How do I apply paste to laptop CPUs and which compound is okay?

[Dajinn]

I've pasted desktop CPUs multiple times and even delidded my 4770k and applied Liquid Ultra directly to the die, but, I have an i7 quad core laptop CPU coming and I want to make sure I don't have to waste time or risk issue with disassembling the laptop all over again to repaste if I don't do it right the first time.

The reason I ask is because you can see from the pic that the OEM thermal pad/paste thing is actually bigger than the size of the CPU die itself. Couple of things:

1. Is it necessary to cover that much area with a new thermal compound for laptop heatsinks?

2. If I use liquid ultra on the die, do I have to make sure not to get any on the PCB area of the chip itself?

3. If I choose to use MX-4 instead, is it okay if I get some on the PCB area of the chip itself?

4. What is the preferred method for apply paste to laptop dies, assuming I'm using MX-4, should I do a straight line or compound down the length of the die or is there an alternative?

Thank you for any expertise.

 

[Araxie]

laptop die, are the same as any other CPU die, you have to care about the same and worry about the same.. I normally use any non-conductive paste, generally the Noctua NT-H1 but the MX-4 will also be fine as is non conductive and you don't have to worry about the paste to touch any other part of the PCB.. the method to apply a paste in a laptop die its just like the method to apply the paste in a CPU heat spreader, a very thin layer as less as possible because the contact between the die and the laptop heatpipe its always good opposed to CPU heat spreader where the gap between those is bigger.. I always spread manually over the die and if is applied correctly you will find little to no amount of extra paste wasted around the die in the PCB..

 

[Dajinn]

What sort of "tool" do you recommend for spreading the paste on the die?

 

[Ocellaris]

What sort of "tool" do you recommend for spreading the paste on the die?

The heatsink. Just put a rice grain size dot (or smaller) in the middle and reattach the cooler, the clamping force will spread the compound.

 

[primetime]

What sort of "tool" do you recommend for spreading the paste on the die?

most common is credit sized cards or ids as there flat and easy to hold on to people have used them to spread powder type compounds for longer than most of us have been alive