# Which is the proper way to apply thermal paste for a Quad core?



## ocprgmr (Feb 17, 2011)

For a Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600, how should the thermal paste be applied?  In a thin layer evenly across the entire surface or a single line down the middle as diagrammed in the link?



http://media.photobucket.com/image/under the cpu heat spreader/ericeod/sidebysidecomp.jpg


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## TheLaughingMan (Feb 17, 2011)

I use evenly across the entire surface for all applications.


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## Loosenut (Feb 17, 2011)

Both methods are good but personally I always use the spread thin and evenly method


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## Wrigleyvillain (Feb 17, 2011)

Well some people just do a thin layer across the whole surface (not me though; what a pain) but I remember at least one prominent manufacturer had directions showing to use a thin line of paste but from right to left as opposed to from up to down depending on whether or not you had a dual or quad (based on the physical placement of the cores inside the chip). I'll see if I can find it. 

But honestly the difference you will see if any will probably be nominal. Though certainly can't hurt to try and do it the best way possible, of course. Ideally you should trial and error test but that's a major PITA.

Edit: First 2 Links


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## Disparia (Feb 17, 2011)

I do thin spread with AS5, but "line" style with MX-2.


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## newtekie1 (Feb 17, 2011)

Put a small spot in the middle and put the heatsink on.  If you are putting enough thermal paste on to allow you to spread a thin layer on the entire IHS, you are using way too much TIM and are likely hurting performance.


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## TheLaughingMan (Feb 17, 2011)

Wrigleyvillain said:


> Well some people just do a thin layer across the whole surface (not me though; what a pain) but I remember at least one prominent manufacturer had directions saying use a thin line but from right to left as opposed to from up to down depending on whether or not you had a dual or quad based on the physical placement of the cores inside the chip. I'll see if I can find it.



See that is silly to me because it implies *only* the cores need to be cooled off.  There is a lot of components in a chip and they all need to be cooled even if they are the primary source of the heat.  Second, thermal paste is there to fill in any small imperfection that you can't see with the naked eye on the surface of the chip and cooler plate.  Thus the ultimate goal is to get a even, thin layer covering the entire surface of the chip.

the least messy is the sandwich bag trick.  You put a small amount in the center of the chip, cover it with a sandwich bag, and spread it evenly using either your finger or a razor blade.  Trust me, the crap is hard to get off your fingers.


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## newtekie1 (Feb 17, 2011)

TheLaughingMan said:


> See that is silly to me because it implies *only* the cores need to be cooled off.  There is a lot of components in a chip and they all need to be cooled even if they are the primary source of the heat.  Second, thermal paste is there to fill in any small imperfection that you can't see with the naked eye on the surface of the chip and cooler plate.  Thus the ultimate goal is to get a even, thin layer covering the entire surface of the chip.
> 
> the least messy is the sandwich bag trick.  You put a small amount in the center of the chip, cover it with a sandwich bag, and spread it evenly using either your finger or a razor blade.  Trust me, the crap is hard to get off your fingers.



The pressure from the heatsink spreads out the TIM.  And the only parts of the CPU that touch the IHS, and hence the only parts of the CPU that recieve any cooling from the heatsink are the cores.  None of the other components touch the IHS, so they aren't coolers, no matter how you apply the TIM.


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## Wrigleyvillain (Feb 17, 2011)

newtekie1 said:


> Put a small spot in the middle and put the heatsink on.  If you are putting enough thermal paste on to allow you to spread a thin layer on the entire IHS, you are using way too much TIM and are likely hurting performance.



This is what I end up doing these days. Its easy to use too much still as well even just trying to do a "dot". The cores on a quad are essentially right there in the general center anyway. LaughingMan makes a great point too though, especially as those instructions are for Core 2. 

Again, trial and error testing would be best. In other words, try every method and see which if any gives lowest load temps.


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## I see SPY! (Feb 17, 2011)

newtekie1 said:


> Put a small spot in the middle and put the heatsink on.  If you are putting enough thermal paste on to allow you to spread a thin layer on the entire IHS, you are using way too much TIM and are likely hurting performance.



That's exactly how I do 

Also, I remember reading this article a while ago after having the same doubt:

linky

Another one from www.overclockers.com:


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## ckoons1 (Feb 21, 2011)

if you do the pea size dot in the middle it spreads as you put on heatsink pushing air out and therfore removing air bubles


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## LAN_deRf_HA (Feb 21, 2011)

The dot will work well if you wriggle and press, but on occasion it can end up lopsided so I switched to the X method. Remember with HDT heatsinks it's totally different. You apply to the heatsink along the center dividers between the heatpipes for roughly half the length of the divider.


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## Goodman (Feb 21, 2011)

newtekie1 said:


> Put a small spot in the middle and put the heatsink on.  If you are putting enough thermal paste on to allow you to spread a thin layer on the entire IHS,



Tried different methods over the years & find out that the spot/dot in the middle & letting the HSF spread the TIM to be the best way to go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyXLu1Ms-q4&feature=related


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## johnspack (Feb 21, 2011)

First tin it with a small amount,  then a horizontal line for a quad.  Works very well.


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## TheLaughingMan (Feb 21, 2011)

newtekie1 said:


> The pressure from the heatsink spreads out the TIM.  And the only parts of the CPU that touch the IHS, and hence the only parts of the CPU that recieve any cooling from the heatsink are the cores.  None of the other components touch the IHS, so they aren't coolers, no matter how you apply the TIM.



While true. The entire ihs is going to get really hot.


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## qubit (Feb 21, 2011)

I spread the TIM evenly over the whole surface of the CPU heatspreader.


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## ckoons1 (Feb 21, 2011)

qubit said:


> I spread the TIM evenly over the whole surface of the CPU heatspreader.



this will create air bubbles.


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## micropage7 (Feb 21, 2011)

newtekie1 said:


> Put a small spot in the middle and put the heatsink on.  If you are putting enough thermal paste on to allow you to spread a thin layer on the entire IHS, you are using way too much TIM and are likely hurting performance.



yap small drop on the center of processor
but if you use direct touch hsf i usually put the paste on it on line pattern across the heatpipe


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## pabloottawa (Feb 21, 2011)

From a physics point of view it's all about surface area contact. If the heatsink surface covers the entire CPU plate then you should apply enough TIM to cover the entire plate. This way heat is being transferred and dissipated from CPU to heatsink over a greater surface area. To me a thin even layer on the CPU makes more sense than a pea dot or a line. Don't forget that our arms, hands and fingers aren't precision robotic machines so it's more likely that you won't rest the heatsink onto the CPU evenly thereby screwing up the proper spread of the paste. 

I'd go thin even layer FTW


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## jsfitz54 (Feb 21, 2011)

ckoons1 said:


> this will create air bubbles.



I don't understand.  When you purchase a heatsink with thermal paste pre applied it is a thin layer, evenly applied (no bubbles).

They don't put a dot in the middle.


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## slyfox2151 (Feb 21, 2011)

jsfitz54 said:


> I don't understand.  When you purchase a heatsink with thermal paste pre applied it is a thin layer, evenly applied (no bubbles).
> 
> They don't put a dot in the middle.



herm...... who are you buying from that gives you a THIN layer of TIM? have you seen under the heat sink of Nvidia / AMD GPU's? 

often they will use Thermal Pads not paste. the last 2 CPU's i bought, a 1055T and 1090T had a thick layer of TIM on the Heat Sink.





i have also never seen a higher end heat sink come with thermal paste pre applied.


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## Zenith (Feb 21, 2011)

Small drop, then let to force do its job by putting heatsink on.


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## newtekie1 (Feb 21, 2011)

TheLaughingMan said:


> While true. The entire ihs is going to get really hot.



Not it isn't, the small dot spreads out to cover almost the entire IHS, or actually does cover the entire IHS.  If it doesn't then your mounting system isn't applying enough pressure.  And the IHS isn't going to get any hotter than the CPU cores themselves, so as long as your cores are cool, the IHS isn't going to get super hot.  If the cores are getting hot, then you've applied the thermal paste wrong or your cooling solution isn't good enough.


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## TheLaughingMan (Feb 21, 2011)

newtekie1 said:


> Not it isn't, the small dot spreads out to cover almost the entire IHS, or actually does cover the entire IHS.  If it doesn't then your mounting system isn't applying enough pressure.  And the IHS isn't going to get any hotter than the CPU cores themselves, so as long as your cores are cool, the IHS isn't going to get super hot.  If the cores are getting hot, then you've applied the thermal paste wrong or your cooling solution isn't good enough.



Wow.  What I said had nothing to do with any particular technique or cooling solution.

If you do not put any form of thermal control on the CPU, the nature of metal and heat transference dictates more than the spot where the cores touch will get hot.  Heat does not move in strait ....nevermind.

Dude, follow the instructions provided with your TIM.  If you didn't get any, follow the ones with the cooler.

I am using pre-made pads of cooling solution from now on.


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## _JP_ (Feb 21, 2011)

For me it depends on the situation. If it's directly on the die, a small dot (pea-like, whatever) of TIM in the center. If it still has the heat-spreader, I spread the TIM, covering all the surface with a thin layer, using a plastic card. I do that on the cooler too. My cooler is a HDT type and temps don't go over 40ºC (65W CPU, stock clocks, room temp ~18ºC), feels right.


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## jsfitz54 (Feb 21, 2011)

slyfox2151 said:


> herm...... who are you buying from that gives you a THIN layer of TIM? have you seen under the heat sink of Nvidia / AMD GPU's?
> 
> often they will use Thermal Pads not paste. the last 2 CPU's i bought, a 1055T and 1090T had a thick layer of TIM on the Heat Sink



Are you implying the manufacturers are doing it wrong?


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## newtekie1 (Feb 21, 2011)

TheLaughingMan said:


> Wow.  What I said had nothing to do with any particular technique or cooling solution.
> 
> If you do not put any form of thermal control on the CPU, the nature of metal and heat transference dictates more than the spot where the cores touch will get hot.  Heat does not move in strait ....nevermind.
> 
> ...



WFT are you talking about?  You said just putting a small spot in the middle doesn't make sense to you because other components of the CPU need to be cooled.  Which they don't.  Then you said the IHS would get super hot, which it doesn't.  Do you have any clue what you are talking about, do you even listen to yourself posting?


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## jsfitz54 (Feb 21, 2011)

I like the John Cleese skit the best: Arguments 5₤'s, please pay in advance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLlv_aZjHXc


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## slyfox2151 (Feb 22, 2011)

jsfitz54 said:


> Are you implying the manufacturers are doing it wrong?



not wrong, but not the best way either. your reference Video card GPU will come with very excessive amounts of TIM and its the same for CPU's.


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## johnspack (Feb 22, 2011)

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appmeth/int/hl/intel_app_method_horizontal_line_v1.1.pdf


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## ckoons1 (Feb 22, 2011)

Here's the answer guys 
PLEASE WATCH
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffK7L0Qj13Q

it appears the biggest no-no is air bubbles. 
to avoid them at all cost


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## Spectrum (Feb 26, 2011)

slyfox2151 said:


> not wrong, but not the best way either. your reference Video card GPU will come with very excessive amounts of TIM



Agreed, my gtx 460 had a really thick layer of TIM on the core...


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## LAN_deRf_HA (Feb 26, 2011)

If you want every scrap of transference, put a thin layer over the whole cpu and whole base of the sink. Scrap it with a CC, then do the dot method, or strips on the sink if it's HDT. That way you can get corner coverage if you think it will really help. Personally I'd call it a waste of paste.


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## de.das.dude (Feb 27, 2011)

for me,
if the base of the cooler isnt lapped,
i place a thin overall layer on one side and push it from side to side with a card.
then place a piece of soft cloth flat on the flor and gently rub the HSF on it, making sure the cloth doesnt wrinkle. all excess TIM will be gone and surely every gap is covered.
then i put a very small (less than pea sized, an under nourished pea maybe?) on the cpu and press in the hsf at one go.


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## pabloottawa (Feb 27, 2011)

de.das.dude

I'm not quite following you..... What do you mean by; "i place a thin overall layer on one side and push it from side to side with a card."?????


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## Athlon2K15 (Feb 27, 2011)

he probably uses a credit card or something similar to spread the paste out in a even thin layer


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## ckoons1 (Feb 27, 2011)

AthlonX2 said:


> he probably uses a credit card or something similar to spread the paste out in a even thin layer



then he wipes off the excess only filling tiny gaps


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## de.das.dude (Feb 28, 2011)

AthlonX2 said:


> he probably uses a *credit card* or something similar to spread the paste out in a even thin layer


my cooler master TIM came with a CoolerMaster card for that specific purpose. credit cards work too.



ckoons1 said:


> then he wipes off the excess only filling tiny gaps


exactly.
then i place a very tiny tiny amount on the cpu and press the HSF onto it.a little rocking from side to side helps in spreading the TIM evenly.


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## maxextz (Mar 14, 2011)

ckoons1 said:


> if you do the pea size dot in the middle it spreads as you put on heatsink pushing air out and therfore removing air bubles



this is what i do too "except its smaller than a pea sized" and works fine with really low temps.if you smear it you can get bubbles.


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## mlee49 (Mar 14, 2011)

Spread method, try to get a uniform layer across the cpu/gpu. You'll know if you get too much when you install the heatsink, then remove it, and check if thermal paste is squirting out the sides.

Remember thermal paste is designed to essentially remove the imperfections between the heatsink and the processor. Thats why it's called Thermal Interface Material as well.

In theory, it should act like a malleable piece of metal that becomes part of the heatsink's base to remove heat as quickly as possible.


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## micropage7 (Mar 14, 2011)

i never use credit card or something like that, just finger
make thin layer on processor and hsf base, i do that coz its direct touch then snap in
on non direct touch i use put a dop on center of processor spread it little so it wont leak when squeezed by hsf


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## trickson (Mar 14, 2011)

I take my finger and apply a thin layer all over the IHS . Never done any thing ells never had any problems . Cover all you bases and you will never fail .


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## qubit (Mar 14, 2011)

micropage7 said:


> i never use credit card or something like that, just finger
> make thin layer on processor and hsf base, i do that coz its direct touch then snap in
> on non direct touch i use put a dop on center of processor spread it little so it wont leak when squeezed by hsf





trickson said:


> I take my finger and apply a thin layer all over the IHS . Never done any thing ells never had any problems . Cover all you bases and you will never fail .



You shouldn't let the surface of your finger directly touch the CPU & TIM because:

1 It's not especially healthy for your skin to rub this stuff into it
2 Oil from your skin gets rubbed into the TIM and reduces its effectiveness

To avoid this, I wrap my finger in one of those clear, thin plastic bags one gets from the supermaket to put vegetables in. I keep it tight against the end of my finger, so that I can spread the TIM properly.


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## trickson (Mar 14, 2011)

qubit said:


> You shouldn't let the surface of your finger directly touch the CPU & TIM because:
> 
> 1 It's not especially healthy for your skin to rub this stuff into it
> 2 Oil from your skin gets rubbed into the TIM and reduces its effectiveness
> ...



Yes I agree most of the time I do this . I should have not omitted it in my post  . When pressed for time and too excited I just go for it though . But yes find a zip lock bag or plastic veggie bag to wrap your finger in and spread the TIM on the CPU IHS .


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## qubit (Mar 14, 2011)

trickson said:


> Yes I agree most of the time I do this . I should have not omitted it in my post  . When pressed for time and too excited I just go for it though . But yes find a zip lock bag or plastic veggie bag to wrap your finger in and spread the TIM on the CPU IHS .



Forgot a bit? Hey, it's ok! 

And ya know what? The last couple of times I used the bag, the damn thing split and I hadn't realised it - I'm sure they make them thinner nowadays. So there I was feeling all smug and clever, only to have an "Oh shit!" moment when I lifted my finger! 

And no, I didn't redo it and it works fine. 

What it is really important though, is to clean the CPU & HSF mating surfaces thoroughly with isopropyl alchohol before putting on the TIM. That's even if they look clean. This should be done just before the HSF is put on, so that dust and dirt doesn't have a chance to sneak in.


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## pabloottawa (Mar 15, 2011)

qubit said:


> To avoid this, I wrap my finger in one of those clear, thin plastic bags one gets from the supermaket to put vegetables in. I keep it tight against the end of my finger, so that I can spread the TIM properly.



Don't you think it makes more sense to use a credit card to spread it evenly? I've tried the finger method but I'm never satisfied that I've spread it evenly over the entire CPU.


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## trickson (Mar 15, 2011)

pabloottawa said:


> Don't you think it makes more sense to use a credit card to spread it evenly? I've tried the finger method but I'm never satisfied that I've spread it evenly over the entire CPU.



Actually no not really . I forgot this , I used to get them rubber gloves at the pharmacy they work great . It is not a matter of being supper even and perfectly thin . It is more a matter of a thin coat of the stuff . I mean you don't want to just blob it all on and have a huge mess of the stuff no , I never really got the hang of the card tried it a couple of times just to go back to using my finger to spread the stuff . I mad more of a mess and felt like a 3 legged cat trying to bury a turd on a frozen pond  :shadedshu , All fumbling around in the case with some card in my hand trying not to mess up in that tight spot with every thing ells in the way   . Man just too labor intensive for my taste .


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## qubit (Mar 15, 2011)

pabloottawa said:


> Don't you think it makes more sense to use a credit card to spread it evenly? I've tried the finger method but I'm never satisfied that I've spread it evenly over the entire CPU.



What and mess up my credit card?!

And on top of that, the TIM is kinda sticky and doesn't really spread very well, so I can't imagine a hard piece of plastic doing as good a job as a soft finger wrapped in plastic.


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## brandonwh64 (Mar 15, 2011)

I use my car insurance card to spread LOL im a spreader! but i have found out with direct heatpipe touch is that when you do a pea size that it fills in like the middle heatpipe and doesnt get onto the others thats why i have been spreading them


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## bokou (Mar 15, 2011)

I've always done a thin layer using a credit card or cutting a square from one of the damned plastic packages some of my new goodies will inevitably come in.


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## DanishDevil (Mar 15, 2011)

I use the dot method. I always remove after initial application and confirm that I'm getting a good spread, and I always have.


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## pabloottawa (Mar 15, 2011)

I gotta agree. The dot method seems to do the best job and to boot, no air bubbles. The shitty thing is, if your aim is off and the dot is not centered it won't spread evenly over the plate.


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## DanishDevil (Mar 15, 2011)

You must have some really unsteady hands, or a really high recoil thermal paste


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## CrAsHnBuRnXp (Mar 15, 2011)

Ive personally done two methods and both have worked out well. 

I have used the dot method as DanishDevil has pointed out and I have also put a descent size drop on top of the CPU and with using a latex glove spread it out evenly corner to corner making sure no silver part of the CPU was showing. Both those methods have yet to fail me.


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## pabloottawa (Mar 16, 2011)

DanishDevil said:


> You must have some really unsteady hands, or a really high recoil thermal paste



HA! More like I'm extremely anal when it comes to this kind of stuff. Non-symmetrical things have always bugged me.... Probably the reason why I chose a car with dual exhaust


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## johnnyfiive (Mar 21, 2011)

BB size amount, let the heatsink spread it for you. This is the method I've been using for about 14 years now.


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