Shin Etsu G-751: 5C cooler with no added noise!

Justin_R · Post by **Justin_R** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 1:38 am

Product: Shin Etsu G-751 Thermal Compound
Manufacturer: Shin Etsu

Here's the only two English language reviews of it I could find:
http://www.meetthegeeks.org/ourreview/2002/shinetsu/
http://www.insideproject.com/showreview.cfm?reviewid=81

Here are the vendors I found for it:
US:
http://www.ajigo-store.com/therin.html: US$6
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/tai-sol/shing7thergr.html US$7.95
UK:
http://www.chillblast.com/ £6.44

Okay, so why do you care? Check out this chart from the inside project review. 5C cooler than Arctic Silver 3 under load. I remember being shocked that AS3 was 2C cooler than standard stuff. It would be great if SPCR could get some to review. If the numbers hold up, this stuff is the new must-have for any Silent PC project.

Note: Coolermaster Premium Thermal Compound also contains a mixture of the same compound as Shin Etsu G-751, but performs not quite as well. It's probably much easier to find, though.

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Sat Jan 18, 2003 5:19 am

I got a couple of tubes of this a few weeks ago from the vendor in your second link. I haven't used it yet. I tried spreading it on one of my spare CPUs and it is a REAL bitch to spread evenly. It is very thick and tends to roll around instead of spreading evenly. Next time I pull the HSF off of either of my rigs I'll give it a try.

There's a big to-do about this stuff over at OCforums. It kind of started here, then Joe at Overclockers.com tested it and several other thermal compounds and after that is when things started "heating up", so to speak.

There's been rave reviews of this stuff in the links that Justin_R already gave, as well as in the Chillblast forums so I'll reserve judgement until I actually try it myself. I have a very good handle on what my temps are so I should be able to draw a somewhat valid conclusion about Shin-etsu as it relates to my own situation at least.

BTW - These Shin-etsu tubes are tiny. There's only .4cc of grease in each tube. They say that's one gram and a regular size tube of ASIII is three grams for about the same price.

ez2remember · Post by **ez2remember** » Tue Feb 25, 2003 4:49 pm

I am convinced time to get some Shin Etsu G-751 Thermal Compound, who cares if it works or not it just sounds too good to be true.

Sledge · Post by **Sledge** » Tue Feb 25, 2003 4:59 pm

Hey, ez. Now it's your turn to tell me (and everyone else) if that stuff works

BTW, I removed the 60mm fan from the WaterX and my idle temps dropped from 44 to 42C. Now if I use this stuff, then theoretically my idle temp could drop to 35C. Do I completely believe this? Nah. But just in case...

ez2remember · Post by **ez2remember** » Wed Feb 26, 2003 3:37 am

Just ordered it today from chillblast.com, it was slightly cheaper than Artic Silver 3, and comes with free delivery to the UK.

I will let you know as soon as I get it. It is described as putty, so I will remove the HS and try to spread evenly.

Gandalf · Post by **Gandalf** » Wed Feb 26, 2003 3:40 am

Looking for a Belgian Dealer, but no luck so far.

Oh btw .. those BIOS temp tests are rather weird .. how is possible that for Shin stuff the bios temp DROPS on the 3rd day? That's against common sense ..

ez2remember · Post by **ez2remember** » Wed Feb 26, 2003 3:50 am

From what I read about AS3 which also takes upto 72hrs before it reaches best results is that the fan on top of the heatsink causes tiny vibrations. What happens is that these vibrations causes compound to even more smoothly and also fills in the impefections that the naked eye cannot notice. That was one of the reasons I read about but there maybe others..

jinu117 · Post by **jinu117** » Wed Feb 26, 2003 2:03 pm

I haven't tried shin-etsu itself... but reviews tend to agree they are in same league as Coolermaster one with shin-etsu. Compared to AS3, the difference is negligible...between coolermaster one and AS3. (Coolermaster applied correctly will be 1c cooler than AS3)... Now, applied correctly might not be the right wording... it is more likely... "exceptionally" I don't consider myself a novice (been computer geek for last two decades as starting from the time when I made my own sound card for apple)... but getting the cooler master applied well takes a lot of time and patience compared to AS3. One thing I noticed is cooler master is a little easier to clean off the mass all together after few weeks of use compared to AS3.

ez2remember · Post by **ez2remember** » Sun Mar 02, 2003 6:55 pm

Sledge wrote:Hey, ez. Now it's your turn to tell me (and everyone else) if that stuff works

First of all this stuff is a little bit of a pain to apply evenly, it is like putty. I found it easier to apply it straight onto the HS rather than the CPU. I covered a large area of the heatsink.

Okay I have finally waited 3+ days as suggested before giving out my results.

Before with stock Intel HSF @5v and thermal pad
CPU temp: 41C idle
CPU temp: 47C load

After with Shin Etsu G-751 thermal compound
CPU temp: 37C idle
CPU temp: 43C load

So the results are clear I lost about 4C with this thermal compound, but I really wonder if I applied my AS3 instead of Shin Etsu would I get similar results? Possibly not as good..

So do I recommend this product? Well not fully because its a pain to spread.

L4177312 · Post by **L4177312** » Sun Mar 02, 2003 10:37 pm

wow.. thats pretty good.

did you guys try warming the tube in your hand before applying? or maybe a putty knife.. heh

GamingGod · Post by **GamingGod** » Mon Mar 03, 2003 10:41 am

So this stuff is supposidly better than artic silver 3?

Herb W. · Post by **Herb W.** » Mon Mar 03, 2003 10:58 am

Yes, 2-3C better according to some reviews I read. The reseller I bought mine from suggested warming it up slightly to ease application (I haven't used it yet).

Sledge · Post by **Sledge** » Mon Mar 03, 2003 3:29 pm

Thanks for the info. I'm going to replace my cooler with an SLK800 very soon and I may buy this stuff instead of using AS.

ez2remember · Post by **ez2remember** » Mon Mar 03, 2003 4:51 pm

Even stranger results today, it won't pass 42C under load, idle tempertures are about the same. So this stuff really takes time to reach its peak..

I am shocked!!

GamingGod · Post by **GamingGod** » Mon Mar 03, 2003 6:59 pm

hmm if this stuff is really that good then i think ill try some too, to remove the stock goop on a intel heatsink what do you use? Ive heard alcohol and razorblade, anything else?

Post by **Rusty075** » Mon Mar 03, 2003 10:02 pm

If you're removing it from the heatsink try some WD-40 if its really stubborn. (don't put it on the CPU

) It cuts old hardened paste better than alcohol. But remember to use some alcohol afterwards to remove the film that the WD-40 leaves behind.

jamoore9 · Post by **jamoore9** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 7:16 am

I read acetone (ie, nail polish remover). Is that a bad idea? Seems like it would be safer than WD40? Just wondering...

Post by **Rusty075** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 9:11 am

Acetone works good too.

ez2remember · Post by **ez2remember** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 10:49 am

GamingGod wrote:hmm if this stuff is really that good then i think ill try some too, to remove the stock goop on a intel heatsink what do you use? Ive heard alcohol and razorblade, anything else?

Acetone works but its harsh compared to Isopropanol, also found in some nail vanish removers.

Just buy some nail vanish remover (contains Isopropanal) without any alcohol. Alcohol is not good for your CPU. Apply it to the thermal pad, and whipe it clean. Intel stock thermal pad also has 1 layer of thin metal (possibly aluminium) just peel it off. Then apply it again on whats left of the goop onthe HS and whipe again.

All gone nice and clean.

Dont apply too much to the CPU goop, just get cottom buds/pads and whipe it off as you are going along.

Update: Read your post again, RAZORBLADE!!!!! Never heard anyone using a razorblade to remove thermal compounds before. You don't need it just get Isopropanol and the stuff will vanish with varnish. LOL

Justin_R · Post by **Justin_R** » Mon May 12, 2003 7:59 pm

I just read a new roundup at OCprices.com that reaches the same conclusion as the others: "[Shin Etsu G751 is] a bitch to use, it's a bitch to spread and it takes ages to cure, but once it does it literally slaughters the competition."

I think I'm finally ordering some today.

halcyon · Post by **halcyon** » Mon May 12, 2003 10:12 pm

The reviews are mixed:

http://www.overclockers.com/articles660/

Or it is possible that there are several variants of G751 which differ in composition OR that it is truly so difficult to spread that some sites will get worse results due to uneven spreading

regards,
Halcyon

PS Regardless, I'm also interested in getting some to test. It's a cheap tweak I think.

Post by **MikeC** » Mon May 12, 2003 10:38 pm

I tend to agree with Joe Citarella, who does not see much difference between the goops. Ditto Dan. Most "serious" HS testers don't seem to put much faith in "speciality" thermal goops.

recent piece on goop by aussie dan:
http://www.dansdata.com/ascer_ttv11.htm

slightly less recent piece on goop by aussie dan:
http://www.dansdata.com/goop.htm

lurker · Post by **lurker** » Mon May 12, 2003 10:42 pm

How does G749 compare to this stuff? That's the one that won't void AMD's warranty.

Tsorovan · Post by **Tsorovan** » Tue May 13, 2003 5:28 am

ez2remember wrote: Just buy some nail vanish remover (contains Isopropanal) without any alcohol. Alcohol is not good for your CPU.

Isopropanol/isopropyl IS alcohol?

Oh, and it's not vibrations that helps the goop to settle after a few days, it's the heat.

Post by **Ralf Hutter** » Tue May 13, 2003 5:37 am

Opps, I never got back with my results.

I finally got around to trying it about 4-6 weeks ago. Temps with the Shin-Etsu (after 3+ days to "cure") were maybe 1-2°C cooler than with ASIII. That's just not enough difference to offset the pain-in-the-ass that it is to apply, plus it costs $7 for a 1cc tube while ASIII is about $8 for a 3cc tube.

AndrewC · Post by **AndrewC** » Tue May 13, 2003 5:37 am

Oh, and it's not vibrations that helps the goop to settle after a few days, it's the heat.

Well ArticSilver thinks that a fan on the heatsink helps to shorten the breakin period. I guess due to vibration but I could be wrong.

Due to the unique shape and sizes of the silver particles in Arctic Silver 3, it will take a minimum of 72 hours, and as many as 200 hours to achieve maximum particle to particle thermal conduction and for the heatsink to CPU interface to reach maximum conductivity. (This period will be longer in a system without a fan on the heatsink.) The CPU's temperature will drop as much as 2C to 5C over this "break-in" period.

Mark Larson · Post by **Mark Larson** » Tue May 13, 2003 4:39 pm

I used to use AS3 all the time, then i found some thermal pad - Chomerics T725. I used it, and my temps dropped pretty drastically.

this was on an AX-7 with Panaflo. Then i used those pads on many heatsinks and a waterblock, and have always had excellent results each time. I recommend it whole-heartedly.

My application of AS3 was ok - not giving "bad" temps per se, but the pad dropped them even further.

Me =

http://store.yahoo.com/tai-sol/therinmat.html

DaShiv · Post by **DaShiv** » Tue May 13, 2003 8:17 pm

Are there any website reviews for that thermal pad? I'd hate to break with traditional wisdom regarding thermal pads without seeing what people with more experience than me have to say about it...

ez2remember · Post by **ez2remember** » Thu May 15, 2003 3:15 pm

MikeC wrote:I tend to agree with Joe Citarella, who does not see much difference between the goops. Ditto Dan. Most "serious" HS testers don't seem to put much faith in "speciality" thermal goops.

I question this.

The biggest difference I found was when I used thermal grease that came with the Zalman HS. This stuff is useless and dries out after a while, but even temps at the beginning was poor compared to when I used AS3.

Are you sure you have not noticed a difference with different thermal goops?