Re-do my HSF thermal paste or dont?

[NathanP2007]

So i just put on my new Coolermaster hyper 212 plus heatsink today. I used arctic silver 5 and applied it the way everyone says to apply it. A medium thickness line vertically down the cpu.
I then later read on the arctic silver website ( http://www.arcticsilver.com/intel_application_method.html ) that the thermal paste line should be horizontal because the cores are side by side. ( http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appmeth/int/hl/intel_app_method_horizontal_line_v1.1.pdf ) page 5 has pictures.

So i am curious should i be just fine how i am, or should i take off my heatsink, remove the thermal paste and re-apply a horizontal line of AS5?

Thanks

 

[acodoes]

Should be fine. I always put a large drop in the center of the CPU. Over time the thermal paste will even itself out through the CPU surface. You could reapply it, if it makes you feel better, but why deal with the mess..

 

[SicKlown42012]

If you have plenty of paste and free time, you could always just try all the different methods to see what works best with your config. If you have other things to do, I wouldn't worry unless you're overheating or near to it.

 

[NathanP2007]

Ok, thanks guys that makes sense. Once i start to stress test and check my temps over _ amount of hours, il consider keeping it how it is, or re-applying.

Btw can i stress test and check temps now, and then periodically and see the temp lower as the AS5 cures? Its ok to stress test for temps when the thermal paste hasnt cured (200 hours i thought i read) right?

 

[NathanP2007]

Lol oh man this is crazy.
I just ran the Real Temp Sensor test (prime 95) again twice to compare to my old test results.

Here are the insane highlights

Old Stock Intel HSF:
100% load : 66C

New Hyper 212+:
100% load: 44C

22C degree difference! Thats crazy! thats 40F degrees!

And also a amazing thing. At 50% load, it is just 1C degree higher than its lowest temp (34C)
So:
57%=35.8C degrees
47%=34C degrees
5%= 34C degrees
0%= 34C degrees

INSANE!!!! I guess this not only proves how much better this High performance HSF is. But how i must have also messed up when attaching the stock Intel HSF.

 

[Zoomer]

Guess you proved that the stock heatsink really sucks?

I usually spread my paste out evenly into a barely translucent layer on the heatspreader. Works for me, it was a habit picked up when the cores were still nekked.

 

[FadedSpark]

Guess you proved that the stock heatsink really sucks?

I usually spread my paste out evenly into a barely translucent layer on the heatspreader. Works for me, it was a habit picked up when the cores were still nekked.

nekkid cores were [H]ot. I still miss them.

 

[RickyJ]

I usually spread my paste out evenly into a barely translucent layer on the heatspreader. Works for me, it was a habit picked up when the cores were still nekked.

Back then, you had to do that to make sure every bit of the exposed core was covered, and the small area meant no bubbles. With the heat spreaders you've got waaaay more surface area which greatly reduces your contact pressure, and the layer method makes it easier for air bubbles to get caught as well as using more paste. Unless I'm doing a direct heatpipe cooler installation (has its own method), half a pea in the middle of the heatspreader is perfect every time.

But hey, your paste, your parts.

 

[Zoomer]

That makes sense, however, I did not notice any/much temp difference using a thicker layer anyway.