Thermal paste is being removed from the center of the CPU.
Thermal paste is being removed from the center of the CPU.
Hello everyone, I recently assembled a new PC and am facing some temperature control problems. I have an i9 14900kf paired with a Noctua NH-D15S cooler. While I know the cooler isn’t ideal for keeping temperatures down, I’ve had to reapply thermal paste three times already. This leads to unstable CPU temps, causing my games to crash because of inconsistent cooling. I’ve followed all the instructions from the cooler, but anyone have any insights on what might be causing this issue or how to prevent it? Also, after reapplying paste, it works fine for a short time before the crashes resume.
Kinda "known issue" with LGA1700. That 2-point retention mechanism bends the heatspreader so it's not flat and contact isn't great.
Two possibilities are present. 1: both the cooler and CPU IHS are convex, indicating a central mount with slopes on the sides, or 2: the tension from the ILM locking mechanism is causing unusual flex. This issue was reported with 12th generation CPUs when the 1700 socket was introduced, but it seems to be the first I've encountered or heard about.
I think the others are mistaken about the bending. The ILM bending would create the opposite shape, with a lot of paste in the middle. Edit: or perhaps not—maybe the shape is actually concave but empty of paste. When you display the residual paste, I’d also like to see the pattern on the cooler. There are two sides to this story. You might want to test another thermal paste. Which one do you have? Of course, you could still try the contact frame—I have one. Edited February 16, 2024 by leclod
I believed the bending lowered the central section. That's what appeared to happen. Even light contact in the middle doesn't seem too poor for thermal connection. The Arctic MX6 paste here feels more "dry" than yours, perhaps preferable? Edited February 16, 2024 by leclod
Can't push the sides down, causing them to rise... My version was also blank in the middle.
What kind of thermal paste are you employing? Certain options may deteriorate rapidly. Consider Honeywell PTM 7950 for better reliability.