Tech

Our readers talk: how do you apply thermal paste and why?

Thermal paste plays a very important role in cooling two key components within any PC, the processor and the GPU. It is a material that acts as a contact between both components and their cooling systems, speeds up heat transfer and prevents imperfections and irregularities in the packages and heat spreader from being a problem.

Without thermal paste it would be impossible to achieve a good heat transfer, and in the end this would become a very serious problem, since it would end up accumulating in the CPU and in the GPU. We must also take into account that it is a material with a limited useful life, that is, with the passage of time it deteriorates, it loses properties and in the end it ends up becoming a useless grit. When this happens, temperatures skyrocket, and if we don’t proceed to change it, we run the risk of damaging our components.

Changing the thermal paste is one of the maintenance more important that we must do from time to time. It does not have to be every six months, nor every year, in fact there are thermal pastes that can maintain a good level for three, four or even five years, but it is advisable to take temperature measurements on a regular basis in order to identify slight problems of excess of temperature, since they will be a clear indicator that we need to change the thermal paste.

apply thermal paste

When the time comes to make that change, another question arises, how should we apply the thermal paste? In my case I always resort to the system of apply a pea-sized ball in the centersince with the pressure exerted by the base of the dissipation system, said ball is crushed and optimally spread across the IHS. If I have to make any changes later it is also easier to clean.

There are people who prefer to apply it making an “X” or a cross because they believe that in this way it is applied in a more homogeneous way, but the truth is that in the end the result is the same as far as cooling is concerned, and with those methods it’s easier to make the mistake of applying too much thermal paste.

The important thing when applying thermal paste is be careful not to overdo it, and also not to fall short. If we apply a lot of thermal paste, it can spill and smear the socket and the motherboard, it is not something serious as long as the thermal paste that we use is non-conductive, but cleaning that “mess” will not be easy or pleasant. On the other hand, if we fall short, the temperatures may be higher than they should be, and this in some cases can cause problems.

In my case I remain faithful to the classic system of the ball in the center, And you, how do you apply the thermal paste? We read in the comments.

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