What is thermal paste?

When building a PC, you get more excited with the new processor, graphics card and RAM instead of the purchased thermal paste. However, thermal paste is very important for computers. Without it, the PC will not be able to operate stably for too long!

Let's explore what thermal paste is and how it works.

What is thermal paste?

Thermal paste is a substance that is applied between the processor and heatsink. You can buy thermal paste tubes from electronics stores, sometimes with a small shovel-like tool called a applicator.

Some CPU cooling units come with pre-applied thermal paste. However, some hardware enthusiasts will manually apply their favorite thermal grease brand.

The role of thermal paste is to help transfer heat away from the CPU and into the heat sink. The heatsink then expels the heat from the hardware. This keeps the CPU cool, especially when it has to handle multiple tasks.

What is thermal paste? Picture 1 — Apply thermal paste

How does thermal paste work?

The CPU can be very hot, so it needs to get heat from it as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, air is a very poor thermal conductor, so there should be as little air as possible between the CPU and the heatsink.

The surface of the CPU and thermal contact plate on the heatsink has grooves and slots. These gaps allow air to enter between the processor and the heatsink, reducing the efficiency of heat transfer between them.

This is the time when thermal paste is effective. Not only is this a good conductor of heat, it can also drill into gaps and grooves on a surface of hardware. This helps to increase the rate of heat transfer.

Over time, thermal paste will get old and dry, reducing its efficiency and making the CPU 'uncomfortable'. That's why people need to apply thermal paste to prevent the computer from overheating.

How to apply thermal paste properly?

Due to the importance of thermal paste, there is a debate about the best way to apply it. If you search the Internet, you will find lots of strategies and tips.

TipsMake.com has summarized some useful information in the article: Did you use thermal paste properly? Please refer to for more details.