{"id":68777,"date":"2026-09-13T03:29:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-13T03:29:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/?p=68777"},"modified":"2026-09-16T13:29:38","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T13:29:38","slug":"best-thermal-paste-for-xbox-series-x","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/best-thermal-paste-for-xbox-series-x\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Thermal Paste for Xbox Series X"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"gagen-article gagen-v2\"><div class=\"article-intro\">\n  <p>Xbox Series X is a 2020 custom-SoC clamp that stays closed for years: 8-core Zen 2 + 52 CU RDNA 2 (360.45 mm\u00b2, 12 TFLOPS, 16 GB GDDR6) on a vapor-chamber cooler. Microsoft\u2019s sheet is on <a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2020\/03\/16\/xbox-series-x-tech\/\">Xbox Wire<\/a>. iFixit\u2019s teardown is the TIM map \u2014 paste on the Scarlett SoC, putty on the GDDR6 \/ VRM \/ SSD sandwich, a 130 mm bottom-intake fan, not PlayStation liquid metal. The 2026 APU buy is Thermal Grizzly PhaseSheet PTM.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"quick-picks-box\">\n  <div class=\"qp-header\">\n  <h2>Our Top Picks at a Glance<\/h2>\n  <p class=\"qp-sub\">Updated September 2026 \u00b7 Matched to Xbox Series X (model 1882) paste + putty \u2014 not a PS5 liquid-metal list<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"qp-cards\">\n  <div class=\"qp-card qp-card--gold\">\n  <span class=\"qp-num\">01<\/span>\n  <span class=\"qp-badge\">\ud83c\udfc6 Best Overall<\/span>\n  <strong class=\"qp-name\">Thermal Grizzly PhaseSheet PTM<\/strong>\n  <div class=\"qp-rating\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 <span class=\"qp-score\">4.8 \/ 5.0<\/span> <span class=\"qp-reviews\">\u00b7 2026 pick<\/span><\/div>\n  <p class=\"qp-why\">50\u00d740\u00d70.2 mm PCM pad. Solid on the bench, liquid above 45 \u00b0C, written to fight pump-out. The Series X APU default.<\/p>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Thermal+Grizzly+PhaseSheet+PTM&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"qp-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check Price at Amazon<\/a>\n  <a href=\"#best-overall\" class=\"qp-jump\">Read full review \u2193<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"qp-card qp-card--green\">\n  <span class=\"qp-num\">02<\/span>\n  <span class=\"qp-badge\">\ud83d\udc8e Best Value<\/span>\n  <strong class=\"qp-name\">Arctic MX-6<\/strong>\n  <div class=\"qp-rating\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 <span class=\"qp-score\">4.6 \/ 5.0<\/span> <span class=\"qp-reviews\">\u00b7 2026 pick<\/span><\/div>\n  <p class=\"qp-why\">Non-conductive, non-capacitive, no burn-in. The iFixit \u201csmall bead on the APU\u201d grease. Arctic even names console GPUs.<\/p>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Arctic+MX-6&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"qp-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check Price at Amazon<\/a>\n  <a href=\"#best-value\" class=\"qp-jump\">Read full review \u2193<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"qp-card qp-card--blue\">\n  <span class=\"qp-num\">03<\/span>\n  <span class=\"qp-badge\">\ud83d\udcb0 Budget Pick<\/span>\n  <strong class=\"qp-name\">K5-PRO thermal putty<\/strong>\n  <div class=\"qp-rating\">\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606 <span class=\"qp-score\">4.4 \/ 5.0<\/span> <span class=\"qp-reviews\">\u00b7 2026 pick<\/span><\/div>\n  <p class=\"qp-why\">The GDDR6 \/ VRM job the old page skipped. iFixit named K5 Pro as the putty stand-in. Not APU grease.<\/p>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=K5+PRO+thermal+putty&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"qp-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check Price at Amazon<\/a>\n  <a href=\"#budget-pick\" class=\"qp-jump\">Read full review \u2193<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"affiliate-disclosure\"><p><em>Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate affiliate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"info-module buying-guide\" id=\"who-should-buy\">\n  <h3>Who should buy what<\/h3>\n  <ul>\n  <li><strong>Most Series X APU refreshes:<\/strong> <a href=\"#best-overall\">Thermal Grizzly PhaseSheet PTM<\/a> \u2014 50\u00d740\u00d70.2 mm, SKU TG-PS-50-40 \/ S-TG-PS-50-40. Cut to the SoC, not over the memory. Buy the named PhaseSheet, not a no-name \u201cPTM7950\u201d rectangle.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>Want the official iFixit method:<\/strong> <a href=\"#best-value\">Arctic MX-6<\/a>. A small bead in the center of the APU. Non-conductive and non-capacitive. Check the Arctic authenticity code.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>Putty torn on GDDR6 \/ VRM \/ SSD:<\/strong> <a href=\"#budget-pick\">K5-PRO<\/a>. That is a second SKU. Paste or PhaseSheet still goes on the SoC.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>MX-6 is empty on the shelf:<\/strong> <a href=\"#nth2-pick\">Noctua NT-H2<\/a>. Still grease. Still not putty.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>Skip:<\/strong> liquid metal (the PS5 factory TIM, not this console), Arctic Silver 5 (the old Budget on this URL \u2014 slightly capacitive, 50\u2013200 h cure), Kryonaut as the default (the PS5 Overall), KryoSheet (electrically conductive graphene), and random Amazon pads titled only PTM7950.<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Comparison Table<\/h2>\n<div class=\"comparison-module\">\n  <table class=\"comparison-table\">\n  <thead><tr><th>Product<\/th><th>Best for<\/th><th>Type<\/th><th>Electrical<\/th><th>Series X job<\/th><th>Price<\/th><th>Buy<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n  <tbody>\n  <tr class=\"highlight-row\"><td><strong>PhaseSheet PTM<\/strong><\/td><td>Default APU TIM<\/td><td>PCM pad 0.2 mm<\/td><td>Non-conductive<\/td><td>SoC only \u2014 cut to lid<\/td><td>$12\u2013$18<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Thermal+Grizzly+PhaseSheet+PTM&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"table-price-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><td><strong>Arctic MX-6<\/strong><\/td><td>iFixit bead<\/td><td>Carbon grease<\/td><td>Non-conductive, non-capacitive<\/td><td>SoC only<\/td><td>$8\u2013$12<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Arctic+MX-6&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"table-price-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><td><strong>K5-PRO<\/strong><\/td><td>Putty \/ pads<\/td><td>Viscous putty<\/td><td>Non-conductive<\/td><td>GDDR6, VRM, SSD \u2014 not the SoC<\/td><td>$15\u2013$22<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=K5+PRO+thermal+putty&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"table-price-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><td><strong>Noctua NT-H2<\/strong><\/td><td>Backup grease<\/td><td>Hybrid paste<\/td><td>Non-conductive<\/td><td>SoC only<\/td><td>$10\u2013$14<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Noctua+NT-H2&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"table-price-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Check<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><td><strong>Liquid metal \/ Conductonaut<\/strong><\/td><td>Skip<\/td><td>GaInSn<\/td><td>Conductive<\/td><td>PS5<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><td><strong>Arctic Silver 5<\/strong><\/td><td>Skip<\/td><td>Silver grease<\/td><td>Slightly capacitive<\/td><td>Old Budget on this page<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/tbody>\n  <\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>Street prices move. A PhaseSheet plus a 10 g K5-PRO tube is the honest Series X cart. Do not \u201csave\u201d by buying only MX-6 and leaving torn putty on the GDDR6, and do not spend the putty budget on Kryonaut because the PS5 URL on this site still leads with it.<\/p>\n\n<h2>How We Picked These Compounds<\/h2>\n<ul>\n  <li><strong>What Microsoft built:<\/strong> Custom 8-core Zen 2 at 3.8 GHz (3.6 GHz with SMT), 52 CU RDNA 2 at 1.825 GHz, 12 TFLOPS, 360.45 mm\u00b2, 16 GB GDDR6 on a 320-bit bus, 1 TB custom NVMe, 4K\/60 target with 120 fps headroom \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/news.xbox.com\/en-us\/2020\/03\/16\/xbox-series-x-tech\/\">Xbox Wire, 16 March 2020<\/a>. iFixit\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ifixit.com\/Teardown\/Xbox+Series+X+Teardown\/138451\">Series X teardown<\/a> is the cooling sandwich: 130 mm fan, copper vapor chamber and fins, mint-green compound on the Scarlett SoC (100-000000388), putty on memory \/ SSD \/ VRMs, 315 W PSU. Model 1882. The 2024 2 TB \/ Digital refresh can swap the vapor chamber for heat pipes; iFixit\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ifixit.com\/Guide\/How+to+Replace+the+Thermal+Putty+%26+Thermal+Paste+in+your+Xbox+Series+X+(2+TB+Galaxy+Black)\/181897\">2 TB guide<\/a> is still paste on the APU and putty on the board. This is not a PS5 liquid-metal die.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>What the official repair guide actually says:<\/strong> Microsoft\u2019s service path for Series X is genuine parts via the Microsoft Store and iFixit. The partner <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ifixit.com\/Guide\/How+to+Replace+the+Thermal+Putty+%26+Thermal+Paste+in+your+Xbox+Series+X\/181894\">paste-and-putty guide<\/a> is the shopping brief: factory paste dries; replace it every time the motherboard comes off the heatsink; putty is more durable but tears; clean with >90% IPA; a small bead of paste in the center of the APU; the heatsink spreads it. There is no Microsoft SKU for \u201cMX-6\u201d or \u201cPhaseSheet.\u201d There is a documented two-material job.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>Pump-out versus the:<\/strong> Thermal Grizzly\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thermal-grizzly.com\/en\/phasesheet-ptm\/s-tg-ps-50-40\">PhaseSheet PTM sheet<\/a> exists for long intervals: solid at room temperature, liquid above 45 \u00b0C, contracts on cooldown so grease pump-out is \u201conly very slight,\u201d non-conductive, peak conductivity after about ten cycles above 60 \u00b0C. Arctic\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.arctic.de\/us\/MX-6\/ACTCP00084A\">MX-6 page<\/a> is the grease that matches iFixit\u2019s bead \u2014 not conductive, not capacitive, no burn-in, and Arctic lists console processor GPUs as an intended use. Liquid metal is the other console\u2019s factory TIM. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.arcticsilver.com\/as5.htm\">Arctic Silver 5<\/a> is the old Budget here: 50\u2013200 hour cure and \u201cvery slightly capacitive.\u201d That is a board-sandwich reject, not a 2026 Overall.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2>Best Thermal Paste for Xbox Series X: Detailed Reviews<\/h2>\n\n<div class=\"top-recommendation\" id=\"best-overall\" data-badge=\"best-overall\">\n  <div class=\"top-badge badge-best-overall\">\ud83c\udfc6 Best Overall<\/div>\n  <h3>Thermal Grizzly PhaseSheet PTM <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Thermal+Grizzly+PhaseSheet+PTM&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"title-amazon-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">View on Amazon<\/a><\/h3>\n  <div class=\"product-highlights\">\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Best For:<\/span> Series X SoC, years between opens<\/div>\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Key Feature:<\/span> PCM pad \u00b7 liquid >45 \u00b0C \u00b7 anti-pump-out<\/div>\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Rating:<\/span> <span class=\"star-rating\">4.8 \/ 5.0 \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/span><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <table class=\"spec-table\">\n  <tr><th>Format<\/th><td>Phase-change pad, grey, 50 \u00d7 40 \u00d7 0.2 mm (TG-PS-50-40)<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Phase change<\/th><td>Solid at room temp \u00b7 liquefies above 45 \u00b0C<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Electrical<\/th><td>Not electrically conductive<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Operating range<\/th><td>\u221275 \u00b0C to +150 \u00b0C<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>TG notes<\/th><td>~300\u2013400 N clamp for thinnest bond line \u00b7 ~10 cycles above 60 \u00b0C to stabilize<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Not for<\/th><td>GDDR6 \/ VRM gaps \u2014 that is putty<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/table>\n  <p><strong>Why it fits Series X.<\/strong> The old Overall on this URL was MX-6 after a first-person 4K \u201cstress test.\u201d The pairing is the clamp. This SoC sits under a sprung vapor-chamber (or 2024 heat-pipe) cold plate until someone opens the tower again. Thermal Grizzly wrote PhaseSheet for that interval: the pad is a dry sticker on the bench, a thin liquid in game, and it pulls back when the console cools so the pump-out that empties grease toward the edges is the thing it is designed to reduce. 50 \u00d7 40 mm more than covers a 360.45 mm\u00b2 die. Cut it to the SoC lid. Leave the memory chips for putty. Buy the Thermal Grizzly print \u2014 S-TG-PS-50-40 \u2014 not a generic \u201cPTM7950 40\u00d780\u201d listing with no brand on the liner.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Skip this if<\/strong> you are following iFixit\u2019s bead-of-paste photos and do not want to cut a pad. That is MX-6. Skip KryoSheet: TG\u2019s graphene sheet is a different product and it is electrically conductive.<\/p>\n  <div class=\"pros-cons\">\n  <ul class=\"pros\">\n  <li>TG\u2019s own anti-pump-out write-up matches a console that stays closed for years<\/li>\n  <li>Non-conductive \u00b7 dry handling \u00b7 0.2 mm starting thickness<\/li>\n  <li>Named consumer SKU instead of a counterfeit PCM lottery<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <ul class=\"cons\">\n  <li>Needs heat cycles above 60 \u00b0C before TG says it is fully in<\/li>\n  <li>Does not replace the putty on GDDR6<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n  <p class=\"purchase-link\"><span class=\"amazon-region-btn\">Check Price on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Thermal+Grizzly+PhaseSheet+PTM&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Amazon US<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/s?k=Thermal+Grizzly+PhaseSheet+PTM&#038;tag=pctest07-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UK<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/s?k=Thermal+Grizzly+PhaseSheet+PTM&#038;tag=pctestt-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.de\/s?k=Thermal+Grizzly+PhaseSheet+PTM&#038;tag=67990-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DE<\/a> \u2192<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"top-recommendation\" id=\"best-value\" data-badge=\"best-value\">\n  <div class=\"top-badge badge-best-value\">\ud83d\udc8e Best Value<\/div>\n  <h3>Arctic MX-6 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Arctic+MX-6&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"title-amazon-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">View on Amazon<\/a><\/h3>\n  <div class=\"product-highlights\">\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Best For:<\/span> iFixit APU bead, no pad cutting<\/div>\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Key Feature:<\/span> Non-conductive \u00b7 non-capacitive \u00b7 no burn-in<\/div>\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Rating:<\/span> <span class=\"star-rating\">4.6 \/ 5.0 \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <table class=\"spec-table\">\n  <tr><th>Format<\/th><td>Carbon-filler silicone grease \u00b7 2 \/ 4 \/ 8 g syringes<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Electrical<\/th><td>Not conductive, not capacitive \u00b7 1.8\u00d710\u00b9\u00b2 \u03a9\u00b7cm \u00b7 7.5 kV\/mm<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Viscosity \/ density<\/th><td>45,000 poise \u00b7 2.6 g\/cm\u00b3<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Temperature<\/th><td>\u221250 to 150 \u00b0C continuous<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Cure<\/th><td>None \u2014 Arctic says full performance after mount pressure<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Console note<\/th><td>Arctic lists direct-die \/ console processor GPUs as an intended use<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/table>\n  <p><strong>Why it fits Series X.<\/strong> iFixit\u2019s step is a small bead on the APU, then the heatsink. MX-6 is the grease that matches that sentence without the: no silver, no liquid metal, no 200-hour Arctic Silver cure, and Arctic\u2019s own page says it is for console GPUs and that a spatula spread is the wrong method \u2014 use cooler pressure. That is the Series X sandwich. A 2 g or 4 g tube is enough for this SoC plus a second pass if you smear the first alignment. Run the Arctic authenticity check; counterfeit MX tubes exist the same way fake PCM pads do.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Skip this if<\/strong> the console is staying closed until 2030 and you want TG\u2019s pump-out write-up instead of Arctic\u2019s. That is PhaseSheet. Skip MX-4 as a \u201cclose enough\u201d cart add \u2014 this page is MX-6. Skip using MX-6 as putty on the GDDR6. Arctic\u2019s viscosity is for a bond line, not a 1 mm memory gap.<\/p>\n  <div class=\"pros-cons\">\n  <ul class=\"pros\">\n  <li>Matches the iFixit bead \u00b7 no cure \u00b7 not capacitive<\/li>\n  <li>Arctic names console processor GPUs<\/li>\n  <li>Cheap enough to keep a spare 2 g in the drawer<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <ul class=\"cons\">\n  <li>Still grease on a clamp that may not be opened again for years<\/li>\n  <li>Does not fill the putty sites<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n  <p class=\"purchase-link\"><span class=\"amazon-region-btn\">Check Price on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Arctic+MX-6&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Amazon US<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/s?k=Arctic+MX-6&#038;tag=pctest07-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UK<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/s?k=Arctic+MX-6&#038;tag=pctestt-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.de\/s?k=Arctic+MX-6&#038;tag=67990-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DE<\/a> \u2192<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"top-recommendation\" id=\"budget-pick\" data-badge=\"budget-pick\">\n  <div class=\"top-badge badge-budget-pick\">\ud83d\udcb0 Budget Pick<\/div>\n  <h3>K5-PRO thermal putty <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=K5+PRO+thermal+putty&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"title-amazon-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">View on Amazon<\/a><\/h3>\n  <div class=\"product-highlights\">\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Best For:<\/span> GDDR6, VRM, SSD \u2014 the second material<\/div>\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Key Feature:<\/span> Pad-replacement putty \u00b7 non-conductive<\/div>\n  <div class=\"highlight-item\"><span class=\"highlight-label\">Rating:<\/span> <span class=\"star-rating\">4.4 \/ 5.0 \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2606<\/span><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <table class=\"spec-table\">\n  <tr><th>Format<\/th><td>Viscous putty \u00b7 10 g twist-up or 20 g jar<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Job<\/th><td>Soft-pad replacement on mixed-height chips<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Electrical<\/th><td>Non-conductive \u2014 maker spec<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Gaps<\/th><td>Maker: about 0.5\u20133 mm, ~1 mm optimal<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Why this name<\/th><td>iFixit named K5 Pro on the Series X teardown comments when readers asked what to use instead of factory putty<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Not for<\/th><td>The Scarlett SoC lid \u2014 that is PhaseSheet or MX-6<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/table>\n  <p><strong>Why it fits Series X.<\/strong> The old Budget was Arctic Silver 5. That was a desktop-CPU sitting on a page about a console that also needs putty. iFixit\u2019s repair guide treats putty as its own procedure: scrape the damaged pad, IPA, roll a ball, center it on the memory chip, let the heatsink squash it. Arthur Shi\u2019s teardown reply is why this SKU is on the hero row \u2014 K5 Pro was the consumer stand-in they pointed at when factory putty was not on a shelf. Computer Systems still sells it as a non-conductive pad replacement. A 10 g tube covers a Series X memory ring. You still buy PhaseSheet or MX-6 for the APU.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Skip this if<\/strong> the factory putty is intact and you are only refreshing the SoC. iFixit says you can skip putty replacement in that case. Skip rigid 1 mm cut pads as a \u201cclose enough\u201d swap \u2014 the teardown comments exist because pads of the wrong thickness lift the cold plate off the SoC. Skip smearing K5-PRO across the APU like grease.<\/p>\n  <div class=\"pros-cons\">\n  <ul class=\"pros\">\n  <li>The material the Series X actually uses next to the SoC<\/li>\n  <li>Named by iFixit when readers asked for a putty<\/li>\n  <li>Non-conductive around SMDs<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <ul class=\"cons\">\n  <li>Not the APU TIM \u2014 a paste-only cart is still incomplete if putty tore<\/li>\n  <li>Easy to over-apply and hold the heatsink off the SoC<\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n  <\/div>\n  <p class=\"purchase-link\"><span class=\"amazon-region-btn\">Check Price on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=K5+PRO+thermal+putty&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Amazon US<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/s?k=K5+PRO+thermal+putty&#038;tag=pctest07-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UK<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/s?k=K5+PRO+thermal+putty&#038;tag=pctestt-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.de\/s?k=K5+PRO+thermal+putty&#038;tag=67990-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DE<\/a> \u2192<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>If You Need Something Else<\/h2>\n<p>These are not cheaper versions of the Top 3. One is backup grease. The rest are the extras this URL used to sell.<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"top-recommendation\" id=\"nth2-pick\" data-badge=\"also-great\">\n  <div class=\"top-badge badge-also-great\">\ud83d\udd01 Backup grease<\/div>\n  <h3>Noctua NT-H2 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Noctua+NT-H2&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"title-amazon-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">View on Amazon<\/a><\/h3>\n  <table class=\"spec-table\">\n  <tr><th>Role<\/th><td>iFixit-bead alternative when MX-6 is the empty listing<\/td><\/tr>\n  <tr><th>Not why<\/th><td>A louder Overall. Still not putty. Still not PhaseSheet.<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/table>\n  <p>The old Value on this page. NT-H2 is Noctua\u2019s current hybrid grease, non-conductive, sold with wipes. Use it like MX-6: a small bead on the APU. If both greases are in stock, MX-6 stays the Value card because Arctic\u2019s page actually mentions console GPUs.<\/p>\n  <p><strong>Skip this if<\/strong> MX-6 is on the shelf. That is the Value card.<\/p>\n  <p class=\"purchase-link\"><span class=\"amazon-region-btn\">Check Price on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Noctua+NT-H2&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Amazon US<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/s?k=Noctua+NT-H2&#038;tag=pctest07-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UK<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/s?k=Noctua+NT-H2&#038;tag=pctestt-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.de\/s?k=Noctua+NT-H2&#038;tag=67990-21&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">DE<\/a> \u2192<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n<div class=\"faq-module\">\n  <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>Does Series X use liquid metal like PS5?<\/h3><p>No. iFixit\u2019s teardown and the official paste-and-putty guide show conventional compound on the Scarlett SoC and putty on the surrounding chips. Sony\u2019s PS5 factory TIM is liquid metal. Conductonaut on a Series X board sandwich is a conductive spill next to GDDR6, not a factory restore.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>Paste only, or putty too?<\/h3><p>Both, if you opened the sandwich. iFixit: replace paste every time the motherboard leaves the heatsink; replace putty if it is damaged or dried. Intact putty can stay. A paste-only cart with torn memory putty is how the cold plate sits on the wrong thickness.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>PhaseSheet versus MX-6?<\/h3><p>PhaseSheet is the long-interval APU default \u2014 TG wrote it to limit pump-out on a clamp that stays closed. MX-6 is the grease that matches iFixit\u2019s bead and Arctic\u2019s console-GPU note. Same SoC. Different service plan. Neither one is putty.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>Will a new TIM fix a loud Series X?<\/h3><p>Sometimes. Dried paste is one cause. A packed 130 mm intake, a dying fan, or a vertical stand stuffed in a cabinet are others. Microsoft\u2019s service guide starts with inspection and genuine parts, not a syringe. Clean the fan path before you break the heatsink seal.<\/p><\/div>\n  <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>Generic PTM7950 pads on Amazon?<\/h3><p>Treat them as a different product. This page\u2019s Overall is Thermal Grizzly PhaseSheet PTM (TG-PS-50-40). Unbranded \u201cPTM7950\u201d sheets are a counterfeit magnet. If the liner does not say Thermal Grizzly, do not put it on a 12 TFLOPS SoC.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<h2>Final Verdict<\/h2>\n<div class=\"conclusion-module verdict-box\">\n  <div class=\"verdict-picks\">\n  <div class=\"verdict-item\">\n  <span class=\"verdict-label\">\ud83c\udfc6 Best Overall:<\/span>\n  <div class=\"verdict-product\"><strong>Thermal Grizzly PhaseSheet PTM<\/strong> <span class=\"verdict-reason\">\u2013 PCM pad for a SoC that stays clamped for years.<\/span><\/div>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Thermal+Grizzly+PhaseSheet+PTM&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"verdict-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Buy Now<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"verdict-item\">\n  <span class=\"verdict-label\">\ud83d\udc8e Best Value:<\/span>\n  <div class=\"verdict-product\"><strong>Arctic MX-6<\/strong> <span class=\"verdict-reason\">\u2013 iFixit bead, non-capacitive, console GPU on Arctic\u2019s own page.<\/span><\/div>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=Arctic+MX-6&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"verdict-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Buy Now<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"verdict-item\">\n  <span class=\"verdict-label\">\ud83d\udcb0 Budget Pick:<\/span>\n  <div class=\"verdict-product\"><strong>K5-PRO thermal putty<\/strong> <span class=\"verdict-reason\">\u2013 GDDR6 \/ VRM \/ SSD. Not the APU. Not Arctic Silver 5.<\/span><\/div>\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/s?k=K5+PRO+thermal+putty&#038;tag=e6890-20&#038;linkCode=osi\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"verdict-btn\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Buy Now<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <p class=\"verdict-summary\">For most Xbox Series X refreshes, buy PhaseSheet PTM for the Scarlett SoC and K5-PRO only if the factory putty tore \u2014 not liquid metal, not Kryonaut, not Arctic Silver 5. Follow iFixit\u2019s bead-and-putty guide, not a PC syringe list. MX-6 is the grease if you do not want to cut a pad. NT-H2 is the backup tube. The PS5 on this site is a different factory TIM.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><strong>On timing.<\/strong> Paste, fans and small cooling parts are second-tier discounts during <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/amazon-prime-big-deal-days-2026-pc-hardware\/\">Prime Big Deal Days on October 6\u20137<\/a> \u2014 cheap enough to bundle into one order.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Xbox Series X uses paste on the Scarlett SoC and putty on GDDR6 \u2014 not PS5 liquid metal. The 2026 APU default is Thermal Grizzly PhaseSheet PTM; MX-6 is the iFixit bead; K5-PRO is the putty.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,185],"tags":[2293,100],"class_list":["post-68777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-console","category-thermal-paste","tag-console-cooling","tag-xbox-series-x"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68777"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68777\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":69131,"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68777\/revisions\/69131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cameraegg.org\/test\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}