I'm looking to spend around $15–20 on roughly 100–200 grams of thermal paste. It would be used with higher-end hardware such as an RTX 4090 and an Intel Core i9-14900K, mainly for systems I'm preparing for resale. I'd like something dependable and reasonably priced so I don't run out quickly. What bulk options have worked well for others?
4 Answers
For normal CPU use, most reputable name-brand pastes perform close enough that you probably won’t notice a meaningful difference. I’d focus on price, shelf life, and buying from a reliable seller rather than chasing the absolute best benchmark result.
For high-end GPUs, I’d lean toward a well-regarded paste such as Thermal Grizzly Duronaut or a suitable Arctic model. However, if these machines are being resold, spending extra for premium paste may not be worthwhile—the buyer may eventually repaste it anyway. Large multi-tube packs can offer better value than one oversized container.
GD900 is one budget-oriented option people use when they need a lot of paste. It can be reasonable for general CPU applications, but I’d verify the seller and packaging carefully since bulk thermal paste quality and authenticity can vary.
Arctic MX-4 is a solid, inexpensive choice, although the largest commonly available tube is only about 45 grams. MX-6 is another good option if you want a newer Arctic paste, but it may be harder to find in a genuinely large package.
That makes sense. I may go with a cheaper multi-pack for the resale systems instead of paying extra for a premium GPU paste.