Unlike CPUs, graphics cards don't require you to manually apply thermal paste as everything comes pre-packaged. However, if your card is a bit old and running hotter than usual, it might be time for a fresh coat of thermal paste. Before you grab a screwdriver though, keep in mind that opening up the stock heatsink will most likely void your warranty, and if this is your first time, then it's best to check our step-by-step guide on how to apply thermal paste to a GPU, first.
Higher running temperatures is just one reason why you might want to change your GPU's thermal paste. If you're thinking about overclocking or even swapping your card's stock cooler for a waterblock, a good quality thermal paste can breathe new life into your old cooler or help you reach that record-breaking overclock. These are some of the best thermal pastes for GPUs to consider.
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Editor's choice
Cooler Master CryoFuze
The Cooler Master CryoFuze is our best overall pick as it strikes a great balance between price and performance. It boasts of high thermal conductivity (14W/mK), and is viscous enough to be spread easily. It features non-corrosive and oxidation-resistant properties, and offers stable performance up to 250 degrees Celsius. Overall, it's one of the best thermal pastes even for high-end systems.
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Premium pick
Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme
This extreme version of Thermal Grizzly's popular Kryonaut paste is for those looking to push their GPUs to the limit. It's pricey, but it offers very good thermal conductivity of 14.2W/mK and is safe to use thanks to zero electrical conductivity. This improved version is long-lasting, and has better low-temperature application. A pair of applicators is bundled in the bag. An absolute must-have for overclockers.
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Best value
Arctic MX-4 GPU Thermal Paste
The Arctic MX-4 has been a crowd-favorite for more than a decade, and its winning formula hasn't changed one bit. What's even better is that you get a 4g tube for a similar price of a 2g tube from its competitors, making it the best value offering. It's easy to apply, highly reliable, and ships in an eco-friendly box. If you're looking for something that simply works, this is it.
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Best for beginners
NAB Cooling NB Max Pro
$5 $6 Save $1If you're just starting your modding journey and don't feel like spending a lot, the NAB Cooling NB Max Pro is the perfect starter paste. It's inexpensive, and yet, offers decent thermal conductivity of 8.5W/mK. The syringe also comes with an applicator for even application, and is non-corrosive. The company claims that the paste won't dry for four years, which means you won't have to reapply it often.
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Best user rated
Arctic Silver 5
This thermal paste has been a long-standing staple in the enthusiast community, and it is no wonder that it's one of the highest user-rated pastes. It features 99.9% pure silver particles for the widest contact area and thermal transfer. It's easy to apply, non-corrosive, and offers very good thermal conductivity. Keep in mind that there is a break-in period for when the paste is most effective, so be patient.
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Best long lasting
Noctua NT-H2
- Electrically conductive
- No
- Density
- 2.81 g/cm³
- Operating temperature
- -50 to 200°C
- Color
- Grey
- Recommended usage time (on the CPU)
- up to 5 years
- Volume
- 1,2 ml
A trusted name in cooling solutions, the NT-H2 is the second generation thermal compound from Noctua. It boasts of a long shelf-life of three years, and once applied, it can easily last for up to five years. It's not electrically conductive, doesn't require to be spread over the die, and it ships with alcohol wipes for ease of removing/ reapplying.
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Best newcomer
Pano-mounts TC-P1800
A relatively new player in the thermal compound arena, Pano-mounts comes in guns blazing with some big claims. Its TC-P1800 is well-priced for its thermal conductivity claim of more than 18W/mK. It comes with a five-year warranty, and ships with a bunch of tools to get started. It doesn't require manual spreading, and is rated to work at very high temperatures of up to 340 degrees Celsius.
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Best paste alternative
Innovation Cooling Graphite Thermal Pad
The IC Graphite is one of the best thermal pads, and makes an excellent alternative to traditional paste. It can be cut to fit your GPU die exactly, and is reusable. It also won't pump out under high temperatures like some pastes, and can withstand temperatures up to 400 degrees Celsius. You just need to make sure no stray pieces come in contact with anything, since it is electrically conductive.
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Best phase change pad
JOYJOM PTM7950
This phase change thermal pad boasts of excellent heat absorption properties, and is better suited for AMD GPUs which use chiplet packaging on the core. The phase change occurs at 45 degrees Celsius, which is when the pad offers optimal cooling. This one needs to be applied to the heatsink surface first, and then the GPU die. It's highly effective compared to a standard pad or even paste.
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Best for intermediate users
Thermal Grizzly Hydronaut
- Thermal conductivity
- 0.0076 K/W
- Electrically conductive
- No
- Viscosity
- 140-190 pas
The Thermal Grizzly Hydronaut offers excellent heat conductivity and at a decent price, making it a great choice for budding overclockers. It uses a metal compound instead of silicon, which makes it highly flexible and easy to apply. It has a strong heat conductivity rating of 11.8W/mK, and very good long-term stability.
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Best high performance
Arctic MX-6
- Electrically conductive
- No
- Density
- 2.6 g/cm³
- Viscosity
- 45,000 Poise
- Operating temperature
- -50~150 ℃
- Color
- Grey
- Price per gram
- $2.12
With a promise of 20% better performance over the MX-4, the Arctic MX-6 features an improved composition and lower thermal resistance. It's non-corrosive, and its viscosity makes it easy to use even directly on a GPU die. With a proven track record of over two decades in the business, this thermal paste from Arctic is a no-brainer for high-performance machines.
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Best easy-to-apply kit
Corsair XTM70 Extreme
The Corsair XTM70 Extreme is a high-performance thermal paste for overclocked or water-cooled GPUs, that also happens to be very easy to use. You get a whole kit, complete with wipes and a stencil for an even application. There is enough paste for multiple applications, and is not electrically conductive, making it safe to use.
Our favorite thermal paste for GPUs in 2023
Most thermal compounds that are factory-applied to GPUs are good enough to get the rated performance and temperatures given by the manufacturer. However, no GPU maker can account for every type of usage scenario as the combination of cases, desktop placement, ambient weather conditions, etc. are infinite. For these reasons alone, it's possible that even a brand-new graphics card might not behave exactly like you expect it to, due to perhaps poor airflow in your case or constant heavy load on it due to the kind of applications you use.
Swapping the factory thermal paste with a high-quality one can make a big difference at times. From our list, we think the Cooler Master CryoFuze hits the sweet-spot of balancing price, performance, and features. It's widely available, and backed by a trusted name in the PC accessory business. If you're after the best possible performance, most enthusiasts swear by the Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme.
It offers a high thermal conductivity rating, is easy to apply, and lasts a long time. It's the perfect paste to use if you're thinking of re-seating your GPU cooler or are switching to water cooling. If you don't wish to bother yourself with pastes and need a slap-and-go solution, a thermal pad is what you need. The Graphite thermal pad from Innovation Cooling (IC) does this job very well as not only does it offer great heat conductivity, it can be cut to fit your GPU die precisely and is reusable.
Cooler Master CryoFuze
The CryoFuze thermal compound from Cooler Master is our best all-round pick. It's priced well, offers very good performance, and is easy to apply.