Thermal paste vs. Thermal pads
Thermal pads are convenient, but thermal paste can drop your SBC's temperature by 5-8°C under load. Learn why switching to paste creates better heat transfer and prevents throttling, especially during intensive tasks.
Keep your SBC running cool and fast
Heat is the enemy of performance. When your SBC gets too hot, it automatically slows down to prevent damage through thermal throttling. While most heatsinks come with pre-applied thermal pads for convenience, switching to quality thermal paste can significantly improve cooling and keep your board running at full speed.
Why what's between your chip and heatsink matters
Both thermal paste and thermal pads serve the same purpose: filling microscopic air gaps between your chip and heatsink. Air is one of the worst heat conductors, so eliminating these gaps is crucial for efficient cooling.
Thermal paste wins because it's thinner and conforms better:
- Perfect conformity: Paste spreads thin under pressure, filling every microscopic imperfection and scratch on both surfaces
- Minimal thickness: Thermal pads are solid sheets (0.5mm-3mm thick), while paste creates an ultra-thin layer with much lower thermal resistance
- Real-world results: Switching from pad to paste can drop temperatures by 5-8°C under load often the difference between throttling and full performance
When pads make sense
Thermal pads aren't bad they're just optimized for different priorities:
- Easy installation: Peel-and-stick application with no mess or skill required
- Manufacturing friendly: Fast assembly for mass production
- Electrical safety: Most pads are non-conductive, protecting against accidental shorts if the heatsink shifts
- Reliable out of the box: No risk of improper application or pump-out
Pads work well for low-power components like VRMs or memory chips, but your main SoC generates the most heat and benefits most from paste's superior heat transfer.
The bottom line
If you're running intensive tasks, media servers, or pushing your SBC hard, quality thermal paste is worth the upgrade. It creates a near-perfect thermal connection that keeps your chip cooler, reduces throttling, and maintains peak performance. Just make sure to use non-conductive paste to avoid any risk of shorts on your board.
