Front view of the package
The Arctic MX-3 thermal paste tube comes nicely packaged in a tough plastic shrink wrapped cover. This is typical of most thermal paste packaging. The front is concave shaped in the middle where the tube is located and the sides are raised.
The cover remains informative whilst being eye-catching
The front contains all the features of the Arctic MX-3, which are repeated in 4 languages. Across the side is the MX-3 logo and the Arctic Cooling badge can be seen at the top. As shown on the package, Arctic Cooling provide a generous 8 year durability so one tube goes a long way.
At this point, I was finding it hard to restrain myself from just opening it and testing it
From the angled view, the concave shape of the cover can clearly be seen, adding professionalism to the finish.
As with most thermal paste packaging, Arctic list the specifications and warning at the back
On the back, the specifications are listed as well as some benchmarks comparing the Arctic MX-3 to the Arctic MX-2 and generic thermal compound. There are also words of warning written at the back to remind users that the compound is hazardous and toxic.
The tube!
The tube measure 11.8cm and has a net weight of 4g. Shown on the tube is the Arctic MX-3 logo and Arctic Cooling website. Again the tube is a fairly typical syringe like container, as used with most other manufacturers.
The paste flows very easily out of the tube when pressed, so you don't end up wasting it by accidentally pressing too hard
The paste is of medium viscosity when applied, so it spreads very thinly and evenly when applied. Therefore, it isn't necessary to spread the paste yourself. A small blob or line of paste can be applied on the CPU or GPU and the heatsink should press down firmly on it to allow it to spread without creating air pockets.