Bottom line: Arctic has introduced a new version of its industry-leading thermal paste. According to the company, MX-7 features a new formula with even lower thermal resistance that should deliver a noticeable performance increase over its predecessor.
Arctic MX-7 is non-capacitive and electrically non-conductive, making it safe to use across a variety of applications including GPUs, GPUs, and even in game consoles. Arctic says the paste is a bit smoother than MX-6, but not quite as liquid as MX-4. Its high cohesion is said to ensure long-lasting performance without drying out.
In the company's internal testing, MX-7 lowered temps on a Core Ultra 9 285K clocked at 4.5 GHz by 2.3 degrees Celsius over MX-6 and was 4.1 C cooler than MX-4. Your results will likely vary but if applied properly, you should see a boost in performance over stock TIM.
Speaking of installation, Arctic recommends applying the paste in a simple cross pattern then mounting your heatsink. When mounted, the cooler will distribute the thermal material evenly across the entire contact surface without air pockets – even on coolers with direct-touch heatpipes.
Due to its texture, the paste cannot be spread using a spatula, we're told.
If you are looking for a quick and easy way to lower temperatures by a few degrees, a quality thermal paste should be one of the first products you reach for. Removing old paste and applying a fresh layer is not a difficult task, and who knows – you may even be able to dial back fan speeds for quieter operation or free up some additional headroom for overclocking. Combined with proper airflow in your case and perhaps an upgraded fan, it's an easy way to lower temps.
MX-7 is available now in 2g, 4g, or 8g tubes and can be bundled with Arctic's MX Cleaner, which is used to remove old paste and prep the contact surface. The 8g tube is currently listed for $8.59 over on Amazon, while the 4g kit with MX Cleaner is priced at $9.59.