How to know the quality of an old processor?

[Enzim8]

I just have this i3 that i've had for a while i kind of wiped the thermal paste off with a paper towel and i just have it in a little plastic baggie so im not exactly sure of the quality because if i'm able to i plan on using it for a new build for college.

 

[SBennett13]

Umm. Put it in a mobo and try it. Do benchmarks.

 

[Gingerbread]

Or just tell us the model? Doesn't it say somewhere on the chip, should be at least Intel i3 4th gen.

 

[Enzim8]

Or just tell us the model? Doesn't it say somewhere on the chip, should be at least Intel i3 4th gen.

I mean like is it gonna be damaged since i just used a paper towel to get thermal paste off (i didnt have need for it at the time, and didnt know how to clean it) and would it not be damaged since i just threw it in a little plastic baggie i was told they're really delicate

 

[megamanx00]

CPUs are delicate. Anyway it's best to clean off the old thermal paste with alcohol and a cotton ball both on the CPU and the CPU cooler before applying new thermal paste. Don't get any on the bottom of the CPU now because that's a pain to clean off.

 

[SBennett13]

Or just tell us the model? Doesn't it say somewhere on the chip, should be at least Intel i3 4th gen.

I mean like is it gonna be damaged since i just used a paper towel to get thermal paste off (i didnt have need for it at the time, and didnt know how to clean it) and would it not be damaged since i just threw it in a little plastic baggie i was told they're really delicate

There isn't a way to tell for sure other than putting it in a computer and trying it. Obviously, you shouldn't get your hopes up, but you can always try.

 

[Gingerbread]

Well they are delicate, but not that delicate like you said. Hell my old cpu basically went from one room to another bouncing on hard floor and is still running.

 

[DJDeCiBeL]

It should honestly be fine. Although not necessarily the "recommended" way to clean TIM off of a CPU, using a paper towel should be fine, as long as there was no lint left behind. There's almost literally no reason why that alone should damage a CPU. There's an ESD shock possibility, but that would only be because you handled it wrong.

TL;DR: It should be fine.