[SOLVED] Does changing thermal paste

[nbartolo7]

of GPU really make a difference? Does it depend on the card? After a few years of stock use would it make more sense?

Results seem mixed looking at some youtubers. Thoughts?

 

[USAFRet]

If this is a new GPU, leave it alone.

Some years from now, if it appears to be overheating (and you've cleaned all the dust), then you might consider new paste.


People on utube say a lot of things.
Often, a lot of junk.

 

[coolraveen]

My gpu is new so don't know, but one thing good thermal paste always keeps my AMD cpu happy, mean recently I changed my cooler thermal paste from Unknown branded to an Artic freezer, it brought down the temps a lot, so if your gpu is new don't bother, but for an old gpu it helps

 

[Nighthawk117]

of GPU really make a difference? Does it depend on the card? After a few years of stock use would it make more sense?

Results seem mixed looking at some youtubers. Thoughts?

I wouldn't bother, it's unlikely it will make much difference.

 

[Viking2121]

Its not worth it, most of the different brand thermal pastes only have like a few degrees differences in temps at best, I'd only change the past after the card ages, I still have a GTX 780ti reference model I installed into my aunts PC to play some of the little games she plays and I never changed the paste on that card since it was new, I've only ever taken the top off to clean the dust out, but never unscrewed the cooler from the card.

The card still runs around 80C at full load, the same as it always has since new.

If you ever think you need to change paste int he future, just load up a synthetic benchmark or a heavy game and let it run and watch temps, I try to keep below 80C, but its not uncommon to see over 80C, I'd say around 90C you'll probably want to figure out why its running hot, either needing to be cleaned from dust, fan speeds, or even old dried paste, it'll be a year or more before swapping thermal paste would be recommended.

 

[tennis2]

I repasted my MSI RX480 8GB Gaming X a couple years after I bought it.
Stock paste: 85C, 2400rpm fans
After repaste: 73C, 1100rpm fans

Other times it makes little/no difference.

I'd only recommend doing a repaste if your temps are above 80C or fan speeds are too noisy.

• most GPUs target 74C with fan speed adjustments
• Good to test temp and fan speed with side panel removed from case so airflow limitations aren't a factor
• heatsink quality and/or case airflow may play a role in this that repasting can't fix
• You could potentially damage (rip) the thermal pads between the heatsink and the VRM & VRAM such that the thermal pads need to be replaced.

 

[nbartolo7]

I repasted my MSI RX480 8GB Gaming X a couple years after I bought it.
Stock paste: 85C, 2400rpm fans
After repaste: 73C, 1100rpm fans

That's huge though. Were the heat pipes of your GPU made of copper? Did you use liquid metal? Is that how you got those temp changes?

 

[USAFRet]

That's huge though. Were the heat pipes of your GPU made of copper? Did you use liquid metal? Is that how you got those temp changes?

While that 12C may be a significant drop, the GPU would still be able to do 100% at the original 85C.

Chasing lower temps is not always needed.

 

[nbartolo7]

While that 12C may be a significant drop, the GPU would still be able to do 100% at the original 85C.

Chasing lower temps is not always needed.

True. I'm just curious what paste he used. I'm not going to do anything I think. By the time it will need it, I will prob have a new GPU.

 

[tennis2]

That's huge though. Were the heat pipes of your GPU made of copper? Did you use liquid metal? Is that how you got those temp changes?

Noctua NT-H1
All heatpipes are copper.... These are nickel coated.