Liquid metal vs thermal paste: which does your console need?

When I re-paste a console, there are two options for the compound that sits between the processor and the heatsink: standard thermal paste or premium liquid metal. Both do the same job — carry heat away from the chip — but they're not equal, and one isn't simply "better" than the other for every machine.

Standard thermal paste

A good-quality paste is the right choice for the vast majority of consoles. It's reliable, safe on every model, non-conductive if any strays, and — combined with a proper dust clean — it fixes the overheating, noise and shutdowns almost every time. For most people, this is all you'll ever need, and it's what I fit on Xbox consoles as standard.

Liquid metal

Liquid metal transfers heat significantly better, so it can drop processor temperatures further and keep a hard-working console — a PS5 that runs hot, for example — that bit cooler and quieter. The trade-off: it's electrically conductive, so a stray drop in the wrong place can kill a board. It has to be applied in a thin, even layer with proper insulation and barriers around the chip. That's skilled, careful work, not a DIY job — and it's what Sony themselves use inside the PS5, which is why I fit it on PlayStation consoles.

Which should you choose?

• Standard paste — perfect for the everyday overheating clean-and-repaste, and for any Xbox. Quiet, cool, sorted.
• Liquid metal — the right call for PlayStation consoles and for anyone who wants the lowest temperatures possible, or whose console still runs warm after a normal re-paste.

Either way, it's done properly

My console service is a flat £50 with a full strip-down and dust clean — liquid metal on PlayStation, high-grade paste on Xbox. I'll give you an honest recommendation for your specific console. See the console repair page, or read why a clean and re-paste fixes overheating. Book a repair when you're ready.