It's been some years since I've bough thermal paste. Are these PTM7950 pads supposed to be the best choice now?
It's better since it won't dry out - apply once and forget. Thermal paste will harden and get pumped out, probably 1-3 years depending on usage. Leaving almost none to little thermal interface material after a long period of thermal cycling.
The challenge is applying ptm7950 since it's one whole piece like a thermal pad, except it's way thinner and sticky when it's handled at room temperature. Removing the first protective layer is easy. After applying on the CPU die/IHS, removing the second protective layer without the ptm7950 sticking to it is the challenge.
Freezing it is one trick. Applying a scotch tape to the second protective layer and quickly lifting it in one pull is another.
Good thing is the ptm7950 sheet comes as a large piece, so you'll get there after 2-3 tries.
By the way, it needs manual precision cutting with sharp knife or scissors to match the CPU die/IHS size.
Either LTT's ptm7950 or Thermal Grizzly Phase Sheet PTM works, whichever is available and more cost effective for you. Or digilently change thermal paste before it causes damage.
Especially if you have a projector, I believe most of them uses thermal paste. Mine dried out and luckily the firmware has good thermal safety measures. Laser dimmed and video playback stops. The symptom was like a stuck DMD mirror but clearly it wasn't.
Going back to HDMI@120Hz support, on hardware perspective if cost is not much of an issue and the goal is for long term usage, then it's a better buy.
Else HDMI@60Hz is the safe upper limit for a media box.
