14 DAY TRIAL // Coolers are all well and good, but they can't exactly do much of anything if they don't really make good contact with the integrated heatsink (IHS) of a central processing unit. That's where thermal interfaces like the new EK-TIM Indigo XS come in.
Thermal interface is kind of an odd term, since “interface” tends to make people think of connectors, like USB and DisplayPort, and many others.
PCI Express and RAM slots are interfaces too, for that matter. The term has a broad meaning in that regard.
Still, we can't call the EK-TIM Indigo XS a thermal “grease” because it's not just a syringe of semi-solid substance you need to spread over a CPU's surface.
Instead, the EK-TIM Indigo XS is a self-contained, sealed structure featuring Phase Change Metallic Alloy (PCMA) which fills surface asperities on the CPU lid and heatsink.
It contains molten, oxide-free PCMA and has very low contact resistance, as well as low bulk resistance.
Thus, the new invention from EK could be described as a void-free, robust interfacial layer.
Compared to greases/pastes, the newcomer should be four to six times better at conducting heat. It should also be superior in terms of thermal performance to all TIMs (thermal interface materials).
The EK-TIM Indigo XS is compatible with all copper and aluminum surfaces, meaning it is good for pretty much every CPU air- and water-cooler out there. Well, from Intel's LGA 1150/1155/1156 socket CPU series anyway.
To use it, you just need to unpeel the protective layer and stick the main strip to the CPU. To remove it, you can simply peel it off and leave nothing behind on the CPU surface, or the underside of the CPU base plate/direct-contact heatpipes/heatsink base. The price of the thermal paste is €22.31 / $30.22.
