Thermal paste plays a key role in managing the heat produced by the CPU. It is a cooling substance that comes in the form of a paste. It is applied between the surfaces of the processor and the cooler. The paste is made of thermally conductive fillers.
In this article, you’ll learn the purpose of applying a thermal paste, its potential impact on your system, and the criteria for selecting a good thermal paste for your PC. Here, I’ll share with you an insight into a less-explored phenomenon that is essential to the performance of your processing unit.
Contents
Do You Need Thermal Paste for CPU?
Thermal paste sits right between the top surface of the CPU and at the bottom of the cooler. It essentially does the job of transferring the heat and absorbing as much as possible amidst the transfer. The thermal conductivity ensures this absorption.
By doing that, there is a heat loss in the transfer. If the CPU thermal paste dries out, the cooler must take care of 100% of the heat generated by the CPU. The paste’s absorption improves the cooler’s efficiency, which eventually helps the CPU to remain below the functional temperature.
Selecting a Thermal Paste for the CPU
Most criteria for the selection of the thermal paste include a lot of technicalities. But even if you are not an expert on material science, you can make the right selection by checking these few things.
1. Thermal Paste Conductivity
There are two types of pastes:
- Conductive: The ones that use metallic compounds
- Non-conductive: The ones that use silicon compounds
Each paste comes with a ranking for its thermal conductivity. This ranking defines how effectively the paste transfers the heat from the CPU to the cooler’s heatsink. The conductivity measures are in watts per square meter of the surface.
Higher numbers indicate that the material is better at heat conduction. Lower numbers mean the opposite.
Ultimately, the choice of thermal paste depends on the specific use case and the thermal requirements of the components involved. For high-performance applications or overclocking, I suggest a thermal paste with metallic compounds.
On the other hand, silicon-based thermal pastes are generally safer and more cost-effective for everyday use and average computing needs. Always remember to apply thermal paste carefully and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines to ensure optimal performance and prevent any potential damage to your components.
2. Viscosity
The viscosity refers to how thick or thin the paste is. This is essential in the installation process. Thick material takes some effort to spread across the surface. A material that is too thin in its viscosity will spill outside the surface.
It is important for the paste to have the right texture. Any leakage of this paste over other components can damage them. Less viscous (semi-liquid) pastes have a higher likelihood of spilling all over. Thick Paste-like viscosity is ideal as it spreads evenly when surfaces are pressed.
3. Density
Density refers to how dense the paste is. Density can easily be confused with viscosity. The basic difference between the two is that viscosity refers to the thickness of the paste, and density refers to how much of the paste is there in a certain portion.
The paste can be in the form of a semi-liquid that is thick in texture but may not have a large part of the paste in it. The ones with almost no liquid content at all are of higher density and are difficult to spread.
The density, too, needs to be appropriate for the paste to spread evenly.
4. Intended Use
Based on the intensity of usage, you can choose between different types of thermal pastes. The difference between them all lies in the material they are formed from.
Here is a list of different materials used in making a thermal paste:
- Zinc Oxide
- Silicone Oil
- Ceramic
- Aluminum
- Copper
- Silver
- Graphite
- Carbon Nanoparticles
- Various anti-oxidation agents
Based on the element used in its making, 5 types of thermal pastes can be formed: Metal-based, Liquid-based, Ceramic-based, Carbon-based, and silicon-based thermal pastes.
5. Thermal Design Power
Thermal design power refers to the power that the processor is going to consume. The higher the TDP ratings get, the hotter the CPU gets.
Some processors are designed to offer ultimate performances for purposes like gaming, streaming, or computing and coding.
Processors designed for these purposes are of higher capabilities and hence consume more power and heat up more. You need a PC thermal paste that is slightly above the standard usage for these processors.
How Much Thermal Paste Do You Need?
You only need a small amount of thermal paste to effectively transfer heat between your CPU and cooler. Typically a pea-sized dot in the center of the CPU is ideal.
Too much paste can cause it to overflow onto the motherboard, which can create a mess and negatively impact cooling performance. Too little paste can lead to poor contact and high CPU temperatures.
After applying the paste, securely mount your cooler, and the pressure will spread the paste to completely fill the tiny gaps between the CPU and cooler surface. This allows optimal heat transfer.
Checking your temperatures under load is the best way to verify you’ve applied the right amount. In many modern-day coolers, you will find the paste already applied.
But if you are making an upgrade or a replacement, having a drop the size of a peanut is more than enough.
How Long Does Thermal Paste Last?
A thermal paste’s life depends on the life of the two components. It sits in between the processor and cooler. If you change any one of them, you need to clean the surfaces and apply the paste again.
If you don’t change the components, then your paste will last for about 2 to 4 years with moderate usage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, the thermal paste is made of heat-conductive material. The sole purpose of this thermal conductive paste is to conduct the heat while transferring it from the processor to the cooler.
Thermal pastes last for 2 to 4 years with moderate usage. With more intense usage, the paste can dry out or expire sooner. The paste also becomes unusable if you change a component it is applied upon.
No, you need to buy thermal paste separately. Many modern-day CPU coolers, however, come with pre-applied thermal pastes.
Putting excessive thermal paste will result in spilling all over the processor once the heatsink is pressed against its surface. This can result in damage to other components.
Although the materials used to make toothpaste are similar to that of a thermal paste, the toothpaste does not have any head conducting property hence it cannot be used as a substitute for thermal paste.
Without any performance issues, you should wait for at least 2 years before replacing your thermal paste.
Processor overheating, overactive cooling fan, and CPU performance issues are some of the most common symptoms of insufficient thermal paste.
Conclusion
This article focuses on one of a PC build’s most overlooked and underrated aspects. Thermal pastes affect the lifespan and performances of two of the most essential components of a computer: cooling assembly and processor. Getting it right is, therefore, important.
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