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Thermal Paste

ColEx

ColEx

ColEx

Soldato
Joined
20 Apr 2004
Posts
2,510
Location
Portsmouth
How do some of you apply this stuff? I have always placed a blob in the center of the CPU and spread the paste like a delicate piece of art. Yet i have seen others just place the blob in the center of the CPU and just dump the heat sink/fan straight on top without worrying about it being perfect. Apparently the pressure of the heat sink on top of the CPU is about right for the paste to spread evenly.

Which is the best way of doing it?
 
Last edited:
I had a feeling that the 2nd method is better, when i do it again to fix my botched job i shall do it that way.

Also if i buy a new CPU cooler will the thermal paste be already applied to the heat sink?
 
Rufio said:
I had a feeling that the 2nd method is better, when i do it again to fix my botched job i shall do it that way.

Also if i buy a new CPU cooler will the thermal paste be already applied to the heat sink?
Click to expand...

It depends on the cooler but most bundle a small tube that you then apply yourself.
 
depends completely on the cooler. if your cooler has a smooth/polished finish on the base then, IMO, the pressure application is the best method.

however if the cooler doesn't have the smooth finish on the base then you are better applying a nice even layer onto the cpu, and 'tint' the base of the cooler with paste.
 
I find it can depend on the viscosity of the paste as well.
With thicker stuff like IC Diamond, i do a grain of rice size amount with a little dot each side, so it looks like a +
Then i push down the cooler and give it a twist of about 45 degrees and back again.
Then i bolt it down,

With the less thicker paste eg. MX-4 i just do a blob in the centre
 
Unless you have a perfectly lapped heatsink and CPU, I wouldn't use the even spread method.

It's not exactly a blob in the middle, should be more like a thick and short line going in between the cores as the pressure will spread the paste just enough to cover most of the area.
 
I try to spread it thinly and evenly over the CPU keeping away from the edges & then get the heatsink clamped down tight on it.

Jobs a good-un.
 
I did the blob in the center then stuck the heat sink on and let it spread on its own, seems good so far, temps are back to normal. Far less messing about doing it this way!

Cheers.
 
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