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TIL thermal paste doesn't need to be replaced every year like I thought
Saw a video from a guy who runs a repair shop in Denver. He tested paste on CPUs that were 5 years old and the temp difference was only like 2 degrees. I've been wasting time and paste on every annual cleaning for nothing. Anyone else been doing this too long?
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mason_ward1mo ago
Dude, I feel this so hard. "Annual cleaning for nothing" is exactly the trap I fell into for years. I used to buy a new tube of Arctic Silver every Christmas like it was a tradition, swapping it out on my main rig and my wife's PC just because I thought it was the responsible thing to do. It wasn't until I finally watched a similar breakdown that I stopped, and now I just leave it until I actually pull the cooler for a different reason. Feels kinda dumb looking back, but I guess a lot of us were just repeating what we heard without questioning it.
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noah_barnes1mo ago
Isnt the 2 degree difference just for premium paste though? The cheap stuff that comes with some coolers might dry out faster and show a bigger jump after a few years. @mason_ward, I think the real waste is people with office PCs or budget builds who buy expensive Arctic Silver when something basic would work just fine. I mean, its still better to leave it alone unless youre actually pulling the cooler off for a real reason.
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sethanderson1mo ago
Annual cleaning for nothing" is right, I just check temps once a year and leave the paste until I have to pull the cooler.
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