Thermal paste or not for E7200 with stock cooler

[GregTombstone]

Should I use thermal paste or not with a Core duo E 7200 using the stock intel cooler. I wont be trying to oc it yet until I source a good 3rd party cooler. Stock heat sink has 3 black areas on the contact area. Nothing in the hand book about it , just lots of nice pictures.

regards

greg

 

[tiraides]

The stock HSF should already have thermal compound on the copper contact area. If so, stick with that; since you're not overclocking, it will be sufficient for your needs.

Most aftermarket CPU coolers come with their own container of thermal compound. Some work just as well as the Arctic Silver 5/Ceramique and/or Arctic Cooling MX-2.

 

[Gnu314]

You don't need to use paste for the stock cooler. If you're not OCing, just pop it in and you'll be fine. My 7200 is running very cool with with stock cooler and stock paste.

 

[GregTombstone]

Thanks lads

 

[engiNURD]

You don't need to use paste for the stock cooler. If you're not OCing, just pop it in and you'll be fine. My 7200 is running very cool with with stock cooler and stock paste.

Yes, you do need to use thermal paste, or some form of Thermal Interface Material. As tiraides pointed out, you don't need to change the paste on the stock intel cooler, since Intel actually uses good TIM now (they got rid of thermal pads ever since the Prescott days) -- overclocking or not. The stock TIM/HSF is good for very minor OC's, but thats it, especially if its the half-height cooler.