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ARCTIC TP-3: Premium Performance Thermal Pad, 120 x 20 x 0.5 mm, (Stackable to 2.0 mm Without Performance Loss), 4 Pieces - High Performance, Particularly Soft, Ideal Gap Filler, Bridging Gaps
ARCTIC

ARCTIC TP-3: Premium Performance Thermal Pad

Bottom line: The ARCTIC TP-3: Premium Performance Thermal Pad ($7.99 on Amazon as of 2026-10-20 22:22 UTC): Stacks to 2.0 mm with no stated performance loss, per ARCTIC; main trade-off: extreme softness makes installation fiddly, per ARCTIC's own note.

$7.99

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Buy on Amazon — $7.99 Compare to similar PC & gaming hardware

By , Founder & Editor-in-Chief · Listing data updated

Mike Perry — Hardware researcher since 2014, focused on GPU performance across gaming, rendering, and local-LLM inference. Synthesises community benchmarks, manufacturer specs, and public forum data into actionable buying guides.

*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-20. Price and availability subject to change.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • ✓ Stacks to 2.0 mm with no stated performance loss, per ARCTIC
  • ✓ Four 120 x 20 mm strips per pack cover multiple repairs
  • ✓ Very soft compound conforms to uneven chip heights
  • ✓ No metal particles: electrically insulating and non-capacitive

Cons

  • ✗ Extreme softness makes installation fiddly, per ARCTIC's own note
  • ✗ Only 0.5 mm thick, so thick gaps need stacking
  • ✗ Soft pads tear easily when cutting or repositioning
  • ✗ ARCTIC lists no W/mK figure in the product details

Manufacturer description

The ARCTIC TP-3 thermal pad is a silicone-based gap filler built for the awkward spaces between a heatsink and the chips it never quite touches. Each pack gives you four 120 x 20 x 0.5 mm strips that you can cut to size with a hobby knife and stack up to 2.0 mm without losing thermal performance, so one purchase covers VRAM modules, VRM stages, chipsets, and laptop or console ICs rather than a single repair. ARCTIC leans on an unusually soft, highly compressible formulation here: the softer the pad, the more surface contact it makes across uneven chip heights, and the thinner the resulting…

SpecPicks Verdict

SpecPicks scored ARCTIC TP-3: Premium Performance Thermal Pad using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the PC & gaming hardware category. ARCTIC's PC & gaming hardware lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.

Common buyer scenarios for PC & gaming hardware of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How thick is the ARCTIC TP-3, and can I use it in a bigger gap?

Each strip is 0.5 mm thick. ARCTIC states the pads are stackable to 2.0 mm without performance loss, so you can layer up to four for wider gaps.

How many pads come in a pack?

Four pieces, each 120 x 20 x 0.5 mm. They can be cut to size, so one pack typically covers a full GPU VRAM and VRM job.

Is the TP-3 safe if it touches other components on the board?

Yes. ARCTIC states the pad contains no metal particles and is electrically insulating and non-capacitive, so contact with electrical parts will not cause damage.

Can I use it on a laptop, console, or graphics card?

ARCTIC lists RAM, chipset, and ICs in PCs, laptops, consoles, and graphics cards as intended applications. The pad is mouldable and cuts to shape with a blade.

Is the TP-3 hard to install?

ARCTIC warns that the pad's extremely low hardness makes installation more demanding and points you to the user manual. Work slowly and avoid stretching the strip.

Key Features

  • PLEASE NOTE: Due to the extremely low hardness of thermally conductive pads, a more demanding installation is to be expected. Please refer to the User Manual
  • MINIMIZATION OF THERMAL RESISTANCE: The thinner the pad, the lower the thermal resistance. Thanks to its good compression properties, the very soft heat conduction pad is particularly a good heat conductor
  • HIGH PERFORMANCE: Based on silicone and a special filler, TP-3 also outperforms high-performance pads, especially when height differences of closely spaced chips
  • VERSATILE APPLICATIONS: Heat-conducting, vibration-damping, mouldable, electrically insulating - can be easily cut to size. Ideal for RAM, chipset, IC in PC, laptop, console, graphic cards
  • SAFE HANDLING: The pad contains no metal particles, is electrically insulating and non-capacitive. Handling is therefore safe, as contact with electrical parts will not cause damage

Full Specifications

Brand‎ARCTIC
Color‎blue
Dimensions120 x 20 x 0.5 mm
PLEASE NOTEDue to the extremely low hardness of thermally conductive pads, a more demanding installation is to be expected. Please refer to the User Manual
CompatibilityPC
HIGH PERFORMANCEBased on silicone and a special filler, TP-3 also outperforms high-performance pads, especially when height differences of closely spaced chips
Vibration/RumbleYes
Item Dimensions LxWxH‎4.72 x 0.79 x 0.02 inches
Full listing titleARCTIC TP-3: Premium Performance Thermal Pad, 120 x 20 x 0.5 mm, (Stackable to 2.0 mm Without Performance Loss), 4 Pieces - High Performance, Particularly Soft, Ideal Gap Filler, Bridging Gaps

Ready to buy?

ARCTIC TP-3: Premium Performance Thermal Pad, 120 x 20 x 0.5 mm, (Stackable to 2.0 mm Without Performance Loss), 4 Pieces - High Performance, Particularly Soft, Ideal Gap Filler, Bridging Gaps is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.

Buy on Amazon — $7.99

*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-20. Price and availability subject to change.

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ARCTIC TP-3: Premium Performance Thermal Pad, 120 x 20 x 0.5 mm, (Stackable to 2.0 mm Without Performance Loss), 4 Pieces - High Performance, Particularly Soft, Ideal Gap Filler, Bridging Gaps
$7.99
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