Applying Thermal Compound To Your CPU And Heatsink

Here you will learn how to apply thermal compound to your CPU and heatsink. Applying thermal compound is easy enough, though it always helps to know what you're doing beforehand.
If your CPU is running very hot and your CPU cooling system is being placed under a lot of pressure, then that's where a thermal compound paste can help you out.
By applying thermal compound to your CPU you can help prevent your system from overheating and risking your computer hardware getting damaged. It is easy to apply thermal compound and in certain situations it can make a significant difference, especially if you're overclocking.


Thermal compounds increase the cooling and efficiency of your system by drawing heat away from a particular circuit or transistor. The thermal paste you apply onto your hardware works by filling in the gaps of air inside the heatsink.
There are different types of thermal compounds out there, such as metal, ceramic, or silicon based. Find out what the best thermal compound is for your particular needs before buying some.
Follow these steps on how to apply thermal compound to your CPU's heatsink:

1. Firstly, turn off your PC and remove all the power cords to your PC. Open up your PC case so that you can access your interior components.
2. Now locate your CPU and remove the core from the heatsink. Clean the bottom of the heatsink and the raised die part of the CPU. One way to do this is by using isopropyl alcohol and rub the surfaces with a lint-free cloth. Also make sure you remove all dust from the surfaces, using a can of compressed air will work wonders here. After cleaning the heatsink bottom and the CPU's raised die, let them dry before continuing.
3. Now you can finally get to actually applying thermal compound. Squeeze a tiny drop of the paste onto the CPU core. You will only need about 2mm of the stuff (roughly the size of a grain of rice) and make sure you don't spill any of the paste on other parts of your system.
4. Using an object with a straight edge such as a razor blade or a credit card, spread the thermal compound evenly on your CPU. Make sure that the object you use is clean to start with before you start spreading the paste around. The paste should end up as a thin layer across the CPU surface without any gaps.
5. When you think that you have applied the paste properly, you can re-install your heatsink onto your CPU core. Then close up your PC case and you're done!

Now you know how to apply thermal compound easily. Thermal paste is quite cheap so if you think that you need some, don't hesitate on getting some to cool down your CPU.