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Noctua NT-CP1: the Carbice carbon nanotube thermal pad for AM5 and AM4 that gets better over time
Based on Carbice technology first built for spacecraft, the 90 µm pad goes on in seconds, never dries out and never needs replacing: over the first thermal cycles its performance improves instead of degrading. It costs €24.95 and is already on Amazon.
Vienna, 12 November 2026 – Noctua has introduced the new NT-CP1 AM5/4, a carbon nanotube thermal pad for AMD AM5 and AM4 processors. It uses Carbice‘s space-grade technology and is a premium, easy-to-apply pad with superior long-term stability.
Performance that improves instead of degrading
Thermal pastes and most other pads gradually lose performance through pump-out, delamination, cracking and other degradation. Carbice pads do the opposite: they keep improving over the first few hundred to few thousand thermal cycles. This comes from the pad’s robust mechanics, its phase-change polymer coating and carbon nanotubes that gradually conform to surface microstructures, increasing heat transfer over time.
Once this activation phase is complete, the NT-CP1 delivers stable, maintenance-free performance for years. It suits anyone who wants to rule out thermal issues caused by degradation and never wants to reapply paste again.
“Carbice pads offer a unique combination of ultimate performance stability and convenient installation. This makes the NT-CP1 the perfect choice for everyone who’s looking for a thermal pad that’s super easy to apply and never needs to be replaced.” — Roland Mossig, CEO of Noctua
Peel, press, peel
Other carbon or graphite pads can be brittle, slippery and highly electrically conductive. Carbice pads are sturdy, safe and installed with a simple “peel, press, peel” process. The aluminium backbone makes the NT-CP1 surprisingly robust and easy to remove. The slightly tacky polymer coating keeps it in place once pressed onto the CPU and keeps the contact surfaces electrically non-conductive before use, unless the polymer layer is penetrated.
Made from recycled aluminium and waste carbon gas
Graphite and graphene pads often have a high carbon footprint because of energy-intensive mining or high-temperature processing. The NT-CP1 is made in the United States by Carbice Corporation from recycled aluminium and waste carbon gas, used to grow carbon nanotube “forests” in an energy-efficient, low-temperature process. It can be recycled with standard aluminium.
“Carbice’s carbon nanotube thermal pads were first built for spacecraft. Now, with Noctua, every PC builder can put that same technology in their system. Noctua has spent two decades earning the trust of builders who care about every detail, and they share our belief that great engineering should last. The NT-CP1 is better for your hardware and better for people and our planet, and we couldn’t ask for a better partner to deliver it.” — Baratunde Cola, CEO and founder of Carbice
Tuned for AMD Ryzen
The AM5/4 version has been fine-tuned and validated for AMD Ryzen CPUs and APUs. At just 90 µm thick and precut to 33 × 33 mm, it fits both AM5 and AM4 processors. Noctua notes that the pad needs no manual activation, but the activation phase can be sped up with automated thermal cycling, for example with Prime95.
Overall, the NT-CP1 Carbice pad is a premium alternative to thermal paste: clean, convenient, environmentally friendly, reliable over time and maintenance-free.
Price and availability
The suggested retail price is €24.95 (USD 24.95). The NT-CP1 AM5/4 is available from today via Noctua’s official Amazon stores; other retailers will receive stock shortly. Official page: Noctua NT-CP1 AM5/4.
We recently also covered Noctua’s micro-channel cooling technology: Noctua Forced Physics.
About Carbice
Founded in 2011, Carbice is an Atlanta-based company partnering with next-generation technologies and rapidly scaling industries. Its high-performance cooling solutions are designed to ensure long-term hardware performance and reliability with little upkeep and minimal environmental impact.
About Noctua
Noctua’s award-winning, premium quiet cooling components are internationally renowned for their acoustics, industry-leading performance-to-noise efficiency and longevity. Since its foundation in 2005, the Austrian manufacturer has been known for its engineering-first mindset, innovation, continuous optimisation, long-term product support and customer service.
Source: Noctua press release, 12 November 2026 and official Noctua images. All trademarks mentioned belong to their respective owners.
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* Content created with the support of artificial intelligence systems.