A lot of new pc gamers and builders comes up with a lot of problems while building a new pc. They have a tons of questions in their mind which needs to be clear. One of the most important question a lot of gamers ask is that do CPUs come with thermal paste? . Not knowing the answer can lead to a serious damage to your hardware.
As a whole, No processor comes with thermal paste with the package. However, it may include pre-applied paste on the cold plate of the Stock CPU Cooler, depending on the model. If you purchase a second-hand CPU, it will not include or come with a pre-installed paste.
The pattern to understand whether your ordered CPU will come with a thermal paste is straightforward. I am sure that you will understand and know the answer to these questions by the end of this article.
Do Ryzen CPUs Come With Thermal Paste?
As a general rule, thermal paste is not provided with the CPU package. However, your AMD CPU can come with a pre-applied thermal paste on the different type of CPU cooler.
In addition, it is not the case with AMD CPUs unless their package includes the stock cooling solution. The AMD heatsinks come in different forms that are:
- Wraith Stealth Air Cooler
- Wraith Spire Air Cooler
- Wraith Prism Air Cooler
Only those processors will come with a thermal paste that provides a thermal solution. In this case, the new Gen Ryzen 5 5600X Zen 3 CPU includes a thermal cooling solution with Wraith Stealth Air Cooler.
Moreover, purchasing a pre-built PC or an AMD laptop will include a pre-installed thermal paste.
However, if you get a second-hand CPU, it will not come with thermal paste. And, it is always the best practice to re-install thermal paste on second-hand processors. Furthermore, make sure to re-apply the thermal paste on the re-installation of the CPU.
Do Intel CPUs Come With Thermal Paste?
As a rule of thumb, Intel CPUs don’t come with thermal paste unless they come with a CPU cooler. That is because their provided heatsink has pre-applied thermal paste on their plate.
But if you decide to use a stock air cooler, which ships with most of their processors, then there won’t be any need to worry about it as they have already applied thermal paste on your chip. Or else many new users often end up asking whether I should buy one for my brand new iX processor? In that case, NO, You don’t require purchasing a separate thermal paste for using the stock cooler because the pre-applied stuff usually works just fine and lasts long enough too.
However, those who wish to overclock their CPUs must know about different types of pastes available on the market and their suitability depending on the cooling solution you want to use.
Furthermore, all new Intel processors that are not K or X variants WILL include a cooling solution. For example, a brand new Intel i7-7700k will not have a stock cooler. However, the Intel i7-7700 processor will consist of a cooling solution. Thus it has pre-applied thermal paste.
That is why it is highly recommended for you to check whether your CPU includes the stock cooler. If not, then make sure that you are buying one along with your processor because it will come in handy in the future.
Do You Need To Apply Thermal Paste On Pre-Applied CPU Coolers?
No, you don’t need to apply thermal paste on pre-applied new cold plate of the CPU cooler like Vetroo V5 comes with pre-installed paste. It is a vague myth that you need to reapply the thermal paste on both CPUs and GPUs. The provided one will work just fine.
In addition, you can check if the pre-applied thermal paste is applied correctly or not. In such cases, you can reapply the thermal paste.
However, if you purchase a used processor and you don’t know whether it has been applied thermal paste or not, then you should apply thermal paste yourself. Moreover, if you plan to overclock your processor, you need to know about the different types of thermal paste, how you can use them, and how they will benefit you.
Does Stock Cooler Come With Thermal Paste?
Yes, the CPU stock cooler always comes with a pre-applied thermal paste. However, you have to check the cooler and thermal paste before buying a new CPU.
Moreover, you can also check whether your CPU includes a stock cooler or not. If it does have one, you don’t need to worry about the thermal paste at all.
But in case that doesn’t come with any cooling solution, then make sure that you are buying an aftermarket CPU fan because they will always require applying some additional thermal paste on top of the processor for efficient heat dissipation.
What Is Thermal Paste, And Why Is It Necessary?
Thermal paste is a kind of grease that has very high thermally conductive properties. It helps you get rid of the excess heat from your CPU and GPU chips by dispersing it across heatsink or water-block if you are using the liquid cooling solution. It transfers the CPU’s thermal energy onto the heatsink. That is why CPUs Need Thermal Paste.
Moreover, thermal pastes come with different types like metal-based, ceramic base, diamond-based, etc., depending on their cost and usage purpose. However, they all work pretty much identical. Still, diamonds are more efficient than the other two because they can withstand higher CPU’s temperatures for a long time compared to others easily.
Therefore, when choosing between these three categories, make sure that you buy one according to your requirement, whether its low end or high-end performance. Also, choose wisely among them as each of them has its specific usage.
But in case if you are using a stock cooler, then there is no need to apply thermal paste on it because the pre-applied stuff usually works pretty fine for most CPUs and GPUs. However, when buying a new CPU, make sure that you check whether your processor includes a cooling solution or not.
How To Properly Apply Thermal Paste?
There are different methods to apply thermal paste on your CPU or GPU chips. You can choose any of them as they all work pretty much identical, but the result will be more efficient if you do it properly and carefully.
Firstly, take a small amount of paste on one side of the plastic card (avoid using metal-based objects because it will cause a short circuit between two chips)
Then remove the plastic cover from your CPU or GPU chips, clean them properly with alcohol and a cotton swab to avoid any dust particles on top of it. Moreover, make sure that you clean both sides because they are shiny, which can capture dust easily if not cleaned properly.
Similarly, you can also use a thin layer of thermal paste on both chips using a plastic card or cotton swab.
Finally, place the heatsink according to the arrow direction and fix it properly with screws if you use an aftermarket cooler. And that’s all. It is pretty simple to do, so follow these steps carefully while applying your thermal paste, and your processor will be able to withstand high temperatures for a longer time.
Final Words
If you want to know the answer to that do processors come with thermal paste or not? You can check online with the processor’s name. Processors that include stock cooling solutions always come with a pre-applied thermal paste. However, when buying an aftermarket CPU, make sure that you check whether it comes with the cooling solution or not.
There are different types of thermal pastes like metal-based, ceramic base, and diamond-based depending on their usage purpose and cost. But if your processor already has a stock cooler, you don’t need to apply any thermal paste at all because they usually work fine for most CPUs and GPUs.
Thermal pastes are essential for your CPUs because they help dissipate the excess processor’s heat by spreading it across the heatsink.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is not necessary to reapply the thermal paste regularly. However, if your CPU fan starts making noises or you feel that it isn’t working fine anymore, it might indicate that it’s time to apply a new thermal paste again.
In addition, you should also consider checking whether there are any air bubbles inside of your cooler while using older pastes, as they can be bad news when overclocking an Intel processor with K variant CPUs.
You must use the right kind of applicator with your thermal paste because different types have specific usage. If not, then they can cause damage to your CPU by leaking liquid in between them, which may result in computer shutdowns or even permanently damage its motherboard if overused.
Applying a thin layer of thermal pastes on top of both chips is always better for proper heat dissipation and optimum performance without creating any air bubbles between two surfaces while using aftermarket coolers. However, when overclocking an Intel processor, ensure that you do not put too much paste; otherwise, it will leak down into the socket pins resulting in lackluster performance due to an excessive amount of thermal paste.
Yes, It is essential to use high-quality thermal paste, especially for overclocking. Make sure that your thermal paste has a higher viscosity level so that it doesn’t seep into the socket pins while overclocking an Intel processor. Otherwise, it will result in lackluster performance due to an excessive amount of thermal paste.