Thermalright TF4
The TF4 as a cheap paste is similarly grainy as the Nuomi SYY-157 (and its clones), but is not very highly filled. However, as always, it is very interesting to observe how a paste can be spread and when it de facto tears up and down on the glass slide, because it also allows conclusions to be drawn about the mixture.
The TF4 can also be easily torn apart and the coarser particles observed.
The somewhat coarser grinds of some of the particles are appropriate for the price, but the bottom line is that this is still quite adequate. I’ve seen much worse for considerably more money. Especially as the paste also performs quite well (probably for this very reason).
Thermalright TF7
The TF7 has a similar design, but is filled a little higher. This means that it contains more thermally conductive particles. Nevertheless, the paste can still be spread quite well without much effort.
You can see in the enlargement that there is less “floating” than with the TF4, which is why I would clearly prefer the TF7, even for inexperienced users. It simply has a more sensible structure. It’s not high-end, but it’s already usable.
We can see where the TF7 gets its performance from the sometimes very coarse and different degrees of grinding. Yes, you can do that, but whether it will last for a long time is doubtful. At least there is less silicone between the particles than with the TF4.
Thermalright TF8
I can’t deny my sympathy for the paste, even if it does have its weaknesses. But at least the price is right! You can see that the TF8 adheres acceptably, but cannot be peeled off endlessly thin without tearing off. Due to the viscosity of the paste, the heels are relatively high, but it hardly pulls any nasty threads. This is probably due to its composition, as it is a fairly “dry” mixture of many thermally conductive fillers and slightly less silicone (polysiloxanes). The final consistency is therefore mainly achieved by the fillers. You could also use a firmer matrix and fewer fillers to thicken the paste, but then you would have a lower performance.
The risk of outgassing or bleeding of the silicone base is probably of secondary importance here. At this point, I also have fewer concerns about the long-term durability at high temperatures. We will have to see how well everything performs after 6 to 9 months, but I am quite hopeful. Incidentally, this is also the decisive disadvantage compared to the DOWSIL TC-5888 and TC-5500, which are less viscous but have been developed with long-term durability in mind.
The TF8 uses very different degrees of grinding, which is reflected in the particle sizes. This ranges from the nano range to a few particles of up to 3 µm, which also explains why the paste cannot be squeezed endlessly thin.
Thermalright TF9
The TF9 does not burn, but it tears off very quickly due to its extreme viscosity. This also prevents very thin spreading, as the paste adheres poorly due to the large particles…
… which can be seen even better at a higher resolution. Only professionals can do this and then only to a limited extent. I would only use TF9 on the smooth die of a graphics card under threat of violence.
You can recognize the sometimes very large particles even without real magnification, but what you see here is really questionable. This already falls into the category of scouring powder.
Thermalright TFX
Anyone who thought that this couldn’t be improved on has done the math without Thermalright. With the TFX, you can clearly see what is already completely pointless for everyday PC use.
Unfortunately, the TFX adheres extremely poorly, it even rolls up at times and prefers islands when you brush it. This is no longer user-friendly and is even worse than with the TF9.
The particles look just as confused as on the TF8, but they even seem to be proportionately larger in total. It’s really not nice anymore and almost mutates into putty.
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