High-performance thermal paste minimizes microscopic air gaps and roughness between a CPU's integrated heat spreader (IHS) and a cooler, increasing the surface area for dissipating heat. This prevents thermal throttling and extends the lifespan of the device by allowing it to operate at peak performance for longer periods.

The best thermal pastes feature a combination of materials that create an excellent transfer of thermal energy, and they are non-conductive to protect the sensitive circuitry inside of a PC. These blends are also designed to be resistant to drying out and can resist oxidation. In addition, they typically contain a low concentration of metals to avoid electrical conductivity issues.

There are a variety of different thermal paste options on the market, with new products being released all the time. For example, NZXT entered the market with their first paste, while Cooler Master recently introduced a purple CryoFuze Violet paste to replace their older XTM50 and Alphacool has a brand new Apex option that looks promising.

The top pick is Arctic MX-6, a proven thermal compound with good versatility that works well on both CPUs and GPUs. It has a moderately thick viscosity that is easy to work with and provides stability during application. It is also easy to clean up and not electrically conductive.