Thin spread - This can be applied with an index finger, paintbrush, or any other method as long as it results in a thinly-spread paste completely covering the heatsink.
Fully covered "too much thermal paste" - Generously-applied amount of thermal paste that no one will contest as being "too little. The big blob, as its name suggests, is just a big dot smacked in the center of the metal plate. It is definitely bigger than the pea-sized recommendations of professionals mainly because it is used for desktop PCs.
Once you apply the blob onto the center of the CPU, place the cooler on top and slowly bring the heatsink down. The paste should spread out laterally "on its own. It doesn't matter if the layer is not perfect either. What matters is that the microscopic gaps between the two surfaces are no longer there and no air bubbles are trapped during the process. Be careful if you're using a low-viscosity thermal paste a liquid-like texture. When you apply a big blob in the middle, the liquid paste would spread more aggressively and spill onto the sides.
The veteran PC builders preferred this method. They used latex gloves and their index fingers to apply thermal paste, or a credit card to smoothen the spread. Also because the thermal pastes available in the market years ago were packaged in tubs instead of tubes , so getting a chunk at a time is common.
The concept of using the thin spread technique is that this supposedly ensures maximum contact between the heatsink and cold plate. The layer in between these surfaces is thin enough for them to stick, but because of this, it could even cause air pockets. Another advantage of the spread method is that you can be sure that the corners of your heatsink will be covered nicely without spilling to the edges. Note that liquid-like thermal paste is very hard to spread evenly, so this may not work for low-viscosity pastes.
This is also true for pastes that are on the thick side, since its texture would make it impossible to spread thinly. What makes this technique a good choice is that because you're spreading it so thin, you're only using minimal amounts of paste.
If you're using the expensive brands, this application method can be budget-friendly. Many people recommend sticking with the pea-sized dot when applying thermal paste.
It is straightforward and it works. Here's how you can do this:. Another benefit to this pea-sized method is that the layer will always have less air pockets than other techniques. The downside though is that the corners may not get enough coverage.
If the surface has gaps on the edges instead of the middle, then this would be a huge issue. If not, then it's your lucky day and you can carry on.
The reason why many people swear by the pea-sized dot method is because it is an easy method to replicate should you need to do the application again. As you may have guessed, applying too much thermal paste can be a sticky situation, regardless of using a liquidy or thick paste. Note that applying too little thermal paste always trumps applying too much. Imagine doing all the steps and finding out that you were unable to cover everything due to the lack of paste.
You just need to clean out the old paste, then get back from the start. Join , subscribers and get a daily digest of news, geek trivia, and our feature articles. By submitting your email, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. When it comes to applying thermal paste, less is more: a small, pea-sized drop is all you need.
Thermal paste also known as thermal grease, thermal interface material, or thermal gel is the semi-fluid compound you apply to the metal housing of the CPU to allow efficient heat transfer to the cooler mounted directly above it. Before we get started: thermal paste is applied to the top of the CPU, not the bottom. It should applied to the smooth metal plate where the manufacturer and model information is printed , not to to the hundreds of squares or pins on the underside.
Worried about what kind of thermal paste to use? If you apply too little paste and your CPU runs too hot resulting in computer crashes, you can always clean it off and reapply, but cleaning paste out of the socket itself is much more problematic. Once you have the paste applied as above, simply set the cooler on top and screw it into place on the motherboard with its included mounting hardware. Image credit: Intel. Browse All iPhone Articles Browse All Mac Articles Do I need one?
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Best iPhone 13 Pro Case. Best Bluetooth Headphones for Switch. Before going over my preferred application process, it helps to understand some of the issues that can occur with different application methods.
This is exactly as it sounds. Apply a thin line of thermal paste directly down the center of the IHS Integrated Heat Spreader and then allow the pressure of the CPU cooler to spread the paste as you secure it.
In trying to ensure that you have enough paste applied to cover the entire area of the CPU, it's more than likely that you'll end up with too much paste.
This negatively impacts performance because excessive paste ends up impeding efficient heat transfer. If you do not leave enough of a gap between the edge of the CPU and the end points on your line, you also risk having the paste squeeze out of the sides once you have secured the cooler. Not only does this make an unnecessary mess, but if you happen to be using an electrically conductive paste, any contact with the PCB could cause a short circuit, damaging your motherboard and other connected components.
Remember: the goal of thermal paste is to fill in microscopic gaps on the surface of your CPU and your heatsink.
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