How often do you replace your Thermal Paste?

[StrongSad]

As a routine, I clean my PC once a month and replace the thermal paste every six months or so.
How often do people clean their PC and change their paste?

 

[andy_mk3]

Wow!

I clean mine when it gets to the point where it looks bad enough to do, probably a couple of times a year.

Thermal paste I never change unless I am doing hardware changes or if it's a new machine to me.

 

[uscool]

never change paste unless changing CPU cooler or new system build, I keep an eye out if temps change but dont notice it changing even after years so doubt it needs changing that often I use Thermal Grizzly, Only clean the dust filters maybe every few months or when I notice dust building up also use electric air duster

 

[bimbleuk]

When I upgrade hardware or change coolers. That happens more often as I swap between AIO and air cooling on occasion. Quality paste seems to last a long time. Still every couple of years on average.

I did de-lid an i5 3570K a while back and applied liquid metal and then just left the system running for about 5 years. On selling the CPU+ board I lifted the CPU IHS and checked it was still liquid which it was.

 

[dave28]

not often, i have never had any issues and do a good job the first time around with quality paste

 

[Joxeon]

I probably do the paste ever 2 years or so although that's usually since I'm changing CPUs.

I clean the dust filters every 2 weeks and blow out the PC every 3 months.

 

[robin66]

About once a year on average. Or sometimes sooner if I do an upgrade.

I use Arctic MX-4, which is pretty low maintenance.

Cleaning tends to happen once a year. Which is now due as it happens.

 

[scrivz69]

Never really unless I see a rise in temps, as above I use MX-4 and it's very good.

 

[Audioboxer]

On air/AIO, hardly ever/verging on never lol.

Now I'm on a custom loop probably once a year if I drain to clean out loop.

 

[chroniclard]

Dust/clean often but rarely change paste unless changing CPU or cooler. Generally that will be every couple of years, dont really notice any degradation in performance so not sure is warranted to change more often?

I use Thermal Grizzly paste.

 

[BUDFORCE]

Never change paste you don't need to.

My old i7-2600k is with my son still going strong, 10 years old overclocked it's entire life, temps still the same.

I do clean out the case though somewhat regularly, that is important imo.

 

[Glanza]

When upgrading or changing the setup around from water back to air.

 

[TheRandomGuy7]

Regular cleaning of the PC is always good but new paste every 6 months is definitely excessive.

If you're using a half decent paste it won't degrade for at least a year, pastes like MX-4 will last several years before you get any degradation in temps.

Personally I will only repaste if temps aren't correct, or I've bought new hardware - so on average maybe 2 years for each application.

 

[Rroff]

Pretty much never - with AS5 or MX4 it takes like 7+ years before I see temperatures increasing 1-2C beyond margin of error compared to when it was applied (that includes cleaning the case of dust, etc.) and even at 10 years generally it is minor degradation. Most of the people complaining of temperatures increasing several degrees after a couple of years and needing to reapply paste persist in poor application methods and can't seem to put the two factors together :s

Some of the newer hyped up pastes don't seem to hold their performance so well and do need reapplying ever 1-2 years though (and if you are unlucky they'll even mess up the IHS surface as a bonus).

 

[ianh]

I'll always re-paste a Laptop with TG Kryonaut or MX-4 etc as soon as I get it as the OEM crud they use almost always dries-up and is worthless very quickly (my 7700HQ-GTX1070 based laptop paste turned to actual dust in just under 1 year from buying it!).

However for my PC's, as I build them myself I usually only consider it once every 5-ish years at most, again because I use a really high quality paste in the first place.

 

[Major774]

Never because I run a Carbonaunt pad.

 

[Grim5]

I replace mine when I buy a new CPU, which is every 2 or 3 years

 

[Purgatory]

When I need to upgrade the cpu or when temps change, normally never after doing it first time and by the time I take the system apart again it's for a totally new build.

 

[chrcoluk]

Probably only if changing cooler or temps look too high for what they should be.

 

[Digital X]

As above, I don't change the paste unless I'm doing a deep clean or upgrading the cooler. But since I'm on an Arctic Freezer 2 know I don't plan to change it any time soon. Plus it's stiff pipes make screwing it back in fun...