Best Thermal Paste in 2022

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Intel Socket
Intel Socket

Thermal paste is one of the most critical components of any PC build. It's what ensures direct even contact between the CPU and cooling application, but not all thermal paste is created equal. Here are some of our favorites.

Arctic MX-4

Arctic MX-4

Chilling Performance

The MX-4 by Arctic is one of the better choices for most PC builders and is recommended by many. Not only is it affordable, but it also performs exceptionally well even in enthusiast applications. It's easy to apply, remove, and helps keep your CPU well cooled.

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Thermal Grizzly Hydronaut

Thermal Grizzly Hydronaut

Liquid Performance

Thermal Grizzly's Hydronaut is designed for more severe applications, including water-cooled systems. If you happen to be an enthusiast and need some excellent performing paste, this is the one for you thanks to its optimal heat transfer capabilities.

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Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut

Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut

Extreme Overclocking

When you're ready to do some tinkering to get the absolute best performance out of your CPU, the Kryonaut by Thermal Grizzly is an excellent thermal paste. Note that this price is for the 1g tube. It's best suited for applications that involve overclocking and sub-zero performance.

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Keeping your processor cool

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Choosing the right thermal application for your PC is a natural choice. Any of our recommendations here will work just fine, though if you're looking for the best all-round thermal paste, Arctic's MX-4 is a fantastic solution that many rely on for stable computing. It's affordable, works well, and it is easy to reply (and remove).

But if you plan on doing a little water-cooling or think of yourself as the next leaderboard king (or queen), Thermal Grizzly's Hydronaut or Kryonaut may be a better option with specific application design. Whichever thermal paste you opt to use, your PC will perform well even under load.

Rich Edmonds
Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.