Question Thermal paste CPU cooler

[Azfar Siddiqui]

Yesterday i took out my CPU cooler and my thermal paste looked like this. I was wondering is this how its supposed to look like after 4 years or did i not apply enough thermal paste to begin with??

View: https://imgur.com/a/XynO5dw

View: https://imgur.com/a/MHQoZgn

 

[R_1]

you applied more than enough.
it worked for 4 years yeah?
you did good.

 

[Mtop]

That's what it should look like, it gets hard after time. Make sure you clean it all off prior before reapplying.

 

[Karadjgne]

Looks perfect. No over-slop, nice clean cpu except for the surface that counts, easy cleanup. Whatever you did 4 years ago, do it again.

 

[rubix_1011]

Yeah, agree. Looks like what I would want to see.

 

[geofelt]

Looks ok.
The even dispersion is good and comes from evenly clamping the pump.
Good job there.

If anything, you used a bit more than needed.
The job of paste is to fill in microscopic air pits in the mating surfaces.
Paste is more conductive of heat than air, but not as good as metal to metal contact.

I like the rice sized drop in the middle method.
The drop will spread out under heat and pressure.
Opinions vary on this but it matters little.

 

[rubix_1011]

I like the 'size of a lentil' comparison, but most people aren't as sure what that is.

Rice seems a bit too little, and pea size is actually too much.

Either way, geofelt is completely correct ...as long as the microscopic pits are filled and good mating occurs.