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Arctic MX-4 vs Thermalright TF7: Comparison
Arctic MX-4 vs Thermalright TF7 max operating temperature compared
Expect a near tie. The closest thing to a difference is max operating temperature, Arctic MX-4 150 C against Thermalright TF7 250 C. The min operating temperature figures are near enough to ignore, -50 C on the Arctic MX-4 versus -150 C on the Thermalright TF7. They differ on density too, 2.50 g/cm3 on the Arctic MX-4 versus 2.8 g/cm3 on the Thermalright TF7.
Arctic MX-4 vs Thermalright TF7: which one fits your build
Take the Arctic MX-4 for mainstream CPU builds on the tightest thermal-paste budget. Current guides specifically recommend this tier of paste for chips like a Core i5 or Ryzen 5. The same goes for buyers who value an extremely long, proven track record over the newest formula. Few thermal pastes have this much accumulated real-world usage data behind them. Avoid it for flagship or heavily overclocked CPUs. Arctic's own MX-6, or Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut, both covered elsewhere on this site, deliver meaningfully better performance where that headroom actually matters. The Thermalright TF7 is the one to take for budget-conscious enthusiasts and mainstream gaming builds, though it is the wrong buy for extreme overclocking and delidded direct-die use. Our rating of the Arctic MX-4 (7.3/10): an extremely well-reviewed budget staple with a huge installed base, though durability has been questioned on laptops and bare dies over long periods. Our rating of the Thermalright TF7 (6.3/10): A budget enthusiast paste from Thermalright, decent value though older than the brand's newer TF9/TFX releases.
What Arctic MX-4 and Thermalright TF7 have in common
The common ground is wider than the gap: electrical conductivity and paste segment are identical here.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- Arctic MX-4
- Arctic
- Thermalright TF7
- Thermalright
Model
- Arctic MX-4
- Arctic MX-4 , MX-4
- Thermalright TF7
- TF7
Electrical Conductivity
- Arctic MX-4
- Insulating
- Thermalright TF7
- Insulating
Package Size
- Arctic MX-4
- 2g / 4g / 8g / 20g / 45g tubes
- Thermalright TF7
- 2g and 8g syringe
Recommended Use
- Arctic MX-4
- Mainstream CPU/GPU (builds on a tight budget)
- Thermalright TF7
- Mainstream CPU/GPU
Safety Notes
- Arctic MX-4
- Metal-free and not electrically conductive; volume resistivity 3.8 x 10^13 ohm-cm
- Thermalright TF7
- Electrically non-conductive, non-corrosive per manufacturer
Min Operating Temperature
- Arctic MX-4
- -50 C
- Thermalright TF7
- -150 CBest
Max Operating Temperature
- Arctic MX-4
- 150 CBest
- Thermalright TF7
- 250 C
Density
- Arctic MX-4
- 2.50 g/cm3
- Thermalright TF7
- 2.8 g/cm3
Paste Segment
- Arctic MX-4
- Standard Paste
- Thermalright TF7
- Standard Paste
Which one should you pick?
Choose Arctic MX-4 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose Thermalright TF7 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | Arctic MX-4 | Thermalright TF7 |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
| Newegg | View on Newegg | |
| Arctic Store | View on Arctic Store | |
| Thermalright (Manufacturer) | View on Thermalright (Manufacturer) |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
Arctic MX-4
7.3 / 10 Expert Rating
An extremely well-reviewed budget staple with a huge installed base, though durability has been questioned on laptops and bare dies over long periods.
Thermalright TF7
6.3 / 10 Expert Rating
A budget enthusiast paste from Thermalright, decent value though older than the brand's newer TF9/TFX releases.