How much paste do I put on my CPU?

You only need to apply a small amount — roughly the size of a grain of rice or a pea — onto the center of the integrated heat spreader.

Can you put too much paste on CPU?

Situations to Avoid:

Too much reduces the efficacy of the paste, due to the metal surfaces being too far apart, and also risks spilling out onto the motherboard during installation. It might be tempting to spread the thermal paste onto the CPU yourself.

How many ml of thermal paste do you need on a CPU?

No matter which application method we used, 0.1ml wasn't enough to cover up the entire surface of the CPU and fill all the gaps, so the thermal performance was quite bad. 0.2ml thermal offered the best thermal performance, no matter which application method we used.

Is 1 gram enough thermal paste for CPU?

No, do not put all 1g on your CPU. The purpose of thermal paste is to have the thinnest layer possible while covering the entire CPU, generally speaking a pea sized dot in the middle is enough, and mounting pressure will spread it on it's own.

Is 1 gram thermal paste enough for 2 CPUs?

Unless your laptop has a desktop processor (yes, they do exist) and a discreet graphics chip (if it has anything nvidia on it, or an intel with an amd processor would also have a discreet unit in most likelihood).. then yes, 1G should be more than sufficient to re-paste your laptop a time or two.

BEGINNERS GUIDE: How To Apply CPU Thermal Paste

How much thermal paste is too little?

How much thermal paste on the CPU is too little. It depends on the size of the CPU. For instance, for a 3cm by 3cm CPU, 0.2ml thermal paste is sufficient. If you'd like to find the exact amount for your specific CPU, you can use our Thermal Paste Calculator.

Does too much thermal paste cause overheating?

Don't put on too much thermal paste

When you apply too much thermal paste, it can act like an insulator. At best case, this may make the paste ineffective, and at worst case, you may damage components via overheating. Make sure that you apply a thin layer of paste to your component.

How much thermal paste is perfect?

If you aren't good at estimating, you'll probably put too much or little thermal paste on the CPU, which, of course, can severely affect the heat conduction performance. No matter which pattern you use, 0. 2ml of thermal paste is the best volume you could use on a 3cm by 3cm processor.

How much does 1G of thermal paste last?

It's say 2 or 3 applications, maybe more. Would depend on the cooler as well... if it's a flat bottom and not direct touch heatpipes (where paste would have to fill the space between heatpipes a bit) then it would probably be as I said.

How much can thermal paste reduce CPU temperature?

If you weren't already aware, every digit of temperature can make or break the overall performance and longevity of your computer. Hence, an average of 20 degrees Celcius improvement under normal usage, and 10 degrees Celcius improvement under heavy load, is a solid improvement after applying thermal paste correctly.

Can you spread thermal paste with finger?

It is also very popular to use finger and a foil to spread the paste on the whole surface of IHS. However, this method is often criticized by more experienced users because the layer of the paste is not perfectly smooth and that can lead to creation of air gaps.

Should I use spatula for thermal paste?

So we have concluded that spreading thermal paste with a spatula is the best way to apply it. This method prevents leakage to other areas of the CPU, there is no waste of thermal paste, and all the corners are adequately covered.

How long does thermal paste last?

Sealed in the tube, the thermal paste can last easily for 2-3 years. It can last a few more years, depending on how you store it.

What does too much thermal paste look like?

You'll know immediately if you put too much thermal paste on your CPU – if you push down on the heatsink and globules pour over the sides. You may feel a small pang in the middle of your chest – “I did something wrong.” Don't worry, you haven't. Or maybe not just yet.

How do you know if thermal paste is dry?

How do you know if the applied thermal paste is in bad condition once it's on the CPU? Thermal paste can dry up on the CPU when the organic solvent in its formulation is gone under overheating. Once this happens, the paste goes hard, flaky, or too stiff, meaning that you should replace it immediately.

Does CPU paste dry out?

Drying occurs because the constant CPU usage cycles apply continuous heat to the substance. And of course, no matter how good your thermal paste is, using your computer will inevitably dry it out (though with higher quality thermal pastes, it may take a longer time).

Should I spread thermal paste?

All in all, you should always spread the thermal paste if it doesn't have good fluidity. However, thermal pastes that don't have good fluidity, are often not top-quality pastes either. So, you may end up with air bubbles and reduced thermal performance anyway.

How often do you need to reapply thermal paste?

In general, changing thermal paste every one to two years is a good idea. However, we would not recommend relying solely on timeframes to monitor when you need to change your thermal paste. Often, usage can change.

Is thicker thermal paste better?

A high-viscosity thermal paste, on the other hand, behaves more like a solid. It doesn't flow that easily and could be harder to spread using a spreader or spatula. But — it sits better on the CPU once you have applied it correctly. Simply put, you don't want a paste that's too thin or too thick.

Is too much or too little thermal paste worse?

“Putting too much paste on a socket generally won't hurt thermal performance, because the act of tightening down the cooler squeezes out the excess. Too little paste is bad, but anything above the minimum threshold will have the same effect once the cooler is tightened down.

What is a common mistake when applying thermal paste?

Applying Too Much Thermal Paste. It can be pretty messy if you're not careful with your thermal paste installation. Thermal paste installation is an art. If it's too much, it can seep out and cause damage if you're applying liquid metal.

What is a common mistake when applying thermal paste Why?

Too thin a thermal paste layer results in air pockets between the underside of the module and the top of the heat sink, causing a high thermal resistance Rth(cs).

Is it OK if thermal paste overflows?

As long as the thermal paste does not flow past the heat sink which contacts the device requiring heat dissipation, and does not flow onto the electrical contacts, then I would think you're OK.

What is normal temp for CPU?

What CPU temperature is normal? A normal CPU temperature depends on which CPU you use. Generally, anything between 40–65°C (or 104–149°F) is considered a safe heat range for a normal workload. While running more intensive apps or games, the normal CPU temp range can increase to between 70–80°C (158–176°F).

Is it OK to cheap out on thermal paste?

its really important since its the only thing transfering the heat from the cpu to the cooler and from my own experience cheap paste can dry out in a couple of weeks and lead to temperatures that suddenly skyrocket and can damage the components, When i switched to better paste i have never had problems again.