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ARCTIC TP-3: Premium Performance Thermal Pad, 120 x 20 x 1.5 mm (4 Pack)
ARCTIC

ARCTIC TP-3: Premium Performance Thermal Pad, 120 x 20 x 1.5 mm (4 Pack)

Bottom line: The ARCTIC TP-3: Premium Performance Thermal Pad: Four 120 x 20 x 1.5 mm sheets per pack cover a full GPU VRAM and VRM job; main trade-off: very low hardness makes the pad tear and stretch during installation.

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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.

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • ✓ Four 120 x 20 x 1.5 mm sheets per pack cover a full GPU VRAM and VRM job
  • ✓ Silicone plus special filler beats rigid high-performance pads on uneven chip heights
  • ✓ No metal particles: electrically insulating and non-capacitive, safe near live traces
  • ✓ Cuts to size with scissors or a razor for RAM, chipset, IC, laptop and console work

Cons

  • ✗ Very low hardness makes the pad tear and stretch during installation
  • ✗ ARCTIC itself flags a more demanding install and points you to the manual
  • ✗ Only one thickness in this pack: 1.5 mm gaps only, no 0.5 or 1.0 mm options
  • ✗ Non-metal filler trades peak conductivity for electrical safety

Manufacturer description

The ARCTIC TP-3 thermal pad set gives you four 120 x 20 x 1.5 mm sheets of soft, silicone-based thermal interface material for the components a CPU cooler never touches. Built on silicone with a specialized filler, TP-3 is engineered to minimize thermal resistance through compression: the pad conforms tightly around closely spaced chips of differing heights, where rigid high-performance pads leave air gaps. That makes it a practical fix for VRAM and VRM temperatures on a graphics card, chipset heatsinks, laptop and console repastes, and RAM modules that run hot under sustained load. Because…

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

What size are the ARCTIC TP-3 pads and how many do you get?

Each pack contains 4 pads measuring 120 x 20 x 1.5 mm. You cut them down to the footprint your VRAM, VRM, chipset or IC needs.

Is the TP-3 safe to use near exposed circuitry?

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 these thermal pads on a graphics card or a laptop?

ARCTIC lists RAM, chipset and IC applications across PCs, laptops, consoles and graphics cards. The pad is mouldable and cuts to size for each.

Is the TP-3 difficult to install?

It can be. ARCTIC notes that the extremely low hardness of the material makes for a more demanding installation and directs you to the user manual before you begin.

How does TP-3 compare to a firmer high-performance pad?

ARCTIC says its compression properties let TP-3 outperform high-performance pads specifically where closely spaced chips sit at different heights.

What thermal conductivity rating does the TP-3 have?

A W/mK figure is not listed here. Check the ARCTIC product listing or datasheet for the current specification before matching it to a build.

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 1.5 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 0.06 inches

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ARCTIC TP-3: Premium Performance Thermal Pad, 120 x 20 x 1.5 mm (4 Pack) 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.

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ARCTIC TP-3: Premium Performance Thermal Pad, 120 x 20 x 1.5 mm (4 Pack)
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