3600 reaches 95°C on the stock cooler.
3600 reaches 95°C on the stock cooler.
even though it's new, it might lose moisture. i've seen this happen before—those plastic covers aren't completely sealed, letting air in and causing drying. out of around 30 to 40 unboxed coolers, i've noticed a couple with fresh paste left inside. one was a Corsair H100i (the white one with the LL120s, bought soon after it launched), and another was my Cryorig H7. cryorig provided a full 4g tube of high-quality thermal paste even on a budget cooler, which likely wouldn't cause any harm. i recommend getting a basic Arctic MX-4 thermal paste to replace the original.
The most probable issues involve incorrect installation or insufficient airflow in the case.
I own a large collection of thermal paste tubes, from the free ones with coolers to Kryonaut. It’s likely you received a subpar batch. I have an MX-4 tube that remains quite usable even after two years since opening, and similarly for Kryonaut. I also have a brandless paste I used for testing, which is completely dry now. The main differences I’ve seen are in viscosity—Kryonaut slightly lowers temperatures—and price, though all perform adequately. Some of the cheaper options feel thick or gooey. I’m unsure about their shelf life; my first MX-4 build was in 2018 and it’s still functioning perfectly, despite being a 240mm AIO on a stock 3570k.
Your PC setup looks customized. The front fan seems positioned to direct airflow toward the GPU, while the vents are located lower rather than higher up. With an external fan placed directly on the CPU, temperatures remain within normal ranges. You’re right to consider thermal paste quality—some brands offer better performance. Since you’ve disabled PBO and are monitoring temperatures closely, it seems safe to proceed unless you notice any issues. Just keep an eye on things until your new cooler arrives.