[SOLVED] How's my CPU thermal paste application?

[Appletax]

I only repaste/paste a CPU once in a blue moon. Below are pics of my latest repaste application.



I got a thermal paste spreader with a tube of Arctic MX-4. I started using it first to spread out the thermal paste, and then I like to add a smidge of extra thermal paste in the center as I do not want to have too little paste on the CPU.

Did I do a good job greasing up this CPU? lol

Edit: nope. Will just stick with placing a single pea-sized dollop of thermal paste in the center. Much easier and faster and works good enough.

 

[Sky-Knight]

I use a pocket knife because you want a paper thin layer that's consistent across the die.

but that's an "ideal", you won't notice much of a change. And these days there are thermal pads you can buy that yes cost a little more, but they're a slap on and watch it work thing.

It didn't ooze out all over the board, the thing won't overheat. It'll do.

 

[GTP]

IMHO thats waaaayyyyy too much paste. When you clamp the CPU down it will squeeze out all over the mobo.
That dollop in the center is totally unnecessary and just compounds the problem.

You only need the thinnest film and any more than that is extreme overkill.

Edit to add: The point of Thermal Paste is to fill the microgrooves, pits, scratches, bumps etc on the CPU die as well as the base of the cooler block, so that you get and even spread of heat across the die.

 

[britechguy]

you want a paper thin layer that's consistent across the die

Yep, and I absolutely agree with @GTP that this is way, way, way too much paste.

My personal method is to put a tiny, and I do mean tiny dot at the center and spread it a bit with the spreader. The clamp down the heat sink that causes it to spread more than enough to be sufficient.

Thermal paste is a very thin layer. It's almost "not there."

 

[frase]

Too much you are not baking a cake! I put a little line across the cpu, then use an old plastic old card [bankcard etc] and spread the paste over a even thin level covering the CPU. Then add a very small layer to the heatsink copper base.

 

[wavey]

That 'smidge of extra thermal paste' is all you need.

 

[Metanis]

I begin by cleaning all surfaces with a cleaning solution. Then, I put a clean sandwich baggie over my index finger and just spread the paste manually. I try to completely cover the die but I also keep it as thin as possible. For 125+ watt CPUs I'll also paint the matching side of the heat sink. The trick is to ensure you seat the heat sink as flat as possible on the CPU. Finally, I'll twist the heat sink back and forth a few times to make sure I'm getting maximum contact before engaging the mounting hardware.

 

[Philippe]

That 'smidge of extra thermal paste' is all you need.

This ^^ -> the pressure between the CPU & heat sink will spread it perfectly.

Edit to add: The point of Thermal Paste is to fill the microgrooves, pits, scratches, bumps etc on the CPU die as well as the base of the cooler block

-> by putting too much paste, you are actually * reducing * its efficiency...
not talking about the risks of shorts if the paste is conductive or if it reaches the cpu pins/socket

Edit: grammar.

 

[britechguy]

The trend is clear, the words of Mies Van Der Rohe apply: Less is more.

 

[GTP]

-> by putting too much paste, you are actually * reducing * its efficiency...

I agree

not talking about the risks of shorts if the paste is conductive or if it reach the cpu pins/socket

Neither was I.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Some of you live in places that don't rely on active cooling... and it shows.

His application is fine. And no, a little dollop in the middle doesn't cut it anymore, if you think so you need to RTFM. The compounds all have instructions, and they vary based on CPU type these days. Get it wrong, and when the ambient gets too high the system will fail.

ARCTIC MX-4 - User Manual

Get your ARCTIC MX-4 user manual. Detailed explanation with coloured schematics, photos, animations and videos.

support.arctic.de

Instructions state, aside from the blob in the middle, what he did was fine.

Also, MX-4 isn't electrically conductive. So while I don't recommend you slather it all over the LGA, it's not going to short things out either.

 

[britechguy]

Some of you live in places that don't rely on active cooling... and it shows.

Oh, cut the bluster, buster!

There are conventions that are applicable everywhere, and how to apply thermal paste correctly is one of them.

If you believe that the computers shipped to you in Arizona have their thermal paste applied specially for your state and those in the sun belt . . .

 

[frase]

I find applying a very thin layer over the CPU and the Heatsink for both solid heat transfers. Others may argue no do it this way or that, this is way I do it and have done. The method I implement has worked well for all the years I have been doing so.

 

[Sky-Knight]

I use a modified process of what Arctic used to recommend for their silver products way the heck back in the day, and it still works for the ceramic compounds we have today.

I clean the die and the cooler with fingernail polish remover. (It's a cheap, readily available light duty acetone.

Then I apply a small amount of the compound to the heat sink's contact surface, and use the inside of a zip log bag to rub it into the metal. Once that's done, I wipe the excess off with a paper towel. People say lint free is better, but meh... Phoenix may as well be the surface of the sun and I've never had a unit overheat... so...

Anyway, after that I pull out my pocket knife and I spread a paper thin layer over the entire die.

Mount it and ship it.

Just have to make sure I don't put my finger in it, because annoyingly enough at this scale a layer of oil from your hands screws things up!

 

[GTP]

I find applying a very thin layer over the CPU and the Heatsink for both solid heat transfers. Others may argue no do it this way or that, this is way I do it and have done. The method I implement has worked well for all the years I have been doing so.

I followed the same principles for the hundreds (literally) of custom builds I did in the "golden years."
I never had one client come back with a CPU heat related issue.

The CPU heat related issues that I diagnosed and corrected were because of someone else's over/under use of thermal medium or thermal pads that didn't work as intended..

I should also mention that when cooler blocks started to be shipped with a "thermal pad" attached I was skeptical of its performance. On many occasions I removed the pad and did it my way.
AMD had a square pad whereas Intel started to use the round copper slug.
It was only later I started to leave the pad in place but always had reservations about the pads ability to cover the die properly, especially those blocks with the circular 10 cent coin sized copper slug.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Some of you live in places that don't rely on active cooling... and it shows.

His application is fine. And no, a little dollop in the middle doesn't cut it anymore, if you think so you need to RTFM. The compounds all have instructions, and they vary based on CPU type these days. Get it wrong, and when the ambient gets too high the system will fail.

ARCTIC MX-4 - User Manual

Get your ARCTIC MX-4 user manual. Detailed explanation with coloured schematics, photos, animations and videos.

support.arctic.de

Instructions state, aside from the blob in the middle, what he did was fine.

Also, MX-4 isn't electrically conductive. So while I don't recommend you slather it all over the LGA, it's not going to short things out either.

Yeah but this before the press down, so I think he’s going to get a lot overflow.

 

[britechguy]

I think he’s going to get a lot overflow.

You're a master of understatement!

Also, direct from the FM, the "tiny dot in the middle" is one of three suggested application styles, and it's one I've used. I've also done the "spread that dot around with the scraper" method, too. Never tried an X configuration as I know I'd end up with too much.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Yeah but this before the press down, so I think he’s going to get a lot overflow.

Not with that compound. Granted, you may be right it's hard to tell thickness from the picture.

 

[britechguy]

Not with that compound. Granted, you may be right it's hard to tell thickness from the picture.

We must be looking at different pictures then. The first two show a surface with "cake frosting" peaks and valleys, with a DQ cone top blob (complete with loop).

If that doesn't unquestionably demonstrate there's too much, nothing could.

 

[Philippe]

you may be right it's hard to tell thickness from the picture

Lol... pictures 1 & 2 show it's already overflowing...
Spreading the thermal paste as thin as you can over all the cpu * will * result in overflowing once the pressure is applied.

You didn't even look at the video you're referring to (hxxps://support.arctic.de/en/mx-4)