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Met a guy at a repair meet in Austin who said 'thermal paste is a one-time fix' and I think he's wrong
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andrew_kelly5mo ago
Met a guy at a flea market once who swore you only needed to change your car's oil every 50,000 miles (which is nuts, by the way). That kind of one-and-done thinking gets people into trouble, whether it's with engines or computers. Thermal paste definitely dries out and loses its effectiveness over time, especially if you're pushing your hardware hard. It's more like a maintenance thing than a permanent fix, you know?
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oscar_hunt615mo ago
That comparison to car oil is a bit off because thermal paste doesn't break down like a fluid. It's more about the paste drying out or getting air bubbles from heat cycles over a long time. For most people, checking temps every few years is plenty.
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jade6475mo ago
Honestly I've had the same paste last for years in builds that aren't overclocked. It doesn't just go bad on a set schedule. I mean if your temps are fine there's no reason to mess with it. Maybe it's just me but replacing it every year seems like overkill. The guy's point might be that a good application should last the life of the build for most normal users.
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