{"id":25107,"date":"2023-12-28T10:20:33","date_gmt":"2023-12-28T09:20:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/g100.us\/?p=25107"},"modified":"2023-12-28T10:21:04","modified_gmt":"2023-12-28T09:21:04","slug":"do-all-cpu-coolers-need-thermal-paste","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/g100.us\/do-all-cpu-coolers-need-thermal-paste\/","title":{"rendered":"Do All CPU Coolers Need Thermal Paste?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Wondering \u201cDo all CPU coolers need thermal paste\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Today, I\u2019ll be discussing whether or not they all <em>come with<\/em> thermal paste pre-applied, which will influence whether you need to concern yourself with applying your own thermal paste or not, before wrapping up with a few FAQs and passing it off to you.<\/p>\n<p>Now, let\u2019s get down to it!<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">TABLE OF CONTENTS<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-668440b62e33e\" class=\"cssicon\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\" \/><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #7f11e0;color:#7f11e0\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-668440b62e33e\" class=\"cssiconcheckbox\">1<\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-668440b62e33e\" checked><nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 \"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/do-all-cpu-coolers-need-thermal-paste\/#Do_All_CPU_Coolers_Need_Thermal_Paste_TIM_Thermal_Interface_Material_Explained\" title=\"Do All CPU Coolers Need Thermal Paste? TIM (Thermal Interface Material) Explained\">Do All CPU Coolers Need Thermal Paste? TIM (Thermal Interface Material) Explained<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/do-all-cpu-coolers-need-thermal-paste\/#Do_All_CPU_Coolers_Come_With_Pre-Applied_Thermal_Paste\" title=\"Do All CPU Coolers Come With Pre-Applied Thermal Paste?\">Do All CPU Coolers Come With Pre-Applied Thermal Paste?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/do-all-cpu-coolers-need-thermal-paste\/#Is_Included_Thermal_Paste_Good_Enough\" title=\"Is Included Thermal Paste Good Enough?\">Is Included Thermal Paste Good Enough?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/do-all-cpu-coolers-need-thermal-paste\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/do-all-cpu-coolers-need-thermal-paste\/#FAQ\" title=\"FAQ\">FAQ<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/do-all-cpu-coolers-need-thermal-paste\/#Can_I_use_Vaseline_instead_of_thermal_paste\" title=\"Can I use Vaseline instead of thermal paste?\">Can I use Vaseline instead of thermal paste?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/do-all-cpu-coolers-need-thermal-paste\/#Can_toothpaste_be_used_as_thermal_paste\" title=\"Can toothpaste be used as thermal paste?\">Can toothpaste be used as thermal paste?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/do-all-cpu-coolers-need-thermal-paste\/#How_long_can_a_PC_last_without_thermal_paste\" title=\"How long can a PC last without thermal paste?\">How long can a PC last without thermal paste?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/do-all-cpu-coolers-need-thermal-paste\/#Over_to_You\" title=\"Over to You\">Over to You<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_All_CPU_Coolers_Need_Thermal_Paste_TIM_Thermal_Interface_Material_Explained\"><\/span>Do All CPU Coolers Need Thermal Paste? TIM (Thermal Interface Material) Explained<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As it turns out, every CPU or GPU cooler needs some kind of Thermal Interface Material (TIM) in order to transfer heat from the component being cooled to the cooler, where it can be dissipated.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-23283\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/07\/How-does-thermal-paste-work.jpg\" alt=\"How does thermal paste work\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/07\/How-does-thermal-paste-work.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/07\/How-does-thermal-paste-work-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/07\/How-does-thermal-paste-work-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/07\/How-does-thermal-paste-work-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/07\/How-does-thermal-paste-work-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-23283 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"How does thermal paste work\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/07\/How-does-thermal-paste-work.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/07\/How-does-thermal-paste-work-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/07\/How-does-thermal-paste-work-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/07\/How-does-thermal-paste-work-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/07\/How-does-thermal-paste-work-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/07\/How-does-thermal-paste-work.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>This TIM doesn\u2019t <em>necessarily<\/em> have to be thermal paste (it can sometimes be a thermal <em>pad<\/em> or something similar instead), but thermal paste is definitely the most common solution for CPU coolers.<\/p>\n<p>So, <strong><em>technically<\/em><\/strong>, not all CPU coolers need <em>thermal paste<\/em>. <strong>They <em>do<\/em> need some kind of Thermal Interface Material, though<\/strong>, lest you risk starting a fire or doing irreparable damage to your processor.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_All_CPU_Coolers_Come_With_Pre-Applied_Thermal_Paste\"><\/span>Do All CPU Coolers Come With Pre-Applied Thermal Paste?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-25113\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/12\/Do-all-CPU-Coolers-Come-With-Thermal-Paste.jpg\" alt=\"Do all CPU Coolers Come With Thermal Paste\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/12\/Do-all-CPU-Coolers-Come-With-Thermal-Paste.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/12\/Do-all-CPU-Coolers-Come-With-Thermal-Paste-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/12\/Do-all-CPU-Coolers-Come-With-Thermal-Paste-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/12\/Do-all-CPU-Coolers-Come-With-Thermal-Paste-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/12\/Do-all-CPU-Coolers-Come-With-Thermal-Paste-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-25113 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Do all CPU Coolers Come With Thermal Paste\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/12\/Do-all-CPU-Coolers-Come-With-Thermal-Paste.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/12\/Do-all-CPU-Coolers-Come-With-Thermal-Paste-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/12\/Do-all-CPU-Coolers-Come-With-Thermal-Paste-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/12\/Do-all-CPU-Coolers-Come-With-Thermal-Paste-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/12\/Do-all-CPU-Coolers-Come-With-Thermal-Paste-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/12\/Do-all-CPU-Coolers-Come-With-Thermal-Paste.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>Unfortunately, no!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><b>Not all CPU coolers will come with pre-applied thermal paste or an included tube of thermal paste.<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Many of them <em>do<\/em>, though, and the stock CPU cooler included with your AMD or Intel processor <em>should<\/em> have thermal paste included. Higher-end CPU Coolers such as the beQuiet Dark Rock or Noctua Coolers do come with a tube of thermal paste while cheaper coolers either have thermal paste already pre-applied to the underside of their heatsink \/ cold-plate, or don't have any sort of thermal paste at all for cost-saving measures. Check the product description to make sure you don't have to get an extra tube of paste.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Overclockable Intel processors and certain high-end AMD processors will sometimes forego the stock cooler<\/strong>, though, since you\u2019re expected to pair them with a high-performance aftermarket CPU cooler for the best experience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>When buying an aftermarket CPU cooler for whatever reason, you should be able to find on the relevant product page whether or not thermal paste is included<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>If you already <em>have<\/em> the CPU Cooler in question, <strong>you\u2019ll also see thermal paste pre-applied on the bottom of the cooler<\/strong>, protected by a thin layer of plastic <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">intended to be removed before installation<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, <em>thermal paste<\/em>\u2014 even <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/the-best-thermal-paste-for-your-needs-beginners-guide\/\">high-performance thermal paste<\/a>\u2014 <em>isn\u2019t particularly expensive<\/em>, so don\u2019t sweat too much if your cooler doesn\u2019t have it and go out and spend a couple of bucks on a tube.<\/p>\n<p>If you don\u2019t have time to order some nice thermal paste online, you can also just get whatever your local Best Buy\/hardware store\/etc has, though you might pay a little extra for the privilege.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Included_Thermal_Paste_Good_Enough\"><\/span>Is Included Thermal Paste Good Enough?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22731\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/How-does-Thermal-Paste-improve-performance.jpg\" alt=\"How does Thermal Paste improve performance\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/How-does-Thermal-Paste-improve-performance.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/How-does-Thermal-Paste-improve-performance-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/How-does-Thermal-Paste-improve-performance-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/How-does-Thermal-Paste-improve-performance-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/How-does-Thermal-Paste-improve-performance-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-22731 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"How does Thermal Paste improve performance\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/How-does-Thermal-Paste-improve-performance.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/How-does-Thermal-Paste-improve-performance-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/How-does-Thermal-Paste-improve-performance-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/How-does-Thermal-Paste-improve-performance-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/How-does-Thermal-Paste-improve-performance-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2023\/06\/How-does-Thermal-Paste-improve-performance.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re receiving or using a CPU cooler that comes with included thermal paste, you <em>may<\/em> be wondering whether or not it\u2019s good enough.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The answer is...yeah, probably.<\/strong> If your CPU cooler includes thermal paste, chances are high that thermal paste performs within the range of expectations for that CPU cooler, <em>particularly<\/em> stock coolers.<\/p>\n<p>This doesn\u2019t mean that other thermal paste can\u2019t perform <em>better<\/em>, but replacing existing thermal paste shouldn\u2019t top your list of concerns.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Now, how much <em>better<\/em> can replacement thermal paste be?<\/strong> I can actually quantify this with one of my personal experiences, incurred in the Summer of 2023 while writing articles for this very website!<\/p>\n<p>Basically, my existing PC build is a nice little NZXT H210i with a modded mesh front panel for improved airflow and a low-profile air cooler because I\u2019m (still) too cheap for an AIO.<\/p>\n<p>The low-profile air cooler in question is the <a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"Noctua NH-L9i chromax.Black, Premium Low-Profile CPU Cooler for Intel LGA1200 &amp; LGA115x (Black)\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/recommends\/noctua-nh-l9i-chromax-black-premium-low-profile-cpu-cooler-for-intel-lga1200-lga115x-black\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Noctua NH-L9i<\/strong><\/a>, which I paired with a Core i7-10700K against my better judgment only to find it\u2019s...actually just fine!<\/p>\n<p>However, after serving me dutifully for about four years, my NH-L9i\u2019s fan tragically gave out while I was in the middle of writing a batch of articles. I ended up stabbing it to manually re-lube it, but even that lasted only so long before I needed to replace the fan entirely.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I chose to both replace my existing fan and the thermal paste<\/strong>, since it had already been about a year since I\u2019d last repasted my CPU, and <strong>I moved up to <\/strong><a class=\"thirstylink\" title=\"Cooler Master CryoFuze Ultra-High Performance Thermal Paste, Nanoparticles, CPU\/GPU Conductivity W\/m.k= 14m, Non Corrosive, Temp -50\u00b0C up to 250\u00b0C for CPU and GPU Coolers (MGZ-NDSG-N07M-R2)\" href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/recommends\/cooler-master-cryofuze-ultra-high-performance-thermal-paste-nanoparticles-cpu-gpu-conductivity-w-m-k-14m-non-corrosive-temp-50c-up-to-250c-for-cpu-and-gpu-coolers-mgz-ndsg-n07m-r2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Cooler Master CryoFuze<\/strong><\/a><strong> thermal compound from the basic $3 thermal paste<\/strong> I\u2019d used last repaste.<\/p>\n<p>The result? I saw an almost <em>10-degree reduction<\/em> in my average CPU temperatures. On a <em>low-profile air cooler<\/em> paired with an eight-core, sixteen thread CPU!<\/p>\n<p><strong>While you certainly don\u2019t <em>need<\/em> high-performance thermal paste<\/strong>, this experience has definitely made me a believer, <em>particularly<\/em> for air coolers already in thermally-constrained environments. Every little improvement matters!<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s hardly <em>necessary<\/em>, though.<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14231\" src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/10\/Who-should-use-liquid-metal-Thermal-Paste.jpg\" alt=\"Who should use liquid metal Thermal Paste\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/10\/Who-should-use-liquid-metal-Thermal-Paste.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/10\/Who-should-use-liquid-metal-Thermal-Paste-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/10\/Who-should-use-liquid-metal-Thermal-Paste-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/10\/Who-should-use-liquid-metal-Thermal-Paste-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/10\/Who-should-use-liquid-metal-Thermal-Paste-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-14231 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"Who should use liquid metal Thermal Paste\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%202048%201080%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/10\/Who-should-use-liquid-metal-Thermal-Paste.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/10\/Who-should-use-liquid-metal-Thermal-Paste-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/10\/Who-should-use-liquid-metal-Thermal-Paste-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/10\/Who-should-use-liquid-metal-Thermal-Paste-768x405.jpg 768w, https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/10\/Who-should-use-liquid-metal-Thermal-Paste-1536x810.jpg 1536w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/media\/2021\/10\/Who-should-use-liquid-metal-Thermal-Paste.jpg\"><\/p>\n<p><strong>There are also other high-performance thermal interface materials<\/strong> that can be considered, though some of them (like liquid metal) can be <em>very<\/em> risky to use inside your computer, and won\u2019t necessarily be compatible with all CPU and heatsink surfaces on top of that.<\/p>\n<p>Liquid metal is by far the best TIM out there, but improperly installing it could literally brick your entire computer or set something on fire, so...be<em> very<\/em> careful if you pursue a project like that.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Every CPU Cooler, be it an air cooler, a passive cooler, an AIO, a custom water loop, or a boxed cooler (that comes in the package of your CPU) needs thermal paste in between its heatsink \/ cold plate and the CPU.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you have to apply your own thermal paste to the CPU before placing the cooler on top depends on whether your CPU cooler already has thermal paste pre-applied to the underside of its heatsink. This is easily checked through a visual inspection. During this visual inspection, also make sure you're peeling off the plastic cover that is usually attached to your heatsink's underside, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">whether thermal paste is applied or not<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>If you'd like to find out <em>before<\/em> buying a CPU cooler whether you'll need an additional tube of paste (as in: the cooler doesn't come with pre-applied paste or a tube of paste), read the CPU Cooler's product description and reviews, as this should be noted or commented on by reviewers.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some more resources that will help cover this topic more thoroughly:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/air-vs-aio-coolers\/\">AIO vs Air Coolers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/do-cpus-come-with-thermal-paste\/\">Do CPU Coolers come with thermal paste?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/the-best-thermal-paste-for-your-needs-beginners-guide\/\">The best thermal paste for your needs<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_use_Vaseline_instead_of_thermal_paste\"><\/span>Can I use Vaseline instead of thermal paste?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Technically...<a href=\"https:\/\/www.powerelectronicsnews.com\/homemade-solutions-to-replace-cpu-thermal-paste\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>yes<\/em><\/a>, but you really, <em>really<\/em> shouldn\u2019t. Besides the fact that you would need to mix it with another material to bind and improve thermal conductivity, vaseline is still technically flammable.<\/p>\n<p>Its ignition temperature should be well beyond anything your CPU would reach, but really...there\u2019s no reason for you to be so desperate that you\u2019re using <em>Vaseline<\/em> as thermal paste.<\/p>\n<p>This being one of the most commonly asked questions about thermal paste will probably haunt me for the rest of my life.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_toothpaste_be_used_as_thermal_paste\"><\/span>Can toothpaste be used as thermal paste?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Also technically yes, but...<em>see above!<\/em> You really<em> shouldn\u2019t<\/em> be so desperate for Thermal Interface Material that you\u2019re resorting to toothpaste, vaseline,<\/strong> or <em>anything<\/em> that isn\u2019t being directly marketed to you as thermal paste.<\/p>\n<p>Not only are these solutions ultimately suboptimal in performance and likely to degrade more quickly, they\u2019re not even going to save you money because thermal paste is <em>already<\/em> dirt cheap!<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_long_can_a_PC_last_without_thermal_paste\"><\/span>How long can a PC last without thermal paste?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>About as long as it takes for your CPU to realize it can\u2019t cool down<\/strong> and does an emergency shutdown, or for something to ignite.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Unless you\u2019re using some other kind of thermal interface material<\/strong>, but still. Too many people are out here asking questions that push toward playing with <em>literal<\/em> fire. I need to lay down.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Over_to_You\"><\/span>Over to You<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>But before I do that, I hope this article helped answer your questions!<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, no, not all CPU coolers need thermal <em>paste<\/em>. However, they all need <em>some kind <\/em>of thermal <em>interface<\/em> <em>material<\/em>, and not having that poses a disastrous risk to the safety of both you and your PC hardware.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>If you have any other questions about CPU coolers, feel free to ask them in the <a href=\"#comments\">comments<\/a> below! I\u2019ll surely have woken from my nap (and several more) by the time you read this article, so I\u2019ll be around to help. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>If I\u2019m not, another member of the CGD Team will be, for sure. You can also consider our <a href=\"https:\/\/g100.us\/forum\/\">Forum<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/discord.gg\/B395QW3J2W\" target=\"_blank\">Discord server<\/a>, if you like.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Until then or until next time, though, have a good one!<\/strong> And <em>please<\/em> use some actual thermal compound for your CPU, not your dried-up old toothpaste.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wondering \u201cDo all CPU coolers need thermal paste\u201d? Today, I\u2019ll be discussing whether or not they all come with thermal paste pre-applied, which will influence whether you need to concern yourself with applying your own thermal paste or not, before wrapping up with a few FAQs and passing it off to you. Now, let\u2019s get down...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2339,"featured_media":25108,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[74],"tags":[175,243],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25107"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2339"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25107"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25136,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25107\/revisions\/25136"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/g100.us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}