Cooler Master Thermal Paste
Cooler Master Thermal Paste
So, I'm just starting out. When I put in the motherboard and CPU, I forgot about the cooler master. After opening it, I noticed there was thermal paste inside the box. Looking up online, I learned that I should remove the old paste from the CPU and apply a fresh one. Is that right? Can I reuse the same paste that came with the CPU cooler?
check the drop in the picture? It's really close to what you should use. When the cooler is pressed against the chip, it should ooze out just at the edges if it fits properly. If it's too much, it might spill over the sides and that's not ideal. If it's too little, it may not cover enough. This is just my guess based on experience.
For more details, you can read: http://www.maximumpc.com/how-to-properly...all-a-cpu/
If the cooler had TIM pre-applied, it is fine. There is no reason to change it. You aren't having temps issues, are you?
I haven't completed my computer yet, so changing the CPU cooler doesn't require altering the thermal paste.
Because the thermal paste was included, you should reapply it. As mentioned before, you shouldn't have too little or too much. The goal of thermal paste is to ensure a secure seal with no air gaps. Insufficient amount won't fully cover the area, while excess can hinder heat transfer between the CPU and cooler.
check the drop in the picture? It's really close to what you should use. When the cooler is pressed against the chip, it should ooze out just at the edges if it fits properly. If it's too much, it might spill over the sides and that's not ideal. If it's too little, it might not cover enough. This is just my guess based on experience.
For more details, you can read: http://www.maximumpc.com/how-to-properly...all-a-cpu/
TheCrazyBoy:
I haven't finished my computer yet.
So, I don't have to replace the thermal paste if I swap out the CPU cooler?
Yes, you definitely need to clean the old TIM before putting in the new one. I assumed the cooler already had the TIM applied, but you're right.