There are lots of methods to use thermal paste, which is why it may be a sensitive topic amongst some lovers. Everybody has their very own approach of laying down paste to get the most effective outcomes, however from my expertise the most effective temperatures include the best and sometimes minimalist utility methodology—only one dot. That is additionally known as the “grain of rice” methodology.
There are newer caveats to this, the place bigger CPUs might require extra paste to cowl the massive floor space, or hit particular hotspots beneath the heatspreader, however largely the recommendation stays the identical: a wee dab of paste goes a good distance.
Earlier than going over my most well-liked utility course of, it helps to grasp a few of the points that may happen with completely different utility strategies. One of the crucial frequent strategies used is also known as the “line methodology.” That is precisely because it sounds. Apply a skinny line of thermal paste instantly down the middle of the IHS (Built-in Warmth Spreader) after which permit the strain of the CPU cooler to unfold the paste as you safe it.
The issue with this methodology is that the paste doesn’t unfold out evenly. In attempting to make sure that you’ve sufficient paste utilized to cowl the whole space of the CPU, it is greater than seemingly that you’re going to find yourself with an excessive amount of paste. This negatively impacts efficiency as a result of extreme paste finally ends up impeding environment friendly warmth switch.
If you don’t depart sufficient of a niche between the sting of the CPU and the tip factors in your line, you additionally danger having the paste squeeze out of the edges after getting secured the cooler. Not solely does this make an pointless mess, however in case you occur to be utilizing an electrically conductive paste, any contact with the PCB might trigger a brief circuit, damaging your motherboard and different related parts.
Keep in mind: the aim of thermal paste is to fill in microscopic gaps on the floor of your CPU and your heatsink, to not sit on high of your processor like a lot gray cake frosting.
It may be tough to make sure that thermal paste is unfold evenly. Some individuals suggest (wrongly) that thermal paste needs to be manually unfold throughout the CPU utilizing a flat onerous floor reminiscent of a bank card. Whereas this does present good wanting preliminary outcomes, and makes it a lot simpler to manage the quantity of thermal paste utilized, it has one main flaw that may tremendously affect efficiency: spreading the thermal paste manually creates small air bubbles. Since air doesn’t conduct warmth almost in addition to thermal paste, temperatures can endure tremendously.
Utilizing the Dot Methodology
The simplicity of this methodology works to eradicate the problems with different utility strategies and ensures nice efficiency and even unfold of thermal paste each time, supplied you put in your cooler appropriately. Earlier than you begin squeezing the plunger, it is a good suggestion to ensure the floor of each your cooler and your CPU is clear. A fast wipe with a non-linting towel and a few isopropyl alcohol will do the trick.
Squeeze out a small quantity of thermal paste onto the middle of the CPU. You solely want a small dot a couple of millimeters in diameter. Don’t go overboard or you’ll sacrifice efficiency. No bigger than a grain of rice or two.
Earlier than putting in your cooler be sure that all required {hardware} is in place. For those who place your cooler after which understand you forgot a bracket or backplate you’ll must wipe down and begin once more. Ideally, making use of the thermal paste would be the final step earlier than mounting your heatsink.
Be sure to place your cooler on as straight as doable the primary time. If you need to flip it to line up the holes after it is already place, the thermal paste won’t unfold correctly.
It is price noting that for bigger processors, reminiscent of Intel’s twelfth Gen Alder Lake CPUs, or AMD’s Threadripper chips, you will want greater than a single dot of thermal paste. Being not sq. means you possibly can not depend on one utility to unfold equally throughout the floor of the heatspreader, so I might suggest two small dots at both finish of the processor.
For Threadripper, possibly three…
As long as the paste spreads throughout the breadth of the chip you are good. That is essential for one thing just like the chiplet-based Ryzen processors, which have three discrete chips that can want efficient cooling. In case your utility leaves a bald spot in your CPU that would result in overheating and poor efficiency.
Upon elimination of the cooler you possibly can see that this methodology gives an excellent unfold of thermal paste. There may be sufficient paste to cowl the die space with out inflicting it to spill out or making a thick layer that inhibits warmth switch. Typically much less is extra, and within the case of thermal paste, much less is undoubtedly extra.
