I'm building my PC and checked the thermal paste that came with my Phantom Spirit 120 SE Black cooler. It feels very hard and sticky, almost like poster putty, instead of being soft like toothpaste. Is it still safe to use, or should I buy a replacement tube before installing the cooler?
1 Answer
That paste has probably dried out and shouldn’t be used. Fresh thermal paste should be soft enough to squeeze out and roughly the consistency of toothpaste. Replacement paste is inexpensive, so it’s best to buy a new tube before finishing the build.

So I should replace it rather than trying to use the paste that came with the cooler?