Thermal Paste

Pros

• Significant reduction in temperatures and improved performance when applied correctly.
• Most common varieties are non-conductive, making over-application generally safe for the hardware.
• Essential for restoring the cooling efficiency of older hardware where the original paste has dried out.
• Effective at filling air gaps and ensuring even contact between the processor and the cooler.

Cons

• Can dry out or become brittle over time, leading to a steady decline in cooling performance.
• Old paste can act like glue, making it difficult to remove the cooler without potentially damaging the CPU or socket.
• Cleaning excess paste out of sensitive areas like LGA sockets is difficult and carries high risk.

Caveats

• A small number of pastes containing silver or copper are electrically conductive and can cause shorts if they leak.
• Extreme cold can cause some pastes to freeze and become brittle, potentially degrading performance.
• While 'too much' paste is rarely a performance issue, 'too little' paste or poor cooler contact will cause immediate overheating.

Best for

• New PC builds to ensure proper thermal transfer.
• Maintenance on older GPUs and CPUs that are running hotter than expected.
• Users troubleshooting sudden spikes in CPU temperatures.

Avoid if

• You are using a conductive paste and are uncomfortable with the risk of it touching motherboard components.
• Your current temperatures are already optimal, as unnecessary disassembly carries a small risk of hardware damage.