The Steam Deck is an amazing handheld gaming PC, beloved for its portability. Running on Steam OS (a Linux-based operating system), it supports a lot of games. But like any gaming PC, heat management is crucial and it becomes even more so here, because of its compact, handheld nature. Changing the stock thermal paste and using one of the best thermal paste for Steam Deck can get you cooler temperatures, improved performance, and a greater lifespan for your device. So, if you’re ready to take your Steam Deck’s temperature down a notch (or more), here are the top-tier choices for thermal pastes you should go for.
List of Best Thermal Paste for Steam Deck
Choosing the right thermal paste for your Steam Deck is extremely important. You need to make sure that you aren’t going for a thermal paste with too much susceptibility for pump-out.
Note: One of the best recommendations for Steam Deck is the PTM 7950, which is a thermal pad, not a thermal paste. With the Honeywell PTM 7950, you don’t need to worry about pump-out, which can become a problem in mobile devices, and repasting is not required as often.
But if you want to go for a thermal paste, these are the best thermal paste for Steam Deck.
1. Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme
Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme is a top choice among gaming PC enthusiasts, whether for gaming laptops like the Acer Nitro 5 and Acer Predator Helios 300 or handheld PCs like the Steam Deck. On the Steam Deck, it delivers impressive results, reducing operating temperatures by several degrees. Even when temperatures rise, they do so gradually—the slowest among all pastes—while still staying lower than the original thermal compound.
However, this paste tends to pump out when used with the Steam Deck, making it unstable over time and requiring frequent reapplication. Additionally, it is relatively expensive, which may not fit everyone’s budget.
2. Gelid GC Extreme
Gelid GC Extreme is another beloved thermal paste that delivers amazing cooling performance, almost similar to the Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme, but at almost half the price. Moreover, when it comes to choosing a paste for your Steam Deck, Gelid GC Extreme is a top choice because it doesn’t suffer as much from the pomp-out effect.
So, it will last longer and you won’t need to repaste it as often as you will need to with the Kryonaut Extreme. But when comparing performance with the Kryonaut Extreme, the temperatures climb faster to high degrees in the case of Gelid GC Extreme.
So, honestly, the choice will boil down to your preference – whether you prize the slightly high performance of Kryonaut Extreme or the longevity of Gelid GC Extreme! However, do remember that a thicker consistency means that it can be difficult to apply, especially for beginners.
3. Arctic MX-6
Arctic MX-6 is another excellent thermal paste and one of the best options for the Steam Deck. It offers great thermal conductivity and resists the pump-out effect due to its moderate consistency. If you’re a beginner who finds Gelid GC Extreme too thick to handle but doesn’t want to spend extra on Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut Extreme, this paste strikes the perfect balance between performance, affordability, consistency, and longevity.
However, it may separate if stored for long periods.
Final Words
To get the best performance and to make sure that high temperatures will not damage the device, you need the best thermal paste for Steam Deck. But make sure you follow the proper application method for the thermal paste to get the best results.
