We used the PC to play or to run a very heavy program and we noticed that the CPU temperature (or the fan noise of the latter) tended to be high "> If the CPU temperature is high and too hot, what do to cool it We can check the CPU temperature (before and after the change of thermal paste) using a program like CoreTemp, available for free download for Windows from here -> CoreTemp .
1) What is thermal paste
Thermal paste is a heat conducting compound that facilitates the passage of heat from the top surface of the CPU to the heat sink, so as to adequately cool one of the hottest components of the whole PC.
Without thermal paste, the heat generated by a modern CPU would be extremely difficult to pass to the heatsink, also thanks to the micro-irregularities that are present on the (metallic) surfaces of the CPU and the heatsink and generate dangerous air pockets.
By correctly applying the thermal paste the irregularities are "planed", thus being able to vent the heat in the right direction without accumulating on the metal of the processor surface.
Although at first glance it may seem like an operation to be done only by specialized technicians, changing the thermal paste is not very difficult, you just need to pay attention to some details to succeed in the Nintendo without damaging the components (however delicate) of the PC.
2) How to apply the new thermal paste
The application of thermal paste is a very simple operation, which however requires a minimum of manual skills and precision: if you lack these characteristics or notice difficulties, it is better to leave it alone and have a technician change the thermal paste.
First of all we will have to disassemble the heatsink positioned above the CPU, so as to access the surface of the processor to be treated.
We turn off the PC, remove the socket and leave it off for at least half an hour, so as to cool all the components (which we remember can become very hot and also cause burns!).
Now that the PC is cold, let's open the side panel of the case, locate the heatsink (metal fins with a fan on the side or above) and study it, so as to understand how to disassemble it correctly.
Usually the heatsinks for desktop PCs have pressure hooks, which must be turned in one direction and pulled towards the other: check the corners of the heatsink to understand how to disassemble it.
Other larger heatsinks may have screws or a metal support plate on the back of the motherboard: in this case also dismantle the other side panel of the case and unscrew any screw that holds the heatsink in place.
Once unscrewed, remove the heatsink connector from the motherboard and set the heatsink aside.
Now let's take some ethyl alcohol (the one you use at home to clean or disinfect) and place a drop of it on some make-up remover pads or on cotton wool (the one to disinfect wounds), then gently clean the surface of the CPU and the lower surface of the heat sink from the residues of the old thermal paste.
Let it dry for 5-10 minutes and start applying the thermal paste, placing the right amount (see the next chapter for more explanations).
It is not necessary to spread it or apply it also on the heatsink: once the desired quantity has been placed on the CPU surface, we use the same heatsink to spread it, placing it on top of the CPU, gently pushing and clicking the hooks again to block the heatsink (or screwing the screws and plates removed previously).
If the paste is applied correctly, almost the entire surface of the CPU will be covered uniformly by the paste.
3) How much thermal paste to apply ">
The most effective trick to placing a good amount of thermal paste (perhaps not optimal, but still adequate) is to use the "rice grain" trick: we try to place a drop of thermal paste the size of a rice grain, then apply the heatsink, let's press and lift it to see the final result.
We carefully avoid ending the thermal paste on the edges or transfer it to the motherboard: the thermal paste is also electrically conductive in most cases, so you risk doing serious damage if it comes out dangerously from the CPU.
Another trick to understand how to correctly place the thermal paste is to observe the lower surface of the heat sink (the one that comes into contact with the thermal paste): if the plate is unique, the rice grain is fine; if instead there are the dissipation tubes parallel or perpendicular to the CPU (therefore "cut" the CPU into 3 or 4 "slices"), the trick of the rice grain is no longer enough, but we will have to put the thermal paste so that all the tubes receive some, especially in the central part of the processor.
In this case, the pasta strip method is ideal: a very thin strip of pasta (a few millimeters) is placed on the central part of the CPU, the heatsink will do the rest during positioning.
At the end of the application we reposition the heatsink in its original position (or place the new one just purchased), reconnect the CPU fan connector coming from the heatsink, close the case panels and turn the PC back on to see if it starts regularly and if the temperatures are the ones you want.
Last warning about new heat sinks: these can have pre-applied thermal paste, i.e. applied on the surface at the factory.
In this case we will not have to put the thermal paste on the CPU, but we will have to clean the upper surface of the latter and safely apply the heat sink, which will distribute the thermal paste by itself.
4) Where to buy thermal paste
Now that we know all about thermal paste, it is time to recommend the best products to get temperatures always under control and functional applications.
There are obviously different types of thermal paste, we will focus on those that are easy to place even for beginners, with excellent cooling results.
- Cooler Master MasterGel Pro (€ 5)
- Cooler Master IC-Essential E2 (€ 5)
- ARCTIC MX-2 (€ 7)
- Noctua NT-H1 (€ 7)
- ARCTIC MX-4 (€ 8)
- Cooler Master MasterGel Maker (€ 10)
If you buy an enhanced heat sink, check if the thermal paste included in the package coincides with one of the models recommended above: if it coincides, you can avoid the additional expense, otherwise set it aside and buy one of these (I recommend the MX-4).
If instead we are looking for heat sinks with pre-applied thermal paste (easier to place), we can take a look at the products available below.
- Arctic Freezer 11 LP (€ 19)
- Akasa AK-CC7118HP01 K25 (€ 23)
READ ALSO: How to assemble the PC, assemble the pieces and build a computer from scratch
