PC Building

[speaker4thedead]

I just built my first PC since the windows 95 days. I went with the R5 7600 non X (thanks to Linus tech tips.)

Anyway night before last I built my PC. I ordered a cpu cooler but wasn’t at all impressed with its build quality so for now I just went with the wraith cooler. 

but I think I may have forgotten to remove the plastic above the thermal paste. 

The PC has only been on a few hours since it’s original post. Here are my questions 

1. Does the wraith that came with the r5 7600 have plastic on the bottom? I didn’t see any when I looked to check it had paste. 

2. If it does have it and I remove the cooler to remove the plastic will the thermal paste still be usable? 

I’ve not experienced any shut downs. My temps haven’t been bad. I got somewhere around 13k on cinnabench with no issue. 

thanks for your help

[Geno71]

@speaker4thedead 

I had a wraith prism, and as far as I can recall, there was no sticker, but maybe already pre-applied thermal paste. Bundled CPU coolers usually come with thermal paste pre-applied, as it sort of completes the package, so end users don't have to remember to buy another item (thermal paste), when getting a new processor. Did you apply any thermal paste yourself? If you did, and now have two different kinds mixed in there, it's probably fine, but personally, I'd remove the cooler and reply. Also, with a aplastic sticker on, processors usually severely overheat, very quickly, so since you're not seeing that, there was very likely no sticker.

Bonus tip. You can search you tube for Ryzen 5 7600 unboxing and probably see exactly how it came. In fact I just did, and it appears to have pre-applied thermal paste on the cooler. So, good news:) https://youtu.be/SnhD1ONvFAw

[Axxemann]

Not to smack you down (only because I've made the mistake numerous times myself, and even did a build without thermal paste way back long ago) but it's good practice to buy a small tube of thermal paste to have on hand at all times. Some Isopropanol (IPA/Rubbing Alcohol) of 90% concentration is also good to have handy to wipe up old paste in case you make any mistakes.

But IIRC, the Wraith coolers that come with Ryzen CPUs tend to just have a plastic tray that they're sitting in. No plastic protector to peel off. Usually a cooler will have a big "REMOVE BEFORE INSTALL" type of printing on the plastic protector.

[Geno71]

@Axxemann 

Absolutely right! Having a tube of paste is a must for anyone who build his or her own PC. You never know when you might need to remove your cooler or a CPU, and every time you do, you must clean the old paste off and reapply some fresh stuff. And they're cheap enough to buy one just in case.