Noctua has introduced the NT-CP1 AM5/4, a new carbon nanotube thermal pad designed for AMD Ryzen processors using AM5 and AM4 sockets. Developed in collaboration with Carbice, the thermal pad uses space-grade carbon nanotube technology to provide long-term thermal performance without the need for regular replacement or thermal paste reapplication.
Unlike conventional thermal pastes and many thermal pads, which can gradually lose performance because of pump-out, cracking, delamination, and other forms of degradation, the NT-CP1 is designed to improve its heat transfer performance during its initial usage period. According to Noctua, the carbon nanotubes gradually conform to microscopic surface irregularities over the first few hundred to several thousand thermal cycles, improving contact between the CPU and cooler.
After this initial activation phase, the NT-CP1 is designed to maintain stable thermal performance for years. This makes it an alternative for PC builders who want to avoid the maintenance associated with traditional thermal paste.
The NT-CP1 uses an aluminium backbone that provides additional structural strength and makes the pad easier to handle and remove. Its slightly tacky polymer coating helps keep it in position during installation and provides electrical insulation as long as the coating remains intact. Noctua also uses a simple peel, press, and peel installation process, eliminating the need to manually spread thermal paste across the processor’s integrated heat spreader.
The new thermal pad has been specifically fine-tuned and validated for AMD Ryzen CPUs and APUs. It features a 90-micrometre thickness and precut dimensions of 33 x 33 mm, making it compatible with both AMD AM5 and AM4 processors.
Carbice also highlights the environmental aspects of its manufacturing process. The NT-CP1 is manufactured in the United States using recycled aluminium and waste carbon gas to grow carbon nanotube structures through an energy-efficient, low-temperature process. The aluminium construction also allows the pad to be recycled through standard aluminium recycling channels.
Noctua CEO Roland Mossig said the partnership combines long-term thermal performance with convenient installation. Carbice CEO and founder Baratunde Cola also noted that the company’s carbon nanotube technology was originally developed for spacecraft applications before being brought to desktop PC builders.
The Noctua NT-CP1 AM5/4 carbon nanotube thermal pad carries a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of €24.95 / $24.95. With its focus on long-term stability and reduced maintenance, it offers AMD Ryzen users another option beyond conventional thermal paste and graphite-based thermal pads.
