The Best Thermal Paste Syringes

Noctua quotes around 9 to 60 applications depending on CPU size. Nothing else here matches its 10g tube size; the MX-6 8g comes closest at 8g. You also get enough for dozens of mainstream CPUs.

Clean off old paste with isopropyl alcohol first, then apply a pea-sized dot or a thin line on the heatspreader; on large Intel chips an X or a line covers the longer die better. Do not pre-spread it; let the cooler's mounting pressure distribute it. Another plus: maker-rated for up to 5 years without reapplying. At our last price check it topped the group, with the MX-7 8g the nearest cheaper option.

The 8g tube is the value size for anyone who repastes more than one machine. Its viscosity also suits direct-die work on graphics cards and consoles, where a thin layer matters. It is neither electrically conductive nor capacitive, so a little overflow onto nearby parts does no harm.

Clean off old paste with isopropyl alcohol first, then apply a pea-sized dot or a thin line on the heatspreader; on large Intel chips an X or a line covers the longer die better. It was the cheapest of the group when we checked; the Frost X55 Core was the next step up. The main gap: tube size of 8g, behind the NT-H2 10g (10g). If that matters, the NT-H2 10g comes in at 10g.

It is designed to be pressed out by the cooler rather than spread, and the 8g tube lasts for many builds. On tube size it ties with the MX-6 8g at 8g. It also offers a dense, high-filler formula.

Clean off old paste with isopropyl alcohol first, then apply a pea-sized dot or a thin line on the heatspreader; on large Intel chips an X or a line covers the longer die better. Do not pre-spread it; let the cooler's mounting pressure distribute it. It was priced above the MX-6 with cleaner and below the NT-H2 10g at the time of writing.

It is a low-cost way to get the highest conductivity figure in this group. It is metal-free and non-conductive, so a spill onto the board does not short anything. On tube size it ties with the MX-6 with cleaner at 4g.

It also comes with resistance to drying, cracking and separation. Clean off old paste with isopropyl alcohol first, then apply a pea-sized dot or a thin line on the heatspreader; on large Intel chips an X or a line covers the longer die better. When we checked, only the MX-6 8g cost less, and the MX-6 with cleaner cost more.

It is neither electrically conductive nor capacitive, which makes it safe for bare GPU dies. It matches the Frost X55 Core on tube size (4g). You also get lower thermal resistance than ARCTIC's MX-4, by the maker's measure and a viscosity suited to direct-die GPU and console chips.

Clean off old paste with isopropyl alcohol first, then apply a pea-sized dot or a thin line on the heatspreader; on large Intel chips an X or a line covers the longer die better. Its price falls between the Frost X55 Core and the MX-7 8g, based on our last check. If tube size is your priority, the NT-H2 10g (10g) is the stronger choice.