You should consider replacing the thermal paste when performance drops or when the application becomes unstable.
You should consider replacing the thermal paste when performance drops or when the application becomes unstable.
I've had my old CPU (i5 3570K) running smoothly for over eight years with the same thermal paste. My GPU (RX 480) has been working well for more than five years, still performing nicely with the factory paste. Unless the thermal pastes begin to fail, there isn't a specific time frame when you'd need to replace them again.
I receive suggestions roughly once a year or so, yet I haven’t adjusted any settings on my machines. None of them get hot or approach overheating under continuous heavy CPU workloads. A few are over seven years old and have handled extended periods of high processing demands.
When conditions become unfavorable or you decide to refill the cooler, it’s best to do so. For GPUs, it appears they require maintenance around 3–4 years old. If I purchase a used card, after confirming its performance with a benchmark, I replace it.
Occasionally a paste loses its moisture over time, sometimes lasting a decade before needing a refresh. While guidelines suggest changing it every three to five years, that’s more of a general advice. I’ve only encountered the need for replacement once—when my grandparents’ laptop stopped working due to overheating. The paste was hard as concrete when I replaced it. That device was from 2013 and I had it in early 2021, so after eight years it failed, likely around year six or seven for best results.