PC Processors

[eband]

A question that my friend wants me to ask: how long does the thermal compound on an AMD CPU cooler like the Wraith Stealth Cooler last for usage?

For example, does it dry out in four months?

[elstaci]

Generally Thermal paste last for a few years. If you apply High quality Thermal paste it probably will last longer than inexpensive Thermal paste depending on several factors.  But you would need to replace it if:

1- You remove the CPU Cooler for any reason.

2- You notice that your CPU Temperatures are running hotter than usual or overheating.

The above would also apply to your GPU card Heat Sink.

[eband]

Well, my friend's motherboard was giving him all kinds of trouble for some reason, and is shopping for a new one.

If after, say, four months from this time he finds another one to exchange the CPU on, should he replace the thermal fluid or just keep using the existing one?

[cpurpe91 · Accepted solution]

Every time you remove a CPU cooler from a CPU you absolutely need to clean the old thermal compound off of both surfaces and apply new compound.

This is vital to having a system perform as it should and avoiding overheating.

If I do not replace the thermal compound on my CPU after removing the cooler it will overheat one hundred percent of the time.

[eband]

What's a good way of removing thermal compound?

[elstaci]

90+% Isopropyl Alcohol.

[eband]

OK my turn.

If I buy an AMD with a heatsink that has pre-applied thermal compound, you said that can last a couple of years before drying out?

Would it be more beneficial if I just build the computer immediately after getting buying the CPU?