How to Apply Thermal Paste to Gpu

Cantankerous method vs. dot method? And what exactly does 'grain of rice' hateful?

Applying thermal paste may seem daunting – after all, your CPU is i of the almost delicate and expensive components in your build – only there's no need to panic.

In this guide, we'll go over some straightforward methods for applying thermal paste to your CPU and GPU.

Then What Is Thermal Paste? And Why Is It Important?

Thermal paste is a conductive compound that sits between 2 surfaces (like a heatsink and a CPU) to assist heat transfer. When two metal surfaces are pressed against each other, tiny air bubbles form due to the microscopic imperfections in the surface.

Air is a very poor heat conductor, so the thermal paste is applied betwixt the surfaces to fill these air gaps and better the rate of heat transfer.

Most CPUs will come with some form of a compound already applied to a stock fan. While this is probably enough for the average user, if you're overclocking or desire to squeeze the highest performance out of your rig, we'd recommend removing this and upgrading to an aftermarket cooler.

Mid-range aftermarket coolers start at only $forty and offer quieter operation, better oestrus dissipation, and an increased lifespan for your PC.

CPU Guide

Step 1: Set up the CPU and Heatsink

What You'll Need:

Rubbing Booze
Lint-gratuitous cloth

Fresh out the box, most CPUs won't require whatever cleaning. However, if you're mounting a new heatsink onto your current processor, you'll need to remove the existing dried thermal paste.

You can find dedicated two-footstep cleansers online, simply a high percentage rubbing alcohol such as 99% Isopropyl will do the task.

Apply a few drops onto the old paste and leave it to sit for a moment while it breaks up the compound. Then wipe away the residue with a lint-free cloth. Echo this process on both the CPU and the heatsink until both are free from all waste material.

Step two: Use the Paste

What You'll Need:

Replacement thermal paste, such as Artic MX-4 or Noctua NT H1 Thermal Compound

There'south a lot of argue in the PC customs effectually thermal paste application. Some swear past the dot method, while others are die-difficult advocates of the spiral application style.

In reality, at that place's generally very petty performance difference between these methods.

As long equally you lot employ an advisable amount, the weight of the heatsink volition evenly spread out the compound for you.

With this in heed, we recommend to merely squeeze a pea-sized dot onto the center of your CPU. Then carefully secure the heatsink on top. Don't worry nigh spreading it – if you manually spread the compound, you lot hazard creating small air bubbles that weren't there before.

GPU Guide

Step ane: Open the Carte du jour

What Yous'll Need:

Screwdriver

Replacing the thermal paste on your GPU is a footling bit more complicated considering you'll need to open up up your graphics card.

Most GPUs tin can be opened by simply loosening the four screws around the processor, but be conscientious: you might need to remove more to free the heatsink on select GPUs completely.

In one case you think you lot've unscrewed everything, gently wiggle the cooler to make sure it'south completely loose. If it'southward moving freely, you lot tin slowly pull it free.

Don't force information technology: if in that location's still some resistance cheque again for missed screws. And watch out for your fan power plug! Forcing the card open up tin can damage this fragile connectedness.

Your GPU might have thermal pads dotted around its components. Exit these on. Unless you have identical replacement pads, tinkering with these can cause poor contact betwixt your GPU and the cooler.

Step ii: Remove Stock Paste

What Y'all'll Demand:

Rubbing Alcohol
Lint-free textile

Well-nigh GPU manufacturers tend to overdo it on the stock thermal paste application, so this step tin can get quite gluey. You tin can remove the dried thermal paste from the GPU past adding a few drops of rubbing alcohol to the old compound and gently buffing it off.

Cleaning up the heatsink is where it gets messy. Apply some rubbing booze onto a fresh portion of your lint-gratis fabric. Then remove the excess paste with slow, deliberate wipes. Once the bulk of the paste is gone, you tin gently rub off the rest with a cleaner part of the cloth.

Pace 3: Use the Paste

What You'll Demand:

Replacement thermal paste

Finally, identify a pea-sized dot of thermal paste in the middle of your GPU. Again, don't spread it. Secure the heatsink back onto the menu, and the pressure level will spread the paste for y'all.

Conclusion

And you've washed information technology!

You tin at present successfully apply thermal paste to both a CPU and GPU. Once you go started, the process is much less fiddly and more straightforward than it's fabricated out to be.

Upgrading your thermal paste is a corking style to breathe life into an sometime GPU, or prepare your CPU for overclocking. And past following the in a higher place steps, y'all're sure to come across an comeback on both idle and load temperatures.