Question FPS dropped after new thermal paste

[FouriePieters]

I recently change my thermal paste on my cpu and from there my fps dropped from like 130 to 87 fps and my cpu temps are all normal and so is my gpu temps, my cpu cooler is the stock one that come with the cpu and worked perfectly before changing thermal paste, my specs are:
RTX 3060
i5 12400
600W psu
1tb nvme ssd
2tb HD
16 gb RAM

 

[Darkbreeze]

If your temps are "normal" then changing the thermal paste cannot have had any effect on your FPS. I have to ask, why would you need to change the thermal paste on a CPU that hasn't even been out for a year? Especially if it was already "working perfectly"?

 

[FouriePieters]

If your temps are "normal" then changing the thermal paste cannot have had any effect on your FPS. I have to ask, why would you need to change the thermal paste on a CPU that hasn't even been out for a year? Especially if it was already "working perfectly"?

Because I took of the cooler from my cpu as I cleaned out my pc. But why is my fps now so low after I changed it?

 

[Darkbreeze]

Thermal paste only needs to be changed every couple of YEARS, and generally, only if you notice a decline in cooling performance. It shouldn't be changed every time you clean the case out.

The problem is likely not related to this at all unless you did something ELSE by accident.

What is your motherboard BIOS version?

Did you remove the CPU when you changed the paste?

 

[FouriePieters]

No only took of the cooler and I read that you have to replace thermal paste after you remove cooler and then I did that and now my fps just dropped for some reason

 

[Darkbreeze]

So, when you removed the stock cooler, you cleaned ALL of the old thermal interface material off, right? From both the CPU and the bottom of the heatsink? So that they were completely clean, and then applied like a pea or double rice grained size amount in the center of the CPU heatspreader, right?

What are you monitoring temperatures with?

 

[FouriePieters]

Yes I cleaned bote cooler and cpu en yes a pea size was applied and my temps are like 65 on cpu when gaming and gpu around 55 to 60

 

[Darkbreeze]

What is the currently installed motherboard BIOS version?

What are your FULL hardware specs including exact model numbers for motherboard, power supply, memory kit, etc.?

 

[FouriePieters]

Intel 12th Gen Core i3-12100F PRIME B660M-K D4

16GB RGB 3600MHz Upgrade Kit - ASUS PRIME B660M-K D4 Intel Motherboard + Intel 12th Gen

+ KLEW CRAS

XR RGB 16GB (2 × 8GB) 3600MHz DDR4 Desktop

Memory

 

[rickypicky5]

Did you remove/reinstall your RAM during this process? Are you sure both RAM sticks are physically installed correctly?

 

[FouriePieters]

I will check that but im sure its correctly in but will check

 

[Darkbreeze]

Motherboard BIOS version? This is the third time I've asked, and this might be important, so you need to go into the BIOS and note the currently installed version and report back with that.

 

[FouriePieters]

BIOS: It says American Megatrends Inc. 0419, 2021/10/12
SMBIOS: 3.4

 

[Darkbreeze]

So, you are 7 versions back on your BIOS, on the original release actually. I would HIGHLY recommend that you update to the latest version, version 2014, BUT first you need to download and install the latest Intel ME (Management engine) update per the BIOS update instructions.

ME update: https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/03CHIPSET/DRV_MEI_Intel_Con_SZ_TSD_W11_64_V2229320_20220928R.zip

Latest BIOS: https://www.asus.com/motherboards-components/motherboards/prime/prime-b660m-k-d4/helpdesk_bios/

And if you haven't already, I would recommend that you also download the latest chipset (.inf), network adapter and audio controller drivers from there as well and install them.