(aio noob) installing Corsair H100i RGB PLATINUM SE on 5900x. Is preapplied paste decent?

amd7674

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jan 1, 2007
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Hi,

I have several years old AC MX-4 and Noctua NT-H1 laying around. Is it worth to cleaning preapplied paste and aio and use MX-4 or NT-H1 on CPU?

Also what is shelf life for thermal paste? I know MX-4 has 8yrs durability (but I think this is when in use, not shelf life). I checked and both are in good working condition.

Any help would be much appreciated.
 
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Is it worth to cleaning preapplied paste and aio and use MX-4 or NT-H1 on CPU?

No. Neither of those pastes are really any better or worse than the preapplied TIM, so it would be a complete waste of time to remove it. Not to mention that you are highly unlikely to be able to apply any paste as thinly and evenly as the factory silkscreen application, which would negate any performance advantage from having a superior compound. Also, don't worry about the paste longevity, because statistically, it's more likely that the cooler will fail in some way long before the paste does.
 
As said, use what came on it.
As for your other TIM, if it's still same consistence it was when new it's fine.
 
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