- Apr 9, 2025
- 2
- 0
- 10
Hello,
Recently ordered a Ryzen 5700X (to replace a 5600 in an AM4 ECC ram UnRaid build) off Aliexpress - good price, longstanding seller with plenty of reviews, and their store page for the 5700X has the certified item tick ('The seller promises to have obtained brand authorization and signed a genuine product commitment letter. These are official branded items that are sold through the AliExpress platform and purchased through legitimate channels'). CPU came in the typical clam shell packaging and was sealed with the usual sticker you see with unboxed Ryzen CPUs from there.
When setting it up, I paired it up with a brand new Thermalright Peerless Assassin Mini (Sourced locally from reputable retailer) and Noctua NT-H2 paste. I then realised that the cooler is not the best fit for the case I'm using, so I removed and cleaned both the CPU and cooler (using soft microfiber + Arctic Silver ArctiClean kit + IPA), after which I have noticed that both the CPU and cooler have identical marks (for example, if you look at the images you'll see a round mark on the R (of Ryzen) and another below it, and some smaller dots on the edge of CPU which are also seen on the cooler). Have never had an incidence of this before (only marks and scratches left on the cooler from the edges of the CPU and the cooler sliding during install/removal). I did make a mental note to visually check the PA Mini immediately after unboxing, and I don't know if I noticed anything on the CPU - even now you can't feel them if you run your finger over the CPU or cooler.
So, I'm just wondering...
- What is even going on here? Has the CPU got some imperfections on its IHS that is imprinting on the cooler when the spring screws of the cooler have applied pressure? Or could it even be the other way around - the cooler has imprinted on the CPU?
(I currently own 4 PAs and a Frozen Infinity AIO from Thermalright and have never had this issue, plus I've always assumed the CPU IHS is physcially stronger than the coolers base to begin with).
- Has anyone run into this situation (or similar) before?
- Should I be thinking about returning the CPU (if it is the culprit) while the return window is active - rather than thinking about potential lapping (which I've never done before)?
(It's not even really a question of whether cooling performance will ever be impacted by this, I just don't like the idea of one part leaving its imperfections on other parts I pair it with).
Notes:
I hand tighten the AM4 cooler spring screws until I can't turn them anymore without forcing it - I am assuming the scratches from the edge of the CPU are more from sliding during installation / removal + tightening one side down too far before working on the other side rather than any issue with over tightening (which I am assuming is prevented by the spring screw system in the first place).
The Noctua NT-H2 thermal paste tube was brand new and opened immediately before applying to the CPUs IHS.
TIA
Recently ordered a Ryzen 5700X (to replace a 5600 in an AM4 ECC ram UnRaid build) off Aliexpress - good price, longstanding seller with plenty of reviews, and their store page for the 5700X has the certified item tick ('The seller promises to have obtained brand authorization and signed a genuine product commitment letter. These are official branded items that are sold through the AliExpress platform and purchased through legitimate channels'). CPU came in the typical clam shell packaging and was sealed with the usual sticker you see with unboxed Ryzen CPUs from there.
When setting it up, I paired it up with a brand new Thermalright Peerless Assassin Mini (Sourced locally from reputable retailer) and Noctua NT-H2 paste. I then realised that the cooler is not the best fit for the case I'm using, so I removed and cleaned both the CPU and cooler (using soft microfiber + Arctic Silver ArctiClean kit + IPA), after which I have noticed that both the CPU and cooler have identical marks (for example, if you look at the images you'll see a round mark on the R (of Ryzen) and another below it, and some smaller dots on the edge of CPU which are also seen on the cooler). Have never had an incidence of this before (only marks and scratches left on the cooler from the edges of the CPU and the cooler sliding during install/removal). I did make a mental note to visually check the PA Mini immediately after unboxing, and I don't know if I noticed anything on the CPU - even now you can't feel them if you run your finger over the CPU or cooler.
So, I'm just wondering...
- What is even going on here? Has the CPU got some imperfections on its IHS that is imprinting on the cooler when the spring screws of the cooler have applied pressure? Or could it even be the other way around - the cooler has imprinted on the CPU?
(I currently own 4 PAs and a Frozen Infinity AIO from Thermalright and have never had this issue, plus I've always assumed the CPU IHS is physcially stronger than the coolers base to begin with).
- Has anyone run into this situation (or similar) before?
- Should I be thinking about returning the CPU (if it is the culprit) while the return window is active - rather than thinking about potential lapping (which I've never done before)?
(It's not even really a question of whether cooling performance will ever be impacted by this, I just don't like the idea of one part leaving its imperfections on other parts I pair it with).
Notes:
I hand tighten the AM4 cooler spring screws until I can't turn them anymore without forcing it - I am assuming the scratches from the edge of the CPU are more from sliding during installation / removal + tightening one side down too far before working on the other side rather than any issue with over tightening (which I am assuming is prevented by the spring screw system in the first place).
The Noctua NT-H2 thermal paste tube was brand new and opened immediately before applying to the CPUs IHS.
TIA
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