I think you are trying to fix something that is not broken! That's how things get
really broken. There is
NOTHING WRONG with 75°C while playing CS2. That is not even "very" warm.
If your room is not air conditioned and it is the summer where you live, then your idle temps are acceptable too.
Sadly, too much, totally unnecessary emphasis is place on stress tests and benchmark scores.
Stress tests like OCCT are designed to abuse and take your system to the limit so you can see where those limits are. They are great for bragging rights but they do
NOT represent real world scenarios! If your system is not throttling during your real world usage, then your temps are still
well within safe and normal limits.
Yes, it is absolutely critical to keep our electronics properly cooled. But it is NOT essential to keep them as cool as possible - even though some ill-informed think otherwise. There is
absolutely nothing to suggest, for example, a CPU running at 35°C will perform better, be more stable, or have a longer life expectancy than a CPU running at 55°C.
The Tjmax spec for your CPU is 95°C. That does NOT mean if you exceed that, damage will occur. It means thermal protection modes will kick in to prevent damage.
Your Assassin Spirit 120 V2 cooler is fine AS LONG AS it is properly mounted and its fan is not oriented where it is fighting against the desired front to back flow of cool air blowing through the case. You want all the air flowing in the same general direction. That said, there are better coolers - considering that Thermalright sells for under $20, no surprise.
That said, if me, I might try the OEM AMD Wraith Stealth that came with that CPU to see if that improves (or makes worse) your temps. Contrary to what many want others to believe, OEM coolers tend to be pretty good these days. After all the CPU makers don't want their CPUs to fail because the coolers they supplied with those CPU were incapable of properly cooling the CPU. Just note they are designed to cool during normal use. Not abusive stress tests.
Could it be the quality of the thermal paste I used? I used Thermalright F4. It came with the cooler
No. There is nothing wrong with that TIM (thermal interface material) AS LONG AS it was applied properly and the cooler securely mounted. You might get a couple degrees improvement with a more efficient TIM but not enough to be significant, or to consider changing just for that reason.
Do remember that most TIMs have a curing time before they reach maximum efficiency. That is, after application and after a few heat/cool cycles, the efficiency of the TIM will improve a few degrees. The amount of time and the number of heat/cool cycles to reach maximum efficiency varies from product to product, and user to user - depending on how they use the computer over the next few days.
Did you make sure the CPU and heatsink mating surfaces were clean before applying the TIM and mounting the cooler? You never ever reuse old TIM - TIM that has been through at least one heat/cool cycle where the curing process has begun. You must always thoroughly clean the mounting surfaces of old TIM, then properly apply a fresh, new layer of TIM.
A common mistake is to use too much TIM. It is important to note the most efficient transfer of heat occurs with direct metal-to-metal contact of the mating surfaces. And the purpose of TIM is to fill the microscopic pits and valleys in those mating surfaces to push out and prevent any insulating air from getting trapped in those pits and valleys. Any excess TIM is
in the way and
counterproductive to the most efficient transfer of heat. You want a layer that is as thin as possible while still providing complete coverage.
If you feel you might have applied too much TIM, you should power down, unplug from the wall, discharge any static in your body, then properly clean the mating surfaces and apply a fresh, new, thin-as-possible layer of TIM.
After that, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
