Hey everyone, I'm having some serious issues with my CPU temperature after reapplying thermal paste. I have a Core i7 10700K with a Thermaltake TH360 cooler, and after four years, I noticed the temps were getting a bit too high. I decided to replace the thermal paste with Kryonaut, but now the temperatures are even higher than before! Initially, my idle temp was around 30-35°C, but now it's spiking to 60-70°C. I first applied around 1g of paste, but this time I ended up using 11g. Is there a real difference between those two? I've reapplied thermal paste so many times now and I can't find anything wrong with the cooler, but the second application made everything worse. Four years ago, I was hitting 70°C while gaming, but now I'm maxing out at 100°C and thermal throttling. I'm really at a loss here and would appreciate any help!
5 Answers
Honestly, I've never seen the need for liquid cooling. I just built a system using Noctua fans, and even under heavy gaming or rendering, I haven’t gone above 69°C. If your pump is dying, switching to a solid fan and heatsink setup like Noctua could save you a lot of headaches!
Yeah, I think you're right. Liquid coolers might get better in the future, but for now, a good fan cooler could be the way to go.
Sounds like your pump might have died. Liquid coolers like yours can sometimes fail after a few years, and if it's the original pump, it's probably overdue for a replacement. You might want to check if the pump is actually circulating the liquid properly.
Definitely! AIO coolers usually last 2-3 years before you should consider replacing them. If you’re still using the stock cooler from when you got your CPU, it's probably time for an upgrade.
You've used way too much thermal paste, and you might have a failing AIO pump. If that's the case, you’ll need to replace it. Brands like Thermalright offer good performance at a decent price.
Also, make sure your case is completely closed to maintain good airflow. Double-check that your liquid cooling system is functioning and that you didn’t leave any debris when applying the thermal paste. A thin, even layer is what you’re aiming for!
Wait, you applied 11g of thermal paste? That’s way too much! You should just be putting a small dot in the center of the CPU. You might want to clean that up since too much paste can actually cause overheating.
I totally agree! My i9 runs super hot too, and I ended up using high-performance air coolers without any issues.