Smudges on my CPU

[Shyfe]

I got my X3 720 yesterday and I looked at it from the outside and there appears to be some smudges on the CPU. What should I do? I'm worried this will affect the temperatures.

 

[Eureka]

Smudges? Take an alcohol swab and clean it...

 

[Denithor]

From the outside? You mean before you even open the box? Could just be fingerprints on the plastic shield or something. Even if it's smudges on the CPU itself - you should always clean the CPU surface once it's in the socket & before you mount the HSF. Wipe it gently with either a clean cloth or cotton ball dipped in rubbing alcohol to remove all fingerprints/dust/etc before you apply thermal paste and/or seat the stock hsf (which should already have thermal paste applied).