[SOLVED] Ryzen 7 3700x Thermal Paste with After Market Cooler

Sep 9, 2020
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I am looking to upgrade my current PC and think I have settled on the Ryzen 7 3700X CPU. I have read that it comes with pre-applied thermal paste on the stock cooler.

I am also considering upgrading the cooler with the be quiet Dark Rock Pro 4.

My question is if I choose the Dark Rock instead of the stock Wraith would I then need to apply thermal paste to the CPU during installation?

Just want to make sure I understand what I need. I am slowly learning this as I go and appreciate your patience and help.
 
Solution
Yes.
Unlike Intel cpus, which are currently monolithic dies sitting in the center, Ryzen 3000 has multiple dies which are set around the sides instead, so the preapplied paste might not cover the dies' position beneath the IHS.

iu


That's what the 3700X looks like with the IHS removed.
Look at where the dies are relative to the triangle mark; 2 dot applications should be all you need.

Math Geek

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the dark rock pro 4 comes with thermal paste. you have to put it on yourself but that is not hard at all.

so yes you will have to put some paste on the cpu yourself with that cooler.

the stock cooler has it preapplied to the heatsink so all you have to do is install it and it'll be good to go.

the 3rd party cooler is a good idea. i made it almost 2 weeks with my 3700x on the stock cooler before i changed it as well. may as wel do it right away instead of having to take it all apart 2 weeks later once you hate the stock cooler :)
 
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Sep 9, 2020
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Awesome. Thank you.

I assumed this was the case but wanted to double check.

I have also read about the thermal paste application and it seems there are several techniques. It appears the pea size dot in the middle is the most popular but there are others like the cross, 5 dot, lined, and spreading it out thinly with a credit card.

Any suggestions?
 

Phaaze88

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Yes.
Unlike Intel cpus, which are currently monolithic dies sitting in the center, Ryzen 3000 has multiple dies which are set around the sides instead, so the preapplied paste might not cover the dies' position beneath the IHS.

iu


That's what the 3700X looks like with the IHS removed.
Look at where the dies are relative to the triangle mark; 2 dot applications should be all you need.
 
Solution

Math Geek

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ryzen is different under the lid than before so the single pea sized in the middle is not the best way for it.i am old school and still spread it out over the whole cpu like i always have.

it's not "better" to do it this way, it's just how i learned a long time ago and i never bothered to do it any other way.