Does CPU need thermal paste?

[Traveler]

Does a CPU need thermal paste? for example pentium d 920 under normal working condition.

 

[JechtShot]

......(crickets chirping)

Short answer: Yes.
Why: To get better heat conduction between two objects such as heatsink and CPU. Without it, your cpu temperatures would skyrocket.

 

[Maximilian]

Originally posted by: JechtShot
......(crickets chirping)

Short answer: Yes.
Why: To get better heat conduction between two objects such as heatsink and CPU. Without it, your cpu temperatures would skyrocket.

:thumbsup:

Just to add to that absolutely nothing or peanut butter/jam will not suffice, it needs to be thermal paste!

 

[sanzen07]

If you have a thermal pad, then no, you don't need thermal paste. If there is nothing between the CPU and the heatsink/fan, then you definitely need thermal paste.

 

[Rottie]

If you bought a new CPU that comes with heatpipe or heatfan, thermal pad already applied to heatpipe

 

[f4phantom2500]

Originally posted by: Rottie
If you bought a new CPU that comes with heatpipe or heatfan, thermal pad already applied to heatpipe

Not always, in a similar thread some dude said there wasn't a pad/any paste with his Core 2 and he bought it retail.

It's really easy to tell if it does though, it'll have some kind of paste on the bottom lol. If not, then yes, get some paste.

 

[Rottie]

oh I didn't know about Core 2 but I have since upgraded several AMD cpu they always have thermal pad on them

 

[gerwen]

My core2 HSF has thermal paste/pad on it. Still does as i never used the stock one.