OCIA.net has awarded the OCZ Freeze our Seal of Approval.