PC - Thermal Paste Application Methods

Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................ 2
A Note About Heatsinks ....................................................................
Precautions .............................................................................................
Application Instructions ....................................................................... 3-6

Heatsink Preparation ......................................................................... 3
CPU Preparation ................................................................................ 4
Tinting the Heatsink and Metal cap .................................................. 4-5
Applying Thermal Compound ........................................................... 5
Attaching the Heatsink ...................................................................... 5-6
Break-In Period Explained ................................................................ 6
Break-In Period By Thermal Compound ..........................................
Storage and Clean-Up ........................................................................... 7

Removal From Hardware ..................................................................
Removal From Self ............................................................................
Troubleshooting .................................................................................... 8
Testing done by Linus Tech Group and GamersNexus showed that the
thermal paste application method has minimal effect on thermal performance:
.
The most common and preferred method to use is the Middle Dot Method:
Size of Dot is Approximately equal to size of very small rice grain or the size of the
top of the capacitors adjacent the CPU socket on the motherboard.
.
Best Performing Thermal Paste:
* Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
(Premium Superior Performance Thermal Paste)
* Artic Silver 5
(Good Quality Excellent Performance Thermal Paste)
1
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing an Arctic Silver thermal compound. Please read all
instructions carefully before applying your new compound. While these
instructions were tested using the following Arctic Silver products (Arctic Silver 5,
Céramique 2 and Arctic Alumina) the vertical line method is applicable with any
thermal compound used with the following CPU:
 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Generation Intel® Core™ i3, i5, i7, and i7 Extreme with
Metal Cap
 Previous Generation Intel® Core™ i3, i5, i7, vPro and Extreme with Metal Cap
 Previous Generation Intel® Core™ 2 Duo with Metal Cap
 Celeron® Dual Core with Metal Cap
 Xeon® Series: 5500, 5200, 5100, 5000, 3500 and 3000 with Metal Cap
 Xeon ® Series: E7: 8800, 4800 and 2800 and E3: 1200, L3406 with Metal Cap
A note about heatsinks:
If the base of your heatsink is not flat due to exposed heat-pipes or ridges, please
read the Heat-Pipe Heatsink Method first:
http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/hp/hphs_method.pdf
Precautions
Arctic Silver Thermal Compound Precautions:
1) Don't put it in your mouth.
2) Keep away from children or where children can get a hold of it.
3) Keep it away from pets.
4) Arctic Silver 5 ONLY: While much safer than silver greases engineered for
high electrical conductivity, Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound should be kept away
from electrical traces, pins, and leads. Arctic Silver 5 is slightly capacitive and
could cause problems if it bridged two close-proximity electrical paths.
5) Never turn on a computer without a heatsink properly mounted on the CPU and
thermal compound between the CPU core and the heatsink. A modern high-
performance CPU can be permanently damaged in less than 10 seconds without
proper cooling.
6) Arctic Silver 5, Céramique 2 and Arctic Alumina thermal compounds are greases
and have no adhesive qualities. They will never dry or set and cannot be used to
glue a heatsink to a CPU core.
2
Application Instructions
Heatsink Preparation:
If your heatsink has thermal material or a thermal pad on it, the existing material or
pad must be removed prior to applying the new thermal compound. Only the new
thermal compound should be between the heatsink and the metal cap of the CPU.
NEVER use any petroleum based cleaners (WD-40, and many automotive
degreasers) on the surface of a metal cap or heatsink. The oil, which is engineered
to not evaporate, will fill the microscopic valleys in the metal and significantly
reduce the effectiveness of any subsequently applied thermal compound.
Thermal pad removal: Most thermal pads are made with paraffin wax that melts
once it gets hot. As it melts, the wax fills the microscopic valleys in the heatsink
and metal cap of the CPU. To minimize permanent contamination of the heatsink
and metal cap, the thermal pad should be removed from the heatsink prior to turning
on the computer. Never use heat or hot water to remove the pad, as the heat will
melt the wax into the heatsink.
Take care not to scratch the surface of the heatsink when removing the pad. A
plastic tool will scrape off the thermal pad without scratching the metal surface.
You can then remove the remnants of the wax with ArctiClean 1 and 2, a xylene
based cleaner (Goof Off and some carburetor cleaners), or high-purity isopropyl
alcohol and a LINT FREE cloth (a lens cleaning cloth or a coffee filter). If you use
Goof Off or another xylene based cleaner always follow up with a cleaning of high-
purity isopropyl alcohol.
Thermal material removal: Remove existing thermal material with ArctiClean 1

and 2, a xylene based cleaner (Goof Off and some carburetor cleaners), or high-
purity isopropyl alcohol and a LINT FREE cloth (a lens cleaning cloth or coffee
filter). If you use Goof Off or another xylene based cleaner always follow up with
a cleaning of high-purity isopropyl alcohol.
Important: Keep the surface free of foreign materials and do NOT touch the
surface after it has been cleaned. A hair, piece of lint, and even dead skin cells can
significantly affect the thermal interface's performance. Oils from you fingers can
adversely affect the performance by preventing the micronized silver or ceramic
fill from directly contacting the metal surfaces. (Fingerprints can be as thick as
0.005")
3
CPU Preparation:
The surface highlighted in blue is part of the metal

cap and is covering the quad or dual cores in picture
QP1. If the metal cap does not have existing thermal
material on it, cleaning is not required, but is highly
recommended. If any existing thermal material is on
the metal cap, the surface must be cleaned prior to
applying your new thermal compound.
QP1

filter). If you use Goof Off or another xylene based cleaner always follow up with
a cleaning of high-purity isopropyl alcohol.
surface after it has been cleaned. A hair, piece of lint, and even dead skin cells can
significantly affect the thermal interface's performance. Oils from you fingers can
adversely affect the performance by preventing the micronized silver or ceramic
fill from directly contacting the metal surfaces. (Fingerprints can be as thick as
0.005")
Tinting the Heatsink and Metal cap:
Why tint the heatsink and metal cap? Simply put, it will lessen the break-in period.
If the break-in period is reduced, you will achieve maximum performance in less
time (To learn more about the break-in period for your Arctic Silver's product
please see page 6).
Here is the list of things you will need to tint your heatsink and metal cap:
 Your new thermal compound

 An old credit card or a piece of hard
plastic with a straight edge
 Coffee filter or lens cleaning cloth.
Photo HS1 shows Céramique being used

however, the method of tinting a heatsink or
metal cap is the same for Arctic Silver 5,
Arctic Alumina and Matrix Thermal
Compounds. Determine what area on the
base of the heatsink will contact the CPU
cores once the heatsink is mounted.
HS1
4
Squeeze enough thermal compound onto the center of this area to create a small
mound. By working the plastic tool (old credit card) back and forth in all directions
(See green symbol in photo HS1) you will smooth out the compound and work it
into heatsink. This will ensure optimum filling of the microscopic valleys in the
metal where the CPU cores will contact the heatsink.
Important! DO NOT smooth or apply the compound with your bare finger, you
will contaminate the surface (skin cells, and body oil again). After you have
thoroughly worked the thermal compound into the surface of the heatsink, remove
the excess compound by wiping it away with a coffee filter or a LINT FREE cloth.
DO NOT use any solvent or fluid to clean the surface or you will reverse what you
just accomplished. Notice that the base of the heatsink is slightly discolored even
after the entire compound would seem to have been removed. The discoloring you
see is the thermal compound inside the microscopic valleys of the heatsink. Now
tint the surface of the metal cap the same way. You won't need to cover the entire
surface of the metal cap, just cover about the size of a quarter in the center of the
CPU metal cap. To get a frame of reference where the CPU cores are located see
photo QP3.
Applying Thermal Compound:
With the triangle mark on the substrate pointing down and to the left, apply a line
of thermal compound to match the red line in photo QP2. Make the line
approximately 1 millimeter wide. The line of thermal compound crosses the quad
or dual cores vertically as shown with the metal cap removed in photo QP3. Since
heat from the CPU cores travel directly through the metal cap through the
compound to the heatsink, it is much more important to have a good interface
directly above the cores than it is to have the metal cap covered with compound
from corner to corner.
QP2 QP3 QP4
Attaching the Heatsink:
Use your manufacturer's heatsink instructions in combination with the following

suggestions: Do NOT spread the line of thermal compound out. When you place
the heatsink on the top of the metal cap, the line of thermal compound will spread
out like the pink oval pattern on top of the metal cap shown in photo QP4. Allowing
the mounted heatsink to spread the thermal compound insures proper coverage of
5
the metal cap, minimizes air bubbles and allows an optimum bond line between the
two surfaces. RECHECK to make sure no foreign contaminants are present on
either the bottom of the heatsink or the top of the metal cap. Be sure to lower the
heatsink straight down onto the metal cap. Once the heatsink is properly mounted,
grasp the heatsink and very gently twist it slightly clockwise and counterclockwise
one time each if possible (Just one or two degrees or so if possible). Please note
that some heatsinks cannot be twisted once mounted.
Once you are finished applying thermal compound and mounting your heatsink
properly, turn on your computer. Your computer should function normally. For
more information on the break-in period, please see below.
If you have unusually high temperatures, please refer to the trouble shooting list on
page 8 of these instructions.
Break-In Period Explained:
Due to the unique carrier fluid used and the shapes and sizes of the thermally
conductive particles in Arctic Silver's thermal compounds it will take multiple
thermal cycles to achieve maximum particle to particle thermal conduction and for
the heatsink to metal cap interface to reach maximum conductivity. (This period
will be longer in a system without a fan on the heatsink.) On systems measuring
actual internal core temperatures via the CPU's internal diode, the measured
temperature will often drop slightly to significantly over this "break-in" period.
This break-in will occur during the normal use of the computer as long as the
computer is turned off from time to time and the interface is allowed to cool.
Break-In Period by Thermal Compound:
Arctic Silver 5:
Break-in period: 200 hours (Break-in period will occur during normal use.)
Temps will drop several degrees over the break-in period measured with a thermal
diode in the hottest part of the CPU core.
Céramique 2:
Arctic Alumina:
6
Storage And Clean-Up
To keep your new thermal compound fresh for future applications, always replace
the cap on the syringe after each use. The syringe should be stored tip down so that
any separation between the particles and suspension fluid will be at the back end of
the syringe. Like any mix of particles that are many times heavier than the
suspension fluid, there may be some separation in the compound over time when
stored in the original syringe. Storing in a cool place like a refrigerator will
minimize the possibility of separation over time. This does not affect the
performance of the un-separated or remixed compound.
Removal From Hardware:
Thermal compound can easily be removed from hardware using the proper cleaners
and tools: For general clean up, a cloth or paper towel will work well. Intricate
cleaning can be accomplished with Q-tip swabs. An old toothbrush can often get
the compound out of crevices that other tools cannot reach. Again, use ArctiClean
1 and 2 or high-purity isopropyl alcohol.
CPU Core: Remove thermal material with ArctiClean 1 and 2, a xylene based
cleaner, (Goof Off and some carburetor cleaners) or high-purity isopropyl alcohol
and a LINT FREE cloth (a lens cleaning cloth or coffee filter). If you use Goof Off
or another xylene based cleaner always follow up with a cleaning of high-purity
isopropyl alcohol.
Heatsink: Remove thermal material with ArctiClean 1 and 2, a xylene based

and a LINT FREE cloth (a lens cleaning cloth or coffee filter). If you use Goof Off
or another xylene based cleaner always follow up with a cleaning of high-purity
isopropyl alcohol.
CPU Ceramic Package: Remove thermal compound with ArctiClean 1 and 2, a

liquid dish soap (not dishwasher detergent), WD-40, Citrus based cleaners, xylene
based products (Goof Off, some carburetor cleaners and many brake cleaners.) or
mineral spirits. Once the majority of the compound has been removed from the
ceramic, small patches remaining on the ceramic package can be 'erased' with a soft
eraser.
Removal From Self:
Wash your hands with any liquid soap (Dawn, Lux, Palmolive, Etc.) rather than
hand soap. (Do not use detergent for an automatic dishwasher.)
7
Troubleshooting
When someone gets temperature results that are the opposite of the results achieved
by hundreds of thousands of other users, the problem can usually be traced to one
of 12 things listed below:
1. The heatsink was cleaned with an oil based cleaner which filled the microscopic
gaps and contaminated the interface.
2. The existing thermal interface material was not completely removed. The
compound should be the only material between the heatsink and the CPU.
3. The heatsink was not installed properly.
4. The thermal compound was applied too thick.
5. The measurement is being taken on the cold side of the thermal junction or on
the side of the core where thermal compound squeezed from the junction
contaminates the probe. (Better compound then transfers more heat to the probe so
the temperature reads higher.)
6. The measurement probe moved when the chip was removed to clean off the
previous compound.
7. The compound was not allowed to go through its break-in period. (Minimum 25
hours. Can be 400+ hours.) Temperatures will drop 1C to 5C over this time.
8. The application was contaminated with an eyelash, a bit of dirt, fingerprint or

something else that spaced the heatsink away from the metal cap.
9. An unbalanced heatsink fan is causing excessive vibration and damaging the

interface layer.
10. An improperly manufactured or bent shim is interfering with proper contact

between the CPU core and the heatsink.
11. The heatsink fan was not plugged back in after the compound was changed.
12. The ambient temperature where the computer is located has changed. If the
room temperature changes, the CPU temperature will also change. It is important
to remember that cooling solutions keep the CPU X number of degrees above
ambient. So if the ambient temperature increases 3 degrees, the CPU temperature
will also increase 3 degrees.
© 2017 Arctic Silver, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

All trademarks used in this document are the property of their owners.
8
Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................ 2
A Note About Heatsinks ....................................................................
Precautions .............................................................................................
Application Instructions ....................................................................... 3-6

Heatsink Preparation ......................................................................... 3
CPU Preparation ................................................................................ 4
Tinting the Heatsink and Metal cap .................................................. 4-5
Applying Thermal Compound ........................................................... 5
Attaching the Heatsink ...................................................................... 5-6
Break-In Period Explained ................................................................ 6
Break-In Period By Thermal Compound ..........................................
Storage and Clean-Up ........................................................................... 7

Removal From Hardware ..................................................................
Removal From Self ............................................................................
Troubleshooting .................................................................................... 8
Testing done by Linus Tech Group and GamersNexus showed that the
thermal paste application method has minimal effect on thermal performance:
.
The most common and preferred method to use is the Middle Dot Method:
Size of Dot is Approximately equal to size of very small rice grain or the size of the
top of the capacitors adjacent the CPU socket on the motherboard.
.
Best Performing Thermal Paste:
* Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut
(Premium Superior Performance Thermal Paste)
* Artic Silver 5
(Good Quality Excellent Performance Thermal Paste)
1
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing an Arctic Silver thermal compound. Please read all
instructions carefully before applying your new compound. While these
instructions were tested using the following Arctic Silver products (Arctic Silver
5, Céramique, Arctic Alumina and Matrix) the middle dot method is applicable
with any thermal compound used with the following CPU:
AMD CPU & APU Desktop Processors AMD Server Processors

Phenom™ II x2 FX 8-Core CPU With a Metal Cap Opteron™ Single-Core
Phenom™ II x3 FX 6-Core CPU With a Metal Cap Opteron™ Dual-Core
Phenom™ II x4 FX 4-Core CPU With a Metal Cap Opteron™ Four-Core
Phenom™ II x6 E2-Series, Dual-Core APU With a Metal Cap Opteron™ Six-Core
Phenom™ x3 A4-Series, Dual-Core APU With a Metal Cap Opteron™ Eight-Core
Phenom™ x4 A6-Series, Quad-Core APU With a Metal Cap Opteron™ Twelve-Core
A8-Series, Quad-Core APU With a Metal Cap
Athlon™ II x2
Athlon™ II x3
Athlon™ II x4
Athlon™ x2 Dual-Core
Athlon™
Sempron™
Single Core (AMD® Legacy)
A note about heatsinks:
If the base of your heatsink is not flat due to exposed heat-pipes or ridges, please
read the Heat-Pipe Heatsink Method first:
http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/hp/hphs_method.pdf
Precautions
Arctic Silver Thermal Compound Precautions:
1) Don't put it in your mouth.
2) Keep away from children or where children can get a hold of it.
3) Keep it away from pets.
4) Arctic Silver 5 ONLY: While much safer than silver greases engineered for
high electrical conductivity, Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound should be kept
away from electrical traces, pins, and leads. Arctic Silver 5 is slightly capacitive
and could cause problems if it bridged two close-proximity electrical paths.
5) Never turn on a computer without a heatsink properly mounted on the CPU and
thermal compound between the CPU core and the heatsink. A modern high-
2
performance CPU can be permanently damaged in less than 10 seconds without
proper cooling.
6) Arctic Silver 5, Céramique, Arctic Alumina and Matrix thermal compounds are
greases and have no adhesive qualities. They will never dry or set and cannot be
used to glue a heatsink to a CPU core.
Application Instructions
Heatsink Preparation:
If your heatsink has thermal material or a thermal pad on it, the existing material
or pad must be removed prior to applying the new thermal compound. Only the
new thermal compound should be between the heatsink and the metal cap of the
CPU.
NEVER use any petroleum based cleaners (WD-40, and many automotive
degreasers) on the surface of a metal cap or heatsink. The oil, which is
engineered to not evaporate, will fill the microscopic valleys in the metal and
significantly reduce the effectiveness of any subsequently applied thermal
compound.
Thermal pad removal: Most thermal pads are made with paraffin wax that melts
once it gets hot. As it melts, the wax fills the microscopic valleys in the heatsink
and metal cap of the CPU. To minimize permanent contamination of the heatsink
and metal cap, the thermal pad should be removed from the heatsink prior to
turning on the computer. Never use heat or hot water to remove the pad, as the
heat will melt the wax into the heatsink.
Take care not to scratch the surface of the heatsink when removing the pad. A
plastic tool will scrape off the thermal pad without scratching the metal surface.
You can then remove the remnants of the wax with ArctiClean 1 and 2, a xylene
based cleaner (Goof Off and some carburetor cleaners), or high-purity isopropyl
alcohol and a LINT FREE cloth (a lens cleaning cloth or a coffee filter). If you
use Goof Off or another xylene based cleaner always follow up with a cleaning of
high-purity isopropyl alcohol.

filter). If you use Goof Off or another xylene based cleaner always follow up
with a cleaning of high-purity isopropyl alcohol.
surface after it has been cleaned. A hair, piece of lint, and even dead skin cells
can significantly affect the thermal interface's performance. Oils from you fingers
can adversely affect the performance by preventing the micronized silver or
ceramic fill from directly contacting the metal surfaces. (Fingerprints can be as
thick as 0.005")
3
CPU Preparation:
The surface highlighted in blue is part of the metal

cap and is covering the core or cores in picture QP1.
If the metal cap does not have existing thermal
material on it, cleaning is not required, but is highly
recommended. If any existing thermal material is
on the metal cap, the surface must be cleaned prior
to applying your new thermal compound.
QP1

filter). If you use Goof Off or another xylene based cleaner always follow up
with a cleaning of high-purity isopropyl alcohol.
surface after it has been cleaned. A hair, piece of lint, and even dead skin cells
can significantly affect the thermal interface's performance. Oils from you fingers
can adversely affect the performance by preventing the micronized silver or
ceramic fill from directly contacting the metal surfaces. (Fingerprints can be as
thick as 0.005")
Tinting the Heatsink and Metal cap:
Why tint the heatsink and metal cap? Simply put, it will lessen the break-in
period. If the break-in period is reduced you will achieve maximum performance
in less time (To learn more about the break-in period for your Arctic Silver's
product please see page 6).
Here is the list of things you will need to tint your heatsink and metal cap:
 Your new thermal compound

 An old credit card or a piece of hard
plastic with a straight edge
 Coffee filter or lens cleaning cloth.
Photo HS1 shows Céramique being used

however, the method of tinting a heatsink or
metal cap is the same for Arctic Silver 5,
Arctic Alumina and Matrix Thermal
Compounds. Determine what area on the
base of the heatsink will contact the CPU
cores once the heatsink is mounted.
HS1
4
Squeeze enough thermal compound onto the center of this area to create a small
mound. By working the plastic tool (old credit card) back and forth in all
directions (See green symbol on picture HS1) you will smooth out the compound
and work it into heatsink. This will ensure optimum filling of the microscopic
valleys in the metal where the CPU cores will contact the heatsink.
Important! DO NOT smooth or apply the compound with your bare finger, you
will contaminate the surface (skin cells, and body oil again). After you have
thoroughly worked the thermal compound into the surface of the heatsink, remove
the excess compound by wiping it away with a coffee filter or a LINT FREE
cloth. DO NOT use any solvent or fluid to clean the surface or you will reverse
what you just accomplished. Notice that the base of the heatsink is slightly
discolored even after the entire compound would seem to have been removed.
The discoloring you see is the thermal compound inside the microscopic valleys
of the heatsink. Now tint the surface of the metal cap the same way. You won't
need to cover the entire surface of the metal cap, just cover about the size of a
quarter in the center of the CPU metal cap. To get a frame of reference where the
CPU core or cores are located see photo QP3.
Size of Dot is Approximately equal to size of very small rice grain or the size
Applying Thermal Compound: of the top of the capacitors adjacent the CPU socket on the motherboard.
As shown in photo QP2, apply a dot of thermal compound to match the blue dot
in the middle of the metal cap. The amount of thermal compound to use is about
5 cubic millimeters (2/3 of a bb or 1 uncooked grain of white rice). The dot of
thermal compound is centered in the middle of the core or cores as shown with
the metal cap removed in photo QP3. Since heat from the CPU core or cores
travel directly through the metal cap through the compound to the heatsink, it is
much more important to have a good interface directly above the core or cores
than it is to have the metal cap covered with compound from corner to corner.
QP2 QP3 QP4
Attaching the Heatsink:
Use your manufacturer's heatsink instructions in combination with the following

suggestions: Do NOT spread the dot of thermal compound out. When you place
the heatsink on the top of the metal cap, the dot of thermal compound will spread
out like the blue circular pattern on top of the metal cap shown in photo QP4.
Allowing the mounted heatsink to spread the thermal compound insures proper
5
coverage of the metal cap, minimizes air bubbles and allows an optimum bond
line between the two surfaces. RECHECK to make sure no foreign contaminants
are present on either the bottom of the heatsink or the top of the metal cap. Be
sure to lower the heatsink straight down onto the metal cap. Once the heatsink is
properly mounted, grasp the heatsink and very gently twist it slightly clockwise
and counterclockwise one time each if possible (Just one or two degrees or so if
possible). Please note that some heatsinks cannot be twisted once mounted.
Once you are finished applying thermal compound and mounting your heatsink
properly, turn on your computer. Your computer should function normally. For
more information on the break-in period, please see below.
If you have unusually high temperatures, please refer to the trouble shooting list
on page 8 of these instructions.
Break-In Period Explained:
Due to the unique carrier fluid used and the shapes and sizes of the thermally
conductive particles in Arctic Silver's thermal compounds it will take multiple
thermal cycles to achieve maximum particle to particle thermal conduction and
for the heatsink to metal cap interface to reach maximum conductivity. (This
period will be longer in a system without a fan on the heatsink.) On systems
measuring actual internal core temperatures via the CPU's internal diode, the
measured temperature will often drop slightly to significantly over this "break-in"
period. This break-in will occur during the normal use of the computer as long as
the computer is turned off from time to time and the interface is allowed to cool.
Break-In Period by Thermal Compound:
Arctic Silver 5:
Céramique:
Arctic Alumina:
Matrix:
6
Storage and Clean-Up
To keep your new thermal compound fresh for future applications, always replace
the cap on the syringe after each use. The syringe should be stored tip down so
that any separation between the particles and suspension fluid will be at the back
end of the syringe. Like any mix of particles that are many times heavier than the
suspension fluid, there may be some separation in the compound over time when
stored in the original syringe. Storing in a cool place like a refrigerator will
minimize the possibility of separation over time. This does not affect the
performance of the un-separated or remixed compound.
Removal From Hardware:
Thermal compound can easily be removed from hardware using the proper
cleaners and tools: For general clean up, a cloth or paper towel will work well.
Intricate cleaning can be accomplished with Q-tip swabs. An old toothbrush can
often get the compound out of crevices that other tools cannot reach. Again, use
ArctiClean 1 and 2 or high-purity isopropyl alcohol.
CPU Core: Remove thermal material with ArctiClean 1 and 2, a xylene based
and a LINT FREE cloth (a lens cleaning cloth or coffee filter). If you use Goof
Off or another xylene based cleaner always follow up with a cleaning of high-
Heatsink: Remove thermal material with ArctiClean 1 and 2, a xylene based

and a LINT FREE cloth (a lens cleaning cloth or coffee filter). If you use Goof
Off or another xylene based cleaner always follow up with a cleaning of high-
CPU Ceramic Package: Remove thermal compound with ArctiClean 1 and 2, a

liquid dish soap (not dishwasher detergent), WD-40, Citrus based cleaners, xylene
based products (Goof Off, some carburetor cleaners and many brake cleaners.) or
mineral spirits. Once the majority of the compound has been removed from the
ceramic, small patches remaining on the ceramic package can be 'erased' with a
soft eraser.
Removal From Self:
Wash your hands with any liquid soap (Dawn, Lux, Palmolive, Etc.) rather than
hand soap. (Do not use detergent for an automatic dishwasher.)
7
Troubleshooting
When someone gets temperature results that are the opposite of the results
achieved by hundreds of thousands of other users, the problem can usually be
traced to one of 12 things listed below:
1. The heatsink was cleaned with an oil based cleaner which filled the
microscopic gaps and contaminated the interface.
2. The existing thermal interface material was not completely removed. The
compound should be the only material between the heatsink and the CPU.
3. The heatsink was not installed properly.
4. The thermal compound was applied too thick.
5. The measurement is being taken on the cold side of the thermal junction or on
the side of the core where thermal compound squeezed from the junction
contaminates the probe. (Better compound then transfers more heat to the probe
so the temperature reads higher.)
6. The measurement probe moved when the chip was removed to clean off the
previous compound.
7. The compound was not allowed to go through its break-in period. (Minimum
25 hours. Can be 400+ hours.) Temperatures will drop 1C to 5C over this time.
8. The application was contaminated with an eyelash, a bit of dirt, fingerprint or

something else that spaced the heatsink away from the metal cap.
9. An unbalanced heatsink fan is causing excessive vibration and damaging the

interface layer.
10. An improperly manufactured or bent shim is interfering with proper contact

between the CPU core and the heatsink.
11. The heatsink fan was not plugged back in after the compound was changed.
12. The ambient temperature where the computer is located has changed. If the
room temperature changes, the CPU temperature will also change. It is important
to remember that cooling solutions keep the CPU X number of degrees above
ambient. So if the ambient temperature increases 3 degrees, the CPU temperature
will also increase 3 degrees.
© 2011 Arctic Silver, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

All trademarks used in this document are the property of their owners.
8
1/12/2019 How to Correctly Apply Thermal Paste to CPU or GPU - TheGreatSetup
How to Correctly Apply Thermal Paste to CPU 

(https://www.wepc.com/)
How to Correctly Apply Thermal Paste

to CPU or GPU
Posted on March 11, 2018 by Juzel Albert Padilla (https://www.wepc.com/profile/japadilla/)
Two Parts: How to Correctly Apply Thermal Paste to CPU

How to Correctly Apply Thermal Paste to GPU
You know how important applying thermal paste is, and you want to take the
initiative and apply possibly the best thermal paste on your CPU and GPU. But
with all of the application methods and techniques you stumbled upon, you are
now confused on how to correctly apply thermal paste on your CPU or GPU.
Very confused as to how to get it done the right way? We got you covered. Make
sure you read along as we talk more about the various types of thermal paste
application methods and which among them is the correct way to do so.
Types of Thermal Paste Application

You could find a number of these online and it ranges from going with line, dot, x,
spiral, too much, too little, and even using fingers to spread the thermal paste.
Without further ado, let’s talk more about these and check whether or not they do
have varying results in terms of temperature differences.
Image courtesy of Linus Tech Tips
Looking at the results from the graph above, everything else shows the same
temperature readings. One thing is for sure though, just don’t use too little or you’ll
end up replacing your GPU and CPU anytime soon.
https://www.wepc.com/how-to/correctly-apply-thermal-paste-cpu-gpu/ 1/4
Part
How to Correctly Apply Thermal Paste to CPU
1
1
Before you could re-apply the thermal paste for CPU, it is best that you get rid of
the old thermal paste from the ends of both the processor and the heatsink. It is
actually quite simple.
What you need:
1. Microfiber / Lint-free cloth or cotton swab

2. Isopropyl Alcohol
3. Replacement Thermal Compound
2
Use the lint-free cloth to get rid of the first layer of thermal paste and apply the
cloth or the microfiber with isopropyl alcohol to get rid of the remaining thermal
paste on the chip.
3
Do this until you get rid of all the thermal paste on the chip. 
Part
1
4
Don’t forget to do this on the heat sink’s end.
5
Carefully apply a dot of the replacement thermal paste on the CPU when the chip
is cleaned and alcohol dried.
1/12/2019
How to Correctly Apply Thermal Paste to CPU or GPU - TheGreatSetup
Part
1
6
Make sure you carefully place the heat sink back on the CPU after the paste is
applied.
NOTE: Don’t bother spreading out the paste at all as this should spread
throughout evenly when you place the heat sink back on the CPU.
7
Tighten the screws back.
9
When everything is secured, you can set everything back and you should see
improved temperatures, even in extreme gaming.
 Video
1/12/2019 How do I apply thermal paste? | PC Gamer
POPULAR Bungie splits with Activision CES 2019 AMD Radeon VII The Division 2 The Games of 2019 PCG Club
How do I apply thermal paste?

By Ryan Fisher January 24, 2018
There are many ways, but only one best way.

     
There are many ways to apply thermal paste, which is why it can be a touchy subject among some enthusiasts. Everyone has their own way
of laying down paste to get the best results, but from my experience the best temperatures come with the simplest and often minimalist
application method—just one dot. This is also referred to as the "grain of rice" method.
Before going over my preferred application process, it helps to understand some of the issues that can occur with di erent application
methods. One of the most common methods used is often referred to as the “line method”. This is exactly as it sounds. Apply a thin line of
thermal paste directly down the center of the IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader) and then allow the pressure of the CPU cooler to spread the
paste as you secure it.
The problem with this method is that the paste doesn’t spread out evenly. In trying to ensure that you have enough paste applied to cover
the entire area of the CPU, it's more than likely that you'll end up with too much paste. This negatively impacts performance because
excessive paste ends up impeding e cient heat transfer.
If you do not leave enough of a gap between the edge of the CPU and the end points on your line, you also risk having the paste squeeze
out of the sides once you have secured the cooler. Not only does this make an unnecessary mess, but if you happen to be using an
electrically conductive paste, any contact with the PCB could cause a short circuit, damaging your motherboard and other connected
components.
Remember: the goal of thermal paste is to ll in microscopic gaps on the surface of your CPU and your heatsink.
https://www.pcgamer.com/how-do-i-apply-thermal-paste/ 1/12
It can be di cult to ensure that thermal paste is spread evenly. Some people recommend (wrongly) that thermal paste should be manually
spread across the CPU using a at hard surface such as a credit card. While this does provide nice looking initial results, and makes it much
easier to control the amount of thermal paste applied, it has one major aw that can greatly impact performance: spreading the thermal
paste manually creates small air bubbles. Since air doesn’t conduct heat nearly as well as thermal paste, temperatures can su er greatly.
Using the Dot Method

The simplicity of this method works to eliminate the issues with other application methods and guarantees great performance and even
spread of thermal paste every time, provided you install your cooler correctly. Before you start squeezing the plunger, it’s a good idea to
make sure the surface of both your cooler and your CPU is clean. A quick wipe with a non-linting towel and some isopropyl alcohol will do
the trick.
Squeeze out a small amount of thermal paste onto the center of the CPU. You only need a small dot a few millimeters in diameter. Don’t go
overboard or you will sacri ce performance. No larger than a small grain of rice.
Before installing your cooler make sure all required hardware is in place. If you place your cooler and then realize you forgot a bracket or
backplate you’ll have to wipe down and start again. Ideally, applying the thermal paste will be the last step before mounting your heatsink.
Make sure you place your cooler on as straight as possible the rst time. If you have to turn it to line up the holes after it’s already place,
the thermal paste will not spread properly.
Upon removal of the cooler you can see that this method provides an even spread of thermal paste. There is enough paste to cover the die
area without causing it to spill out or creating a thick layer that inhibits heat transfer. Sometimes less is more, and in the case of thermal
paste, less is de nitely more.
12/29/2016 How to apply thermal paste to a CPU HowTo PC Advisor
How to apply thermal paste to a CPU: two
methods which will give you the lowest temperatures
CPU coolers vary in their effectiveness, but no heatsink can work properly if you don't use
thermal paste. Here we explain step by step how to apply thermal paste as well as how to
removed any old hardened paste from your processor or cooler.
By Christopher Minasians | 03 Mar 16
Whether you're building a PC or are upgrading your CPU or cooler you’ll need to apply some new thermal
paste to your processor. This is also known as TIM: Thermal Interface Material. Thermal paste is essential
for the heat dissipation from the die of the CPU and your heatsink .
In this guide, we will be using the Intel Core Haswell i7 4770K and the Intel Desktop Board DZ87KLT75K
for demonstration purposes. You can use the 'vertical line' method for other generations of Intel CPUs,
though. We will also explain the best thermal application for AMD CPUs, as the 'peadot' method yields
different results.
We would like to thank Overclockers UK for sending us the Thermal Grizzly Hydronaut Paste, which costs
£10.99 and the Akasa AKTC TIM Clean CPU & Heatsink Cleaner, which you can buy for £5.99 .
Disclaimer: All the pictures in this guide are pictured with the CPU latch open for clarity. You should ensure
the CPU latch is closed and secured before proceeding. This isn’t essential, but prevents thermal paste from
being accidentally applied to the latch.
How to apply thermal paste to a CPU: understanding the importance of thermal
paste
If there is too little or uneven thermal paste application, you might see a few of your CPU cores running
hotter than the rest. Similarly if there’s too much thermal paste, you might suffer from bubbles between the
CPU and the heatsink, creating pockets of heat to build up.
Previously, it was believed that a 'spread' method yielded the lowest CPU temperatures. However, due to
heatsinks and even the CPU’s Integrated Heat Spreaders (IHS the metal part on top of the CPU) not being
perfectly flat, micro gaps between the heatsink and the CPU create less efficient heat dissipation through the
spread method.
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/howto/desktoppc/howtoapplythermalpastecpu3636146/ 1/4
As well as the methods here, you can also use the Xshape, double and even tripleline methods, but we’ve
found the line and pea methods to be the best for the vast majority of modern processors.
It should also be noted that various different thermal pastes will require different applications. For example,
Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra Thermal Paste is applied by applying an extremely thin layer on your processor
(or the CPU die if you’re brave enough!). However, generally you’ll find most thermal paste to be of the
same composition as the one we’ve used in this guide. Read next: How to install Windows 10 .
How to apply thermal paste to a CPU: how to remove thermal paste
If you have a brandnew computer, this step will be irrelevant to you as you shouldn’t have any preapplied
thermal paste on the processor. However, if you previously had thermal paste applied on your processor,
you’ll want to remove it before proceeding.
Content continues below
First you need to remove your old CPU cooler from the processor and clean the thermal paste using a cloth
or a paper towel. Once you’ve removed the majority of the thermal paste, you’ll want to fully remove any
residue that’s been left, by using TIM cleaner. In order to do this, apply a few drops of the TIM cleaner on a
paper towel or cloth and then gently rub the solution in a circular motion on your processor. This will slowly
clean the processor, resulting in a clean IHS. If there’s residue thermal paste by the CPU latch, feel free to
open your CPU latch and clean the latch and sides of your processor.
You can also do the same method to clean your CPU cooler’s heatsink. Once you’ve completed the cleaning
process, you can move onto applying your new thermal paste! Read next: Best gaming PCs.
How to apply thermal paste to a CPU: Intel vertical line method
Intel CPUs generally have a rectangular die under the IHS, which means the vertical line method generally
yields the lowest CPU temperatures. Through experience, we found that Intel CPUs run hotter on certain
cores which are closer to the extremities of the die. For example, Core 3 on an Intel i73770K runs hotter due
to it being closer to the iGPU module within the processor.
To properly apply the vertical line method on your processor, you’ll want to gently squeeze the thermal paste
syringe in order for a small quantity to come out. Draw the syringe down in a vertical line. On our processor,
this means applying the vertical line vertically on the written text on the CPU.
Now you can install your CPU cooler. We've used a piece of plastic so you can see the spread: you might
notice the thermal paste application pictured has very small amount of bubbles present. This is the result of
uneven pressure from the plastic part. You will not experience any air pockets with a proper CPU
cooler. Read next: Best graphics cards.
How to apply thermal paste to a CPU: AMD peadot method
Note: Because we didn't have an AMD chip and board to hand we took the lazy option and used same Intel
chip. It's the method that's important!
AMD CPUs generally have a square die under the IHS, so a more circular and round thermal paste
application is preferred over the oval and rectangular shaped thermal paste application. Through our
experience (and with correctly applied thermal paste), we found AMD processors to have an even spread of
temperature through their CPU cores.
In order to achieve the best results on an AMD processor, you’ll want to apply the peadot method (also
known as the middledot method). In order to achieve the best results, carefully push on the syringe of your
thermal paste and put a small peasized dot at the centre of your processor. This will ensure the CPU heatsink
will have an even thermal paste application on the CPU’s IHS.
After applying our clear plastic 'cooler', you can just about see a very small amount of bubbles present. As
with the Intel method above, it's simply down to the thin plastic: a real heatsink won't cause this to
happen.Read next: Windows 10 review.

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Contents

Application Instructions ....................................................................... 3-6

Storage and Clean-Up ........................................................................... 7

A note about heatsinks:

Arctic Silver Thermal Compound Precautions:

1) Don't put it in your mouth.

3) Keep it away from pets.

Thermal material removal: Remove existing thermal material with ArctiClean 1

The surface highlighted in blue is part of the metal

Thermal material removal: Remove existing thermal material with ArctiClean 1

Tinting the Heatsink and Metal cap:

 Your new thermal compound

Photo HS1 shows Céramique being used

Applying Thermal Compound:

QP2 QP3 QP4

Attaching the Heatsink:

Use your manufacturer's heatsink instructions in combination with the following

Break-In Period Explained:

Break-In Period by Thermal Compound:

Removal From Hardware:

Heatsink: Remove thermal material with ArctiClean 1 and 2, a xylene based

CPU Ceramic Package: Remove thermal compound with ArctiClean 1 and 2, a

Removal From Self:

3. The heatsink was not installed properly.

4. The thermal compound was applied too thick.

8. The application was contaminated with an eyelash, a bit of dirt, fingerprint or

9. An unbalanced heatsink fan is causing excessive vibration and damaging the

10. An improperly manufactured or bent shim is interfering with proper contact

© 2017 Arctic Silver, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Application Instructions ....................................................................... 3-6

Storage and Clean-Up ........................................................................... 7

AMD CPU & APU Desktop Processors AMD Server Processors

A note about heatsinks:

Arctic Silver Thermal Compound Precautions:

1) Don't put it in your mouth.

3) Keep it away from pets.

Thermal material removal: Remove existing thermal material with ArctiClean 1

The surface highlighted in blue is part of the metal

Thermal material removal: Remove existing thermal material with ArctiClean 1

Tinting the Heatsink and Metal cap:

 Your new thermal compound

Photo HS1 shows Céramique being used

QP2 QP3 QP4

Attaching the Heatsink:

Use your manufacturer's heatsink instructions in combination with the following

Break-In Period Explained:

Break-In Period by Thermal Compound:

Removal From Hardware:

Heatsink: Remove thermal material with ArctiClean 1 and 2, a xylene based

CPU Ceramic Package: Remove thermal compound with ArctiClean 1 and 2, a

Removal From Self:

3. The heatsink was not installed properly.

4. The thermal compound was applied too thick.

8. The application was contaminated with an eyelash, a bit of dirt, fingerprint or

9. An unbalanced heatsink fan is causing excessive vibration and damaging the

10. An improperly manufactured or bent shim is interfering with proper contact

© 2011 Arctic Silver, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

How to Correctly Apply Thermal Paste to CPU 

How to Correctly Apply Thermal Paste