Thermal paste enhances heat transfer between the heat sinks required to cool the central processing unit (CPU) and graphic processing unit (GPU) on your gaming laptop or desktop computer. What would be the correct amount of thermal paste to use when fitting a CPU or GPU?
The proper quantity of thermal paste applied to a CPU/GPU should cover the processor’s integrated heat spreader with a thin layer of thermal paste. Studies show little temperature difference regardless of how much (and how) the thermal paste is applied.
Filing a CPU/GPU is essentially the same for laptops and desktop computers. Confusion abounds about the correct amount and method of applying thermal paste. Does the amount of thermal paste you use matter, and is there an optimal method of applying the paste to the processor?
How Much Thermal Paste Do I Apply?
A computer’s CPU/GPU generates much heat, even more under high-stress situations like gaming and video editing. A heat sink is used to cool the processor. The processor will protect itself without sufficient cooling by throttling back or even shutting down in extreme cases.
The surface of the integrated heat spreader (a special metal plate covering the CPU/GPU die) and the heat transfer plate (or base plate) of the heat sink might appear smooth and polished to the naked eye. However, under a microscope, these surfaces will be full of peaks and troughs, resembling a mountain range.
The goal of the thermal paste is to cover all of these flaws to prevent air from being trapped between the two metal surfaces when they are bonded together, as air is a good insulator.
You should also note that very few laptops come equipped with CPU/GPU sockets that allow for the removal or upgrading of the processors. The processors are usually integrated or soldered onto the motherboard, limiting options to upgrade.
Does It Matter How Or How Much Thermal Paste Is Applied?
To determine whether the amount of thermal paste used on the CPU impacts its operating temperature, GamersNexus carried out comparison research. They also examined whether the technique used to apply the thermal paste affected the CPU’s operating temperature.
GamersNexus concluded that the correct amount of thermal paste to apply to a CPU/GPU is just enough to fully cover the IHS (integrated heat spreader) of the processor in a thin thermal grease layer.
Excess thermal paste will be squeezed out from the junction of the processor and heat sink when the heat sink is screwed or clipped down. Besides making a mess around the CPU socket, excess conductive thermal grease may lead to an electrical short circuit on the motherboard surrounding the CPU.
Applying even pressure to the heat sink (or cooler) during fitment is essential, as uneven pressure can lead to insufficient thermal grease applied to one area of the processor. GamersNexus also concluded from their research that no thermal paste application method is better than the other.
In conclusion, there is no danger in using too much thermal paste, only if too little paste is applied.
