So, I'm in the middle of building my first build when.... (help thread :D)

[Rotted]

..... I realize that since I bought a one of these coolmaster fans I don't need to instal the fan that comes with the Processor,

so I start to take the fan off, and when I do, I notice theres thermal paste all over the Processor, (there wasn't when I put it in)

The processor is brand new from a company on ebay (in the uk not a foreign county, e.g. china / Japan.) its a I5

Now, my understanding is, the processor with a normal fan doesn't need thermal paste and shouldn't have it on,

So I phoned a friend who owns a computer shop, and he says it shouldn't have it on it and he thinks the same as I do, that its second hand.

So I emailed the company and said, looks theres paste all over it, I've checked and there shouldn't be, to which I get the response

Intel send all their fans out with process's with Paste already on it, the company bought them straight from Intel and they were factory security sealed (To be fair it was sealed when it arrived) he also claimed he checked the CCTV and no one had interfered with the stock, and it was shipped seal.

So what do you guys think? bull shit? or does intel send out their Processes fans with the paste on them?

[Wkd]

intel definitely ships their fans with paste already on them

Now, my understanding is, the processor with a normal fan doesn't need thermal paste and shouldn't have it on,

where did you hear that?

[vesseblah]

does intel send out their Processes fans with the paste on them?

Those three gray strips at the bottom is the pre-applied thermal paste. So the answer is definite yes. Every single heatsink from AMD and Intel comes with similar pre-applied strips on them.



Corsair H100 also comes with pre-applied thermal paste (see the gray square on it, very similar to the stripes on the Intel cooler).

[Merite]

I don't see the problem, personally on any build I do I remove the paste (if there is any, depends on the brand) and apply my own. Realistically, the heat transfer between your CPU and your fan can matter far greater than the fan itself. Then again, I often allow my paste to set over 3+ days if I have the chance..

[Rotted]

Okay brilliant cheers,

I believe, I was watching the new eggs new video on building a computer, and the one that shows him installing the default fan with it, he says it doesn't need paste (I think) so I just resumed it was only on the bigger fans with the metal rods,

[blargh312]

Okay brilliant cheers,

I believe, I was watching the new eggs new video on building a computer, and the one that shows him installing the default fan with it, he says it doesn't need paste (I think) so I just resumed it was only on the bigger fans with the metal rods,

He probably meant it doesn't need paste because the stock heatsink already has paste on it.

[Killora]

you can certainly try without any paste between your chip and heatsink, but don't be too surprised when your pc shuts itself down and wont power up for 15 minutes.

Saying he can try it without paste is like saying you can try skydiving without a parachute, but don't be surprised when theres a sudden stop at the bottom.

It's pretty pointless. It needs thermal paste.

[vesseblah]

The function of thermal paste is to fill the gap between heatsink and the processor. In theory if you have perfectly flat and matching pair of metal against metal it will work better without the paste than with it. In reality there are always small imperfections in the metal and the paste is required.

[Deleted]

Yup - pick up a $3-5 paste and apply if your cooler doesn't have one.