Full Answer
Do I need to buy thermal paste?
Yea stock thermal paste/pads on stock heatsinks is more than finefor regular use, if you overclock then it's a null point anyway as you want better than the stock cooler and hence will likely need to buy thermal paste, I've used mx4 and coolermaster pro gel something-or-other in recent memory and both are within touching distance of each other,,...
Is the stock thermal paste good enough for overclocking?
The stock thermal paste won’t be an issue. The stock cooler is good enough even for slight overclock, and it’s very silent. Definitely not worth getting another paste or an aftermarket cooler if you’re not planning to push it to the maximum possible overclock (which is not that much, either).
How much power does a thermal paste have?
For comparison, the average tube of thermalpaste will sit somewhere in the range of 4 – 8.5W/mK; a lot of the stock paste is ~4W/mK, though silver and diamond compounds can be had at higher conductivity ratings. Copper is rated at ~401W/mK at 25C, with aluminum coming in at 205W/mK.
How does thermal paste affect your CPU?
Good thermal paste can have a profound impact on your performance, because it will allow your processor to transfer more of its waste heat to your cooler, keeping your processor running cool. Choosing the best thermal paste is also important if you plan on overclocking your rig to its fullest.
Is stock cooler thermal paste enough?
Illustrious. This is a couple of years old, but what this shows is that there is very little difference between most thermal paste (either stock or after-market). So whatever comes with the heatsink should be fine, and use aftermarket when you have to replace the thermal paste.
Does thermal paste brand really matter?
Do Different Thermal Paste Brands Matter? In most cases, different brands of thermal paste are going to use very similar compositions to achieve the desired effect of keeping your PC cool. You may see slight differences, but these changes are important only if you desire to overclock your system.
Is thermal paste still good?
Spread a small amount of thermal paste on a metal surface to check how consistent and smooth it is. If the thermal paste is watery, separated, dry or flaky, it has expired. However, if it comes out smooth and consistent, it is good to use.
How long does cheap thermal paste last?
Keep in mind that not all thermal compounds maintain efficacy the same way. Most value options are good for two to three years, while higher-end compounds can go up to seven years. Replacing it every two to three years is a good idea and will keep your chip at its optimum.
Is it OK to buy cheap thermal paste?
Performance of the cheapest thermal pastes It is not the best performer, but for its price it is not that bad, considering its only 2 or 3 degrees of difference.
Is 2g thermal paste enough?
Yes it's small, but you will use 3x the amount of paste on it to make sure the entire die is covered. These things don't have heatspreaders, if you only cover half of it the chip will throttle and the chip could die over time.
Is it OK to reuse thermal paste?
You can reuse a tube of thermal paste as long as it is not dried out. It is best to use fresh thermal paste. However, if you do have used thermal paste, there is no harm in using it again.
Does CPU paste expire?
Generally, manufacturers give their thermal paste a lifespan of 3 to 5 years. That's if it sits under optimal conditions, which may not be the case for you.
Does thermal paste increase FPS?
Yes, it does improve performance. Thermal paste must be applied, as cpu surface and cooler surface are not perfectly smooth.
Can thermal paste damage a CPU?
Can Thermal Paste Damage Your CPU? NO, it won't damage your CPU, but it really is about efficiency, too much paste can cause your computer to overheat and shut down. Too much paste is unlikely to kill a modern CPU.
How often do you need to Repaste your CPU?
In most cases, you shouldn't need to reapply more than once every few years, though you should replace your paste if you remove your cooler for any reason. You may also want to consider reapplying thermal paste if you find your CPU temperatures are climbing.
Can thermal paste freeze?
No, arctic silver 5 will not freeze, and even if it did, the only effects would be reduced contact between the heatsink and the cpu. I just ordered a tube myself and I live in Northern Minnesota.
Should I Replace My Stock Thermal Paste With An Aftermarket Paste?
Generally, even the worst performing paste probably isn’t going to make a difference in the health of your CPU. The more important factor is how durable the stock paste is, as paste that separates out or dries up becomes much less effective at conducting heat. When that happens, your CPU’s health could be in jeopardy.
Materials & Composition
Thermal paste is basically made of two components: (1) a binding agent, and (2) thermally conductive material mixed into the binding agent.
Durability
Another detrimental property of silicone is oiling. Over time, silicone tends to separate out from the base components in the paste and “ooze” away. This leads to degraded performance, either through a decrease in thermal conductivity or simply because there is no longer enough physical material to be effective.
Performance
Right off the bat, we’ll say that performance doesn’t vary as much as you might expect, and the performance difference between many brands is extremely similar. The reason for this is something that may surprise you: there are actually only a few manufacturers of thermal paste.
Correct Mounting
In a typical cooling setup, the heat sink sits on top of the CPU case. On top of the heat sink sits a cooling fan. The cooling fan has some form of fastening mechanism that secures it to the motherboard, thereby sandwiching the heat sink between it and the CPU.
Final Thoughts
After reading this article you should have a stronger opinion of how you feel about stock vs. aftermarket thermal pastes. In the end, your decision will likely hinge on how long you keep a computer and how much control you like to have over every aspect of your system.
What is thermal paste?
Thermal paste is designed to minimize microscopic air gaps and irregularities between the surface of the cooler and the CPU's IHS (integrated heat spreader), the piece of metal which is built into the top of the processor.
Why is thermal paste important?
Good thermal paste can have a profound impact on your performance, because it will allow your processor to transfer more of its waste heat to your cooler, keeping your processor running cool. Choosing the best thermal paste is also important if you plan on overclocking your rig to its fullest.
Is thermal paste conductive?
Most pastes are comprised of ceramic or metallic materials suspended within a proprietary binder which allows for easy application and spread as well as simple cleanup. These thermal pastes can be electrically conductive or non-conductive, depending on their specific formula.
Is thermal grizzly paste good for CPU?
The paste provides good stability, making it easy to apply to all surfaces as well as simple to clean up. You really can't go wrong with this paste — it is sufficient for most CPU applications. Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut (Image credit: Tom's Hardware) 2. Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut.
Can thermal paste cause damage?
Electrically conductive thermal pastes can carry current between two points, meaning that if the paste squeezes out onto other components, it can cause damage to motherboards and CPUs when you switch on the power. A single drop out of place can lead to a dead PC, so extra care is imperative.
What is thermal paste?
Thermalpaste (also known as: thermal compound, TIM, thermal glue) is used to fill microscopic imperfections in the surface of a CPU cooler's coldplate and the CPU's IHS (integrated heat-spreader). This is the most top-level definition of thermalpaste.
Does thermal paste cure?
There's a “curing process” with thermal compound – a time period required for the paste to reach its peak efficiency. When freshly applied, thermalpaste hasn't yet cured and is still somewhat liquid-y. It isn't until the compound has an aging period that maximum thermal efficiency is achieved.
Can IHS be perfectly flat?
Were you to use a high-accuracy laser to measure the smoothness of either surface, it would be revealed that neither a coldplate nor an IHS are perfectly flat surfaces, and this means that perfect, direct contact cannot be made.
Does AMD heatsink stick to IHS?
The Cooler Master compound included with AMD heatsinks is one of them – it likes to stick (like glue) to the IHS, meaning that removing the CPU cooler often rips AMD CPUs from their sockets. This is a hazard to the pins (mounted on the CPU, not the socket) and can damage a CPU irreparably.
Does thermal compound reduce thermal efficiency?
Using too much thermal compound will actually diminish the thermal efficiency of the entire system, because it limits direct contact between the coldplate and IHS and creates a thick thermal wall of a lower conductivity than the copper.
Vonplaf
So this was an expensive learning experience.. Got new motherboard, CPU, cooler, RAM, PSU to upgrade my old rig. So to start i set everything up on the table before fitting it all into my case and also to test if everything was working. Installed the motherboard with the CPU, RAM, PSU and i oped to use the stock AMD Wraith cooler while testing on the table. And everything worked...
apebanan
This has been a problem with AMD cpus for years, even happened to me with the FM2 Athlons, but i got lucky
Vonplaf
This has been a problem with AMD cpus for years, even happened to me with the FM2 Athlons, but i got lucky
apebanan
YEP i know.... i just wasn't thinking.. I SHOULD have removed the stock thermal compound... and put on something good. But was just not thinking and wanted to test it all before putting it all together.. DOH!!!
Guest
You should try to remove the cooler when it's hot, the thermal paste wouldn't be as sticky. Also you might be able to RMA the CPU without paying for it twice.
Vonplaf
You should try to remove the cooler when it's hot, the thermal paste wouldn't be as sticky. Also you might be able to RMA the CPU without paying for it twice.
vanished
This has been a problem with AMD cpus for years, even happened to me with the FM2 Athlons, but i got lucky
Should I Replace My Stock Thermal Paste with An Aftermarket Paste?
- Generally, even the worst performing paste probably isn’t going to make a difference in the health of your CPU. The more important factor is how durable the stock paste is, as paste that separates out or dries up becomes much less effective at conducting heat. When that happens, your CPU’s health could be in jeopardy. For this reason, most experts ...
Materials & Composition
- Thermal paste is basically made of two components: (1) a binding agent, and (2) thermally conductive material mixed into the binding agent. The binding agent is, at its most basic level, a mixture of zinc oxide and silicone. The purpose of the binding agent is to act as a vessel for the thermally conductive material, distributing it evenly while giving the paste structure and proper vi…
Durability
- Another detrimental property of silicone is oiling.Over time, silicone tends to separate out from the base components in the paste and “ooze” away. This leads to degraded performance, either through a decrease in thermal conductivity or simply because there is no longer enough physical material to be effective. Sometimes, if you squeeze paste out of an old tube, you will notice that …
Performance
- Right off the bat, we’ll say that performance doesn’t vary as much as you might expect, and the performance difference between many brands is extremely similar. The reason for this is something that may surprise you: there are actually only a few manufacturersof thermal paste. All of the other brands out there are third parties who take the base recipe and add other ingredient…
Correct Mounting
- In a typical cooling setup, the heat sink sits on top of the CPU case. On top of the heat sink sits a cooling fan. The cooling fan has some form of fastening mechanism that secures it to the motherboard, thereby sandwiching the heat sink between it and the CPU. This creates a tight mechanical coupling between the CPU, thermal paste, heat sink and fan which allows for maxim…
Final Thoughts
- After reading this article you should have a stronger opinion of how you feel about stock vs. aftermarket thermal pastes. In the end, your decision will likely hinge on how long you keep a computer and how much control you like to have over every aspect of your system. Regardless of what you decide, we can all probably agree to keep the toothpaste away from your CPU!