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Thread: What is the importance of thermal paste and what is the time interval to change it?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
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    What is the importance of thermal paste and what is the time interval to change it?

    Guys, I have recently purchased a desktop computer for myself. Obviously everything is going well with the computer without any issue but there are certain hardware related questions going around in my mind. And the one which is frequently coming up is regarding the thermal paste. If allowed me I would try to know every single thing about it but however I would just ask two questions about the same. Firstly I wanted to know what exactly these thermal pastes do. Why a computer user gives much importance to this small amount of paste? What role they play in the computer system. Also I have heard that this paste should be changed at every interval of time. May I know what the time period of changing the thermal paste is?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    122

    Re: What is the importance of thermal paste and what is the time interval to change it?

    I normally do not see any importance of thermal paste at least in my computer. I am a normal computer user and my computer is not built up of any high components like high range processor or GPU or something. I just got everything on board and all now the entire system is doing great without any issue. Its 2 years passed away and still I didn’t face any problem with regards to the processor or graphic card or any interface.

    I don’t even have any idea where exactly the thermal paste lies and so I do not see any importance of it as no one has yet told me anything about its advantage or disadvantage. I guess it must be playing 0.5% of role in the whole computer system.

  3. #3
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    May 2011
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    129

    Re: What is the importance of thermal paste and what is the time interval to change it?

    You have mistaken everything my friends. I must say that you have portrait the thermal paste as nothing in your computer. Once if your processor or graphic card will burn and get defect you will surely understand the importance of thermal paste. I personally prefer to change the paste when time comes. I mean, I keep on checking my system at every equal time period and make sure that everything is doing well including the thermal paste.

    Actually the thing is that the thermal paste at a point of time dries out completely and therefore it needed to be re-applied as soon as it goes off as your processor and graphic card may get defect without it. Most of the people think that thermal paste lasts forever and therefore they need not have to be changed. But they have completely mistaken this thing. Due to the excess heat produced by the processor and the cards they do get dry out easily. It is always recommended to check the thermal paste at every 3 months; this is what I do usually.

  4. #4
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    Jun 2011
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    Re: What is the importance of thermal paste and what is the time interval to change it?

    Here you will get the main purpose of thermal paste in our computer system. In simple words thermal pastes are used to exert heat from the hardware component on which it is applied. Actually it builds up the connectivity between the heatsink and the hardware component (processor or video card). Applying heat sink helps the heatsink to get properly connected to the surface of the object by filling up the air gaps. This increases the efficiency of working of the heatsink on the hardware components maintains the temperature of the processors at an average level. If connected the heatsink to the processor without the thermal paste then definitely you are going to suffer a lot as the heatsink would not me as effective as it would have been with the thermal paste. Overall, heatsink does play the role or drawing the heat from the processor but it’s the thermal paste that plays the major role by allowing the heatsink to get connected to the processors. Without the connection heatsink won’t be able to do anything.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
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    123

    Re: What is the importance of thermal paste and what is the time interval to change it?

    You must have seen in many threads people do mention about the thermal paste while they are discussing about overclocking. Yes, overclocking is all about increasing the performance of your processor and video card by putting those components into a huge risk. Risk of overheating and all. Overclocking and overheating goes hand in hand. If you are overclocking your processor then the is bound to product much heat than the normal level and at this point of time thermal paste comes into the picture.

    In order to avoid overheating you must know that people do suggest maintaining the processor buy installing a better cooler fan with the heatsink. Installing the cooler with the heatsink at the top of the processor does require a thermal for the connectivity. And this thermal paste does create a perfect flatness between both the heatsink and the processor which in turns brings up the uniform connectivity.

  6. #6
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    Jul 2011
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    Re: What is the importance of thermal paste and what is the time interval to change it?

    Mostly it is always suggested to replace the thermal paste from chips on which you have applied it after it dries up or if its no longer performing well. But obvious, you won’t be able to make out this think until your computer behaves weird or you feel your chips getting heating up beyond the excess level. Letting your computer to reach till this level can prove quite risky so therefore it is better you do not go with that idea. Better keep on verifying and inspecting the thermal paste at every two months.

  7. #7
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    Jul 2011
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    Re: What is the importance of thermal paste and what is the time interval to change it?

    If you are a laptop owner then I guess you shouldn’t find it difficult to know whether you thermal paste is dried out of still doing well. If the thermal paste is no more workable you might start feeling the heat from the base of the laptop that comes out from the chip. And when you have a computer system then make sure that you keep on checking whether your CPU case is getting heated up excessively or not. If its getting overheated then open up the case and check the thermal paste.

  8. #8
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    Jul 2011
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    Re: What is the importance of thermal paste and what is the time interval to change it?

    Changing the thermal pastes is the most important thing that is to be managed. As already mentioned above first knowing the correct time for replacing the thermal paste is very important then comes the steps to apply the thermal paste. Looking at the thermal paste many people think that it would be very much easy to replace but they forget to fulfill the necessary requirement that is to be noted while performing the procedure.

    • The first thing to be done is cleaning the chip (processor or GPU). Make sure that you clean the paste with the help of the Isopropyl Alcohol using a cotton ball. do not use a cloth.
    • Apply the thermal paste on the chip in a small quantity. Small quantity should not exceed even more than a pinch
    • Now spreading it uniformly is an important task. It should not be the case that you spread the paste only at one place and left the other side clear without the paste
    • Now without wasting the time, mount the heatsink onto the chip where you applied the paste. Make sure that you fix the heatsink at your first attempt because a single wrong step may let you to reapply the thermal paste again
    • That’s it now connect the fan and other necessary things and install them into the machine. Reboot the system and done!

  9. #9
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    Jul 2011
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    Re: What is the importance of thermal paste and what is the time interval to change it?

    I guess choosing a good brand thermal paste is the first and the foremost thing that is to be noted down. Mostly it depends upon your hardware specification and the temperature at which your system gets heated up. If you search on internet you might get the entire information about which thermal paste should be chosen for your machine depending up the difference between your room temperature and Core temperature.

    I personally prefer Arctic Silver 5 as I have noticed that this is the only thermal paste right now which is being the best amongst all with some better performance and also you would find it easily in the market without any hesitation.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
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    61

    Re: What is the importance of thermal paste and what is the time interval to change it?

    A thermal paste generally comes in three forms:
    • Metal based
    • Ceramic based
    • Silicon based


    Amongst all of these three Metal based paste is the most recommended one which gives the best performance. The only reason people disagree to use this paste is because of its electric conductive property due to the metal particles present in it.

    Ceramic based pastes are average pastes which are not as popular as metal based but yes, they are however above silicon based pastes. That’s the reason why it is still existing in the market because its in good demand of the drawback of metal paste.

    Lastly the silicon pastes, everyone is well aware that silicon paste is the one that is actually applied on the stock heatsink. From this you can easily make out that this paste is mostly used by the manufacturer and not by the end users.

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