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4 myths about CPU thermal paste that are actually hurting your PC
For decades, thermal paste has remained a divisive topic among the PC community. While some enthusiasts take it too seriously, others treat it as an afterthought. The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Even in 2025, thermal paste is surrounded by some persistent myths that might be negatively impacting your PC's performance. Whether it's about which thermal paste to trust or the right method and amount of paste to apply, it's time to (once again) bust these outdated myths.
The stock paste performs the same as aftermarket options
The difference isn't drastic, but it's there
I admit I have advised sticking (no pun intended) with the pre-applied thermal paste on your cooler. The stock paste is mostly fine for users who aren't running demanding CPUs, intensive workloads, or overclocked chips. For everyone else, however, investing in a tube of aftermarket thermal paste is a sensible decision. For starters, not all thermal paste works the same — differences in thermal conductivity (measured in W/mK), consistency, and longevity are very real. Secondly, if you're aiming for the highest benchmarks or overclocking results, you'd want to eliminate any deficiency.
Lastly, better thermal paste benefits even regular users who aren't chasing records but simply better thermals and noise levels. Your stock thermal paste might not lead to thermal throttling, but that doesn't mean you don't have anything to gain by switching to an aftermarket option. The difference in average CPU temperatures might not be huge between stock and aftermarket paste, but you'd surely see much lower maximum temperatures. In fact, you could also consider carbon pads, such as Thermal Grizzly Carbonaut, that don't dry out over time and offer much higher thermal conductivity than thermal paste.
You don't need to spread the paste manually
Au contraire, mon ami
This one continues to puzzle new users, since there is still no consensus around the best method to apply thermal paste. Between dot, line, X, and other methods, it's easy to get confused. The idea here is that the cooler's heatsink will automatically spread the paste around the IHS due to the pressure applied; no manual spreading with a spatula required. While this might have been true for older, smaller IHS designs, manual spreading is undoubtedly the best method when dealing with newer Intel and AMD processors.
Relying on the cooler to do an effective job of covering the entire IHS with the thermal paste is no longer sound advice. The risk of creating air bubbles or messing up the application when manually spreading the paste around has been disproved time and again. This myth has overstayed its welcome due to years of advice in favor of dot/line/X application methods. As long as you manage to apply a decent amount of paste in a consistent layer on the IHS, there's no problem with manual spreading. It would actually ensure maximum contact between the cooler and the IHS.
The more paste, the better
It can actually be worse
Often, when PC builders are unsure about how much thermal paste to apply, they err on the side of caution, spreading a bit too much "just to be safe". The problem with too much thermal paste is that you risk insufficient contact between the cooler's heatsink and the IHS. A layer of paste that's too thick can actually insulate the heat released from the CPU's IHS, negatively impacting the heat conduction, and therefore, the CPU temps. On some occasions, the pressure applied by the heatsink could push the excess paste outside, but that's not something to be banked on.
Excess paste can also end up coating the metal contacts outside the CPU's IHS. It might not be harmful since your thermal paste is probably not electrically conductive, but it can cause a mess nonetheless. The objective of applying thermal paste or any TIM, for that matter, is to fill the microscopic gaps between the surfaces in contact. All you need to do is apply a "not too thin, not too thick" layer of paste to ensure maximum heat transfer between the IHS and the cooler.
Replacing thermal paste is unnecessary
It can be downright unavoidable in some cases
While the thermal paste on your graphics card can often last its entire lifespan, the same is rarely true for CPUs, at least not if you want to maintain optimum performance. You certainly don't need to replace your CPU's thermal paste every year, but once every three years is a reasonable frequency. Your CPU will exhibit signs that a paste reapplication is in order — consistently rising temps, louder fans, or thermal throttling during heavy workloads. If you haven't repasted your CPU in over three years, these signs might be pointing to dried-out thermal paste.
Replacing the thermal paste on your CPU isn't too difficult, either. You just need to carefully remove your cooler, wipe the existing paste with isopropyl alcohol (IPA), apply a fresh coat of paste, and reinstall the cooler. Depending on the thermal paste you choose, you might notice a significant change in CPU temperatures, and more importantly, in the workloads you commonly run on the system. Thermal paste can last for years, but it's always good practice to look out for signs of dried-up paste, so you can replenish it and enjoy a cool and silent system.
Don't overcomplicate thermal paste
The thermal paste on your CPU does not need frequent maintenance. You simply need to ensure you pick the right paste, apply it manually over the entire IHS in the right amount, and replace it once every three years or when your system starts showing thermal anomalies. You could consider alternatives like carbon-based thermal pads or liquid metal, but they come with their own challenges. Most people will be fine with a tube of, say, Arctic MX-6.
