Thermal paste

[Kumagoro]

I use cling film and finger with AS 3 which is quite runny.

I have found though that spreading it thinly isnt that great. Perhaps because
C2D are slightly concave. so put a little bit more in the centre blob style.

[Winkle]

Horizontal line on my quad core worked a treat! Artic ceramic paste.

I can't see how spreading will have any effect, the heat will take the most direct path, i.e from the core into the heat spreader and then straight into the heatsink, it's not going to spread out across the wholse face of the heat spreader.

[EtheAv8r]

I use both the Zalman with a brush and AS5 spread with an old credit card as AS used to tell you to do in in the 'old days'.

Zalman is easier, both seem to yeald similar results - with most comparison tests giving AS that extra 1 degree - not much in it really.

[watercooled]

How should I spread MX2?

[peterb]

In accordance with the mfrs instructions - look at their web site.