How to apply thermal paste

Учимся наносить термопасту на процессор

Термопаста защищает ядра центрального процессора, а иногда и видеокарту от перегрева. Себестоимость качественной пасты невысокая, а смену производить нужно не так часто (зависит от индивидуальных параметров). Процесс нанесения не сильно сложен.

Также не всегда замена термопасты необходима. Некоторые машины имеют отличную систему охлаждения и/или не слишком мощные процессоры, что даже в случае прихода имеющегося слоя в полную негодность, позволяет избежать значительного повышения температуры.

Общие сведения

Если вы заметили, что корпус компьютера стал перегреваться (система охлаждения шумит сильнее, чем обычно, корпус стал более горячим, производительность упала), то есть необходимость задуматься о смене термопасты.

Для тех, кто собирает компьютер самостоятельно, нанесение термопасты на процессор обязательно. Всё дело в том, что первое время процессор «с прилавка» может нагреваться сильнее обычного.

Однако, если вы купили компьютер или ноутбук, который до сих находится на гарантии, от самостоятельной замены термопасты лучше воздержаться по двум причинам:

Термопасту в идеале нужно наносить раз в 1-1,5 года. Вот несколько советов для выбора подходящего изолятора:

Чем чреват отказ наносить термопасту на ЦП (особенно для ПК с плохим охлаждением и/или мощным процессором):

Этап 1: подготовительные работы

Производится в несколько шагов:

Этап 2: нанесение

Следуйте этим шагам при нанесении:

Когда работы будут закончены, спустя 20-30 минут соберите аппарат к исходному состоянию. Также рекомендуется проверить температуру процессора.

Нанести термопасту на процессор несложно, нужно лишь соблюдать аккуратность и элементарные правила безопасности при работе с комплектующими компьютера. Качественная и правильно нанесённая паста может прослужить долгое время.

How To Apply Thermal Paste To A GPU Or CPU

The mere task of applying thermal paste to the GPU or the CPU can seem daunting for someone inexperienced, but this guide will help you.

This author has been vetted and has the necessary know-how or education to be able to write about this topic. Learn more on our about page.

Applying thermal paste is an essential skill for any would-be PC builder. If this is your first time applying thermal paste, it’s likely that you have heard numerous horrifying stories about fiery hardware destruction.

Thermal paste is often confused with thermal adhesive because of its ‘gluey’ look and feel, but they are very different things. Thermal adhesive is essentially used to bond a heatsink with an integrated circuit. In contrast, thermal paste doesn’t have adhesive qualities and is responsible for conducting heat from the chip to the heatsink.

There are two reasons why you might need to apply thermal paste: you have either bought a new chip or you’re replacing your old thermal paste. There are several different methods to apply the thermal paste and they all work pretty well.

Let’s look at how to do this for both the GPU and the CPU.

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Applying The Thermal Paste To A New CPU Or GPU

It can be a bit demoralizing for a newbie to purchase a high-performance CPU and then discover they have to perform an unfamiliar task that can potentially mess up their hardware. The situation is even more confusing due to the various possible methods of applying thermal paste.

It would be misleading to say that there is not an unsafe way to apply thermal paste. There is, but some guidance and common sense will enable you to apply the ideal amount in an appropriate way.

It is important to know that some CPU coolers come with a pre-applied thermal paste. If that is not the case for you, then you’re going to have to do it manually.

Step 0 – Getting The Right Paste

Before beginning the process, it’s important to choose the best possible paste.

The usual rule of thumb applies here: the more expensive the thermal paste, the better it will perform. As always, there are some exceptions to this rule, but this approach will generally apply. You want to have a higher quality thermal paste to conduct heat from your CPU to the heatsink more efficiently, although a cheaper one will usually perform its role well enough.

This Noctua CPU cooler features two heatsinks

As the thermal paste isn’t expensive, you are probably best off spending a few extra bucks, for your own peace of mind if nothing else. Another helpful feature is that the thermal paste usually comes in its own container that resembles a medical syringe, which enables you to apply the paste slowly and precisely.

This means you can only apply too much paste if you intentionally squeeze out too much. In reality, you’re far likelier to apply too little.

Step 1 – Installing The Chip

Before you start, remember that you should only apply the thermal paste after you’ve installed the chip on the motherboard and secured it. The paste will be placed on top to conduct heat to the heatsink and it has absolutely no relation with the connectors.

If you’re installing a new CPU to an old motherboard, you will detach the socket’s latch (retention arm) or unscrew the screws, or both, depending on your motherboard. In any case, you should consult a manual for your specific motherboard model.

After you’ve done this, hold the chip gently by its sides to avoid damaging the pins. There is usually an indicator (a small triangle) to help you accurately align the CPU with the motherboard’s socket.

Step 2 – Applying The Paste

After the chip is secured, by the latches or the screws, it’s time to add the heatsink to the equation. Remember that it won’t be held together by thermal paste which, as we mentioned earlier, has no adhesive properties.

Before placing the heatsink onto the chip, we first need to apply the thermal paste.

There are several different methods, but the most commonly used ones are the ‘dot’ method and the ‘cross’ method.

With the ‘dot’ method, you apply a dot the size of a grain of rice to the center of the CPU and lower the heatsink with a firm but even force. Of course, you shouldn’t slam it down or apply your body’s full force. You simply place it down and try to make it equal on all sides.

The dot method is a good method of applying thermal paste to your CPU or GPU

A good rule of thumb for this method is to look at the capacitors around the CPU and try to keep the paste about that size. This way of applying thermal paste is the most commonly used and it’s usually quite safe.

This method is pretty reliable and won’t cause any extra spillage.

Cross

If you want to be on the even safer side, you can use the ‘cross’ method, which is exactly what it sounds like. You draw a straight line from one corner to the opposite corner, then repeat the process and connect the other two corners, with the two lines intersecting in the middle.

The cross method is also a reliable method of applying thermal paste to your CPU or GPU

Important note: Don’t draw the lines all the way to the edges; you should try to remain inside the CPU borders as much as possible.

The lowering of the heatsink is pretty much identical to the other method, with equal distribution of force.

There are plenty more ‘drawing’ methods, but they generally yield the same results. You can use the ‘line’ method or the ‘spiral’ method and they are precisely what they sound like. You can even draw a smiley face, although we’re unsure if it improves the results.

Things To Look Out For

There are two more ways of applying the thermal paste and they’re not exactly pattern-type solutions like those mentioned above.

If you apply too little thermal paste, there likely won’t be enough of it to properly conduct heat and you might have overheating problems with your CPU or GPU.

If you apply too much thermal paste, then you will have a different problem.

Of course, the heat will pass through properly, but too much paste may cause it to spill over the sides when pressure is applied to the heatsink. This is not a huge problem, but it can be tedious trying to clean thermal paste off the motherboard.

Do not add too much thermal paste under any circumstances

We’ve described the CPU process, but it is pretty much identical for the GPU.

You will need to open your graphics card to expose the chip. If you’re unsure how to do that, there is a nice guide below:

Changing The Thermal Paste

There are plenty of reasons to change the thermal paste on either your GPU or CPU.

If you notice that either component is overheating, you should first check whether you need to clean the dust or if the fans are working properly. If you do this and the overheating problem persists, the time has probably come to change the thermal paste.

To do this, you will first need some new thermal paste. Once you have it, you can then work on removing the GPU from the motherboard or the heatsink from the CPU.

When you unhook the heatsink from your chip, you will be able to see firsthand how effective your previous application of the thermal paste was.

If you used the ‘dot’ method and the paste wasn’t spread out evenly, you might try the ‘cross’ method this time.

Before proceeding, you should first remove both the heatsink and the chip from the board as the next part of the process could inadvertently damage it.

Remove the component from the motherboard first and remove the thermal paste somewhere else

There are two different opinions on how to remove the residual paste and, while both do work, the best method is probably a combination of the two. For the largest piece of the paste, you can use a microfiber cloth or, if you don’t have one, a paper towel.

When holding the chip, make sure to hold it by its sides, otherwise, you may damage the pins and render it useless.

Hold your CPU by its sides to prevent accidental damage

You’ll want to use rubbing alcohol with the percentage of isopropyl alcohol as high as possible and dampen the cloth before gently rubbing the paste off. The best strategy is to start gently in order to get a feel for the brittleness of the chip. This isn’t to say that it will fall apart in your hands, but it will help you remember not to apply too much force from the start.

Once you have rubbed off the majority of the remaining paste, you may notice some nooks and crannies that are still dirty. Even if you can’t see this, it’s recommended that you perform the next step.

You will need to use a cotton swab with alcohol to reach those tight spots. This is the only way you will be able to guarantee the cleanliness of the GPU or CPU.

After you have thoroughly cleaned the old paste, you can proceed with the application of the replacement. The instructions are the same as when applying them to a new CPU, so we won’t repeat ourselves.

One thing to look for is that if you notice an uneven spread of the existing paste or if your paste quickly stopped conducting heat properly, you might want to change your application method.

How To Apply Thermal Paste On Intel and AMD CPU

When you build a new PC or upgrade the CPU cooler you need to apply thermal paste. It’s important if you want better performance from your system.

Thermal paste is used between processors and chips which eliminates air pockets, helping to draw heat out of the processor? The CPU thermal paste is also known as Thermal Interface Material.

But if you are thinking, what is thermal paste? The answer is “it’s a thermal grease, a kind of thermally conductive compound which is commonly used as an interface between heat sinks and heat sources.

Q – What is used on processors to eliminate air pockets, helping to draw heat off the processor?

The answer is Thermal Paste

It allows efficient CPU heat transfer to the cooler mounted directly above it. As a result, fix PC overheating issues. This post will cover the key point;

Table of Contents

Where do you apply thermal paste?

How much thermal paste should be applied to the CPU? It will be explained later in the post. But if you are asking where to apply thermal paste, y ou can apply thermal compound on two major components e.g. CPU & GPU.

H ow often do you need to apply thermal paste? It’s not a regular activity you need to apply thermal paste only if you think your CPU temperature remains high.

In this guide, the focus is drawn on applying the thermal paste to the CPU (Intel & AMD). This guide also includes the best way to apply thermal paste. Two renowned methods namely “Vertical Line” for Intel CPUs & “Pea Dot” for AMD CPU’s are explained.

What is the best CPU thermal paste for PC and laptop?

The best PC thermal paste for CPU includes; Thermal Grizzly Hydronaut Paste, Akasa AK-TC TIM Clean CPU & Heatsink Cleaner, and Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste.

We have written a useful guide on what are the best thermal pastes for CPUs. You can read it by clicking on the link.

Before you get a start, bear in mind that thermal paste is applied only on the top of the CPU, not the bottom or anywhere else.

It should be applied to the smooth metal plate where manufacturers imprint relevant information.

Should I apply thermal paste on CPU – Why?

It’s a proven fact that if you apply PC thermal paste on the heatsink or CPU, it will dissipate heat effectively and prevent your PC from overheating. But applying thermal paste is itself an art.

For example, if thermal grease is applied without flattening the layer, you will soon notice that CPU core temperature increases even under a nominal load.

And if you have used too much amount of thermal paste, then behold to witness the bubbles coming out from CPU and heatsink.

These bubbles create pockets that absorb heat but don’t transfer it outside. It results in higher CPU temperature.

What are the best thermal paste application methods to cool CPU

If you search “best method to apply thermal paste on CPU” on the internet. You will see that most of the posts explain “Spread” methods, according to them, this method is best that maintains normal CPU temperature range.

Unfortunately, modern heatsink or CPU’s Integrated Heat Spreaders (the upper metal part of CPU) are not coming on a flat surface. If you use a spread method to apply thermal paste, it will cover the micro gaps, as a result, fewer heat transfers.

Among other methods which of course you can use, apart from the “spread” technique are, X-shape, double- and even triple-line methods.

Here in this guide, we have selected the best ways to apply thermal paste on the CPU which are the “line and pea dot” methods.

These methods are used in all modern computer processors.

Before taking a start it is important to explain here, that there are different types of CPU paste having different types of composition. But one thing is common between them, they transfer heat from the CPU towards the CPU cooler.

How to replace thermal paste from CPU

Those who have built new PCs can skip this part of removing thermal paste because these systems don’t have pre-applied thermal paste on them.

However, if you have already applied thermal paste on your CPU then you should remove it before proceeding further.

For applying thermal paste first you need to replace the old thermal paste. After that, remove the CPU cooler from the processor and gently clean the thermal paste with a paper towel.

You can also use TIM cleaner to clean any remaining residue, for that apply a few drops of TIM cleaner, and then gently rub it in a circular motion on the processor. If you follow this method it will clean the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreaders).

If there’s residue thermal paste by the CPU latch, feel free to open your CPU latch and clean the latch and sides of your processor.

The same method is also used to clean the CPU cooler’s heatsink. Once you are done with the cleaning process, you can start applying a new thermal paste.

How to apply thermal paste on Intel CPU using the vertical line method

The vertical line method is feasible for Intel CPUs because they have rectangular die under the IHS.

So, using the vertical line method help you maintain the ideal CPU temperature. It has also been observed that the temperature of the Intel CPU remains higher on certain cores.

For instance, the temp of core 3 on Intel i7-3770K is hotter due to its closeness to the IGPU module processor.

To use the vertical line method, gently squeeze the syringe of thermal paste so that a small quantity of thermal grease comes out.

Now hold the thermal syringe down on the processor and draw a straight line on it. As shown in the following picture.

Now mount the CPU cooler on it to spread the paste, you can also use a piece of plastic for the same purpose.

If you use a plastic technique you will notice that there are a small number of bubbles. This is the result of uneven pressure from the plastic part.

But if you install the CPU cooler properly instead of using a piece of plastic, you can avoid air pockets.

How to apply thermal paste on CPU Using AMD pea-dot method

Unlike, Intel CPU’s which have a rectangular shape, the AMD CPUs have a square surface under the IHS.

That’s why on these CPU’s thermal paste is applied in circular/ round motion. If you properly apply thermal paste on AMD CPU’s then your processor can spread temperature through their CPU cores.

AMD CPUs generally have a square die under the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreaders). So, a more circular and round thermal paste CPU application is preferred over the oval and rectangular-shaped thermal paste application.

Through our experience (and with correctly applied thermal paste), we found AMD processors to have an even spread of temperature through their CPU cores.

The pea dot method (a.k.a middle dot method) is the best and most feasible way to apply thermal paste on AMD CPUs.

But to get optimum results with this method, you have to hold and push the syringe just above the surface and put a small pea size dot at the center.

Because when it comes to applying thermal paste, less is more. A small pea-sized drop is all you need. So, don’t spread it around, either the heatsink will spread it out evenly as you screw it in.

How to apply and clean off thermal paste

If you’re building a computer, you need thermal paste to ensure that your computer’s central processing unit (CPU) doesn’t overheat. The paste is a conductive material that’s applied to your CPU to ensure close-as-possible contact between the hot CPU and the cooler. Existing computers also may need new thermal paste applied as it tends to dry out over years of use. Whether you’re installing thermal paste on a new build or an older machine that will first require cleaning off the previous paste, we’ll show you how to apply thermal paste properly.

Want the full rundown for installing your CPU? Check out our guide on how to install an Intel processor.

What is thermal paste?

Thermal paste is a thermally conductive compound that helps to transfer heat; it eliminates air gaps that would generally be present between two surfaces to facilitate a better transfer. In computer building, we place a bit of thermal paste between the CPU and the CPU cooler to ensure that heat is removed from the processor as effectively as possible. Without the addition of thermal paste, your CPU would overheat and could be damaged. If you haven’t already purchased thermal paste for your machine, be sure to check out our guide on the best thermal pastes.

How to clean off thermal paste

If you already have a working machine that needs thermal paste to be reapplied, you’ll first need to clean off the old thermal paste. Before beginning, ensure that the CPU cooler has been removed, and you can visually see the thermal paste; it is generally white or gray. If you are installing thermal paste on a new machine and don’t need to remove old paste first, skip to the next section — otherwise, continue below for more instructions.

What you will need:

• A microfiber cloth (not paper towls, as they can scratch the surface)
• Rubbing alcohol (at least 90%)
• Cotton swabs
• A plastic spudger (optional)

Step 1: Begin by wiping the top of your CPU with the microfiber cloth to remove as much thermal paste as you can without issue.

Step 2: Dip the end of a cotton swab into the rubbing alcohol, then use it to wipe the top of your CPU gently; this will help to break up any hardened thermal paste. Optionally, use a plastic spudger to help remove any stubborn paste.

Step 3: Again, use a clean portion of the microfiber cloth or paper towel to remove any remaining thermal paste; the alcohol will evaporate almost immediately on its own.

Step 4: Repeat the above process to remove any old thermal paste that may be stuck to the underside of your CPU cooler.

How to apply thermal paste

Once you have both a clean CPU and CPU cooler (or you just took them brand-new out of the box), we can begin applying thermal paste. The key to applying thermal paste is not to overdo it; you only need to use a tiny pea-sized bit of paste — anything more would be excessive. Double-check to ensure you have all the required equipment below, then begin the process.

What you’ll need:

• A clean CPU installed in your motherboard socket
• A clean CPU cooler ready to install
• CPU thermal paste
• A microfiber cloth (or paper towel)

Step 1: With your CPU already installed into your motherboard, place a small pea-sized drop of thermal paste on the CPU’s center.

Step 2: Next, install the CPU cooler while applying top-down pressure to the unit. Note that there is no need to first spread the paste before installing the cooler; the cooler’s pressure will evenly distribute the thermal paste.

Step 3: Once the cooler is installed, check the CPU’s edges to see if any excess thermal paste has spilled over, and, if needed, wipe it away with a microfiber cloth or paper towel.

Does thermal paste need to be reapplied regularly?

After finishing this process, one question that you might have is how often, if ever, does the CPU thermal paste need to be replaced? One of the largest chip manufacturers in the world, Intel, recommends reapplying the solution “every few years” or if you “remove your cooler for any reason.” Typically, your thermal paste will last you quite a while, but keep an eye on your temperatures, as if they spike, it could be a sign your thermal paste is drying up.

How to Apply Thermal Paste to CPU – Best Ways

Here in this article, I am going to give you the answer to an important question: ‘How to apply thermal paste to CPU?’ People have a lot of queries regarding this matter as it is a highly important part of the computer system. As we all know that the processor is a small and delicate, but the most expensive part, and so needs a good caring.

A thermal grease is a heat transferring agent and necessary for your CPU cooling. It prevents overheating. But, if it has been applied in some inappropriate manner, it can crash your system or drop its performance.

Top Ways to Apply Thermal Paste

Step 1: Decide what you need

As I have mentioned earlier, it is vital to implement the thermal compound correctly. So, first of all, determine what you will need while applying the thermal paste to CPU. Here is the list of things you should collect before starting the process;

Step 2: Open your CPU or Laptop

After collecting all the needed things, first of all, you have to unscrew the back cover of your CPU. If you have a laptop, make sure that you dismantle the back cover properly with the screwdriver.

After that, remove the CPU fan and heatsink and dip your cotton in Isopropyl Alcohol. All professionals are suggesting Isopropyl as it has better cleaning capacities and fast drying.

Note: If you don’t want to use this solution, then you can also use high concentrated Ethyl or Methyl alcohol. If you can’t find Isopropyl alcohol, you should go to the printer’s shop as this kind of solution is used in such stores.

Step 3: Clean over and prepare your CPU

Now, take that cotton swab and clean the CPU fan. You can insert the swab and softly remove the dust. Removing dust is an important task. Repeat it until you feel that the fan is now dust-free. Also, clean the heatsink surface.

If you have a new laptop or CPU, then you don’t need to clear the pre-applied thermal paste, but if you have older CPU, clean over the old thermal compound applied before. Lightly rub the wet cotton above the area where you want to apply the fresh thermal compound.

Step 4: Properly Apply Thermal Paste

After all the cleaning procedures, now it is time to implement the thermal paste. Many people have a question in their mind regarding the quantity of the grease. There are many techniques by which you will get to know how much thermal solution to apply for the CPU cooling.

These techniques are;

You can apply the paste by using the injection tube or directly from the tube bottle. Spread the thermal compound by using the plastic card. If you want, you can spread it by your fingertips. Just do not forget to use hand gloves!

Note: You have to apply the thermal compound evenly. There should be no gaps or bubbles during the thermal grease spread.

Step 5: Rearrange the heatsink and fan.

Step 6: Test your laptop or CPU and save it from overheating.

So, these are the steps to apply the thermal compound. Our research shows that ‘the X shape’ technique gives the best performance and can avoid the majority of bubbles/gaps. Moreover, you should always use the high quality thermal paste available in the market even if it is costly as heat management is essential for better performance of your computer.

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About Justin Morris

My interested subject is CPU motherboard where different parts are used to assemble a PC. To make a CPU cool, a cooler is required. Thermal Paste plays a centric role between cooler and CPU. It makes the CPU run faster and Better by providing coolness.