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CPU Thermal Paste - Ammount?

Think AS used to recommend "grain of rice" as the amount required but this was going back to my xp2400 days i personally use 2 or 3 times that amount now that the cores are protected.
 
[Death] said:
very little, make sure u spread it evenly too

No need to spread it, applying the heatsink will do that for you.

A grain of rice sized blob (Or there abouts) in the middle of the CPU then apply the heatsink.

There's a guide on the AS5 website somewhere.
 
I've found a grain of rice size, spread out with the Heatsink, usually forms a nice even layer the size of a 10 pence piece.
 
yes to *or perhaps ' ' (grain of rice size) :)

but i really think spreading it out is a NO NO.

when using the naked xp core,if you spread it out there was a danger of lint/dust attatching itself to the exposed core.
This would be responsible for extra heat.
when the core was REALLY clean.Which could take some time holding it upto light,checking and such.
You could quickly apply a blob, then ram the sink down fast, in case any germs(lint)got on there.
I even tested this by using cheapie stuff,and spreading it out myself and having a glance under good light.there were LOADS of dust particles viewable,(under an old camera lens).that would never be removed
I used to fret about trying to get that 1 spec off without blowing spit or more lint on,but typically,manufactures stock instructions, are once again falable. Cos i really dont want tons of dust on my core.




I was always gaurenteed great temps by letting the sink spread the as5 for me.
 
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This is an interesting watch.

There's a lot of weird techniques out there regarding the application of thermal paste, the reality is it doesn't matter as much as people think.
 
Jesus wept, this is a thread necro and a half :p

But I still stand by what was said almost 14 years ago: blob the paste on the CPU about the size of a pea and let the heat sink spread it for you. Unless there are specific instructions of course, e.g. EK describe a cross pattern on GPU dies.
 
Every test I've seen shows that the only bad thermal paste application is one where not enough paste is used. Obviously you don't want to use so much that it spills over the edge though.

When people say "pea sized" I believe they're talking of the petit pois variety rather than the garden pea variety. :D
 
I've just recently bought a small tube of the DelL thermal paste off OCUK and I was wondering actually how much of this paste do I put on?

Cheers :)
Depends CPU. If we talking about Intel or Ryzen 1000/2000. Just what ever you used.

AMD Ryzen 3000 you have to spread it as the cores are not at the center but to the sides.
 
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