Received my 5800X3D three weeks ago to the day. Was never happy with temps, even after a -30 PBO curve and decreases to PPT, TDC, and EDC. Ran a couple hundred intentional 85C to ~40C cycles, as was recommended by Carbice to start hitting peak performance out of the Ice Pad. Temps as of yesterday would consistently still crack into the high 80s during moderate load, and I could never get the thing to idle lower than about 46C.

I'm using a brand new Corsair iCUE Link Titan 240mm AIO and I would've expected it to be better at cooling that the temps I was getting. Finally got fed up of temps and ordered some trusty ThermalGrizzly Kryonaut, and right off the bat I'm startled at the improvement. I cannot, for the life of me, get this CPU to get past 72.8C now, and my idle temp has dropped to 40-43C, occasionally dropping further down into the 37-38C range.

The Ice Pad ain't it. I understand its purpose, and that it's meant to get "better" over time, but if 3 weeks of consistent heavy use and thermal cycling can't get me anywhere near a traditional high-end thermal paste then I don't want it. I'll happily buy another tube of paste in 2-3 years when temps start to degrade.

If you've been frustrated with temps since getting the new 5800X3D re-release, I hope this can be the encouragement needed to go replace your Carbice Ice Pad with some good ol' fashioned paste and be done with it.