I've been using my old computer for gaming and usually get around 60fps without any lag. I clean my PC every three months because it helps improve performance, but after my latest cleaning, everything started to lag, and my frame rates dropped to about 45fps. During the cleaning, I used a blower and a quick-drying alcohol cloth, which I've done before without any issues. I also checked the thermal paste on my CPU and noticed it was in pretty bad shape. I'm considering replacing the thermal paste, but I'm puzzled as to why my performance plummeted after just checking it. How can I resolve this situation?
4 Answers
You definitely need to replace the thermal paste if you took the cooler off. Once you remove it, it's crucial to reapply fresh paste to ensure proper cooling. It's likely that the thermal paste you saw was dry and not doing its job, leading to overheating and performance drops. Get some high-quality thermal paste and follow a good cleaning method before reapplying it.
If you're just checking the paste and the cooler comes off, you'll need to replace it—you can't just put it back without a fresh application. This prevents overheating! Get yourself some new thermal paste and you should be back to normal performance.
Replacing the paste is definitely the way to go. Proper thermal management is key!
It’s important to properly clean and apply new thermal paste whenever you remove the cooler. You should check the CPU temperatures too since high temps might cause thermal throttling. If you found your CPU was hitting around 99°C, that's a clear sign that you need to act now!
Yeah, checking with HWMonitor is easy. Just download it and see how hot your CPU is getting. Good luck!
Cleaning your PC every three months isn't typical unless you're in a dusty environment. But just remember, if you ever take off the cooler, always replace the thermal paste. It's a safeguard more than anything!
Absolutely, thermal throttling can cause these performance issues. Make sure to clean off the old paste properly with isopropyl alcohol before applying the new stuff!