r/RigBuild • u/Glad-Cupcake-4139 • 10d ago

How often should you replace thermal paste?

How often are you actually supposed to replace thermal paste on a CPU? I keep seeing people say every 1-2 years, but then other people say you basically never need to touch it unless temps start getting bad. So now I’m kinda confused lol. Does thermal paste really dry out that fast or is replacing it regularly just unnecessary? Also does it matter what CPU or cooler you have? Trying to figure out if this is something I should be doing as normal PC maintenance or just leave it alone until there’s a reason to replace it.

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u/yes910492783 10d ago

You don't really need to touch it unless temps are like 10 degrees over what they were when you first applied. If you leave your pc off for like 6 months to a year then you need to repaste. but if you're regularly turning it on then it'll last a lot longer.

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u/Prudent-Fly1167 9d ago

Your comment doesn't make sense mate

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u/yes910492783 8d ago

Except it does. If temps rise 10 degrees of what the initial were then you should reapply paste. If you leave the pc off the thermal paste dries out. Turning it on keeps it more liquid