Replacing GPU thermal paste?

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Twinkielol

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How much thermal paste do you actually need to put on a GPU when replacing the thermal paste?

I keep hearing, don't go over the sides as well as put enough to where it leaks over the sides a bit... I'm not sure what is and isn't correct. I just want to know if I apply it like I do on a CPU or if I do actually go overboard with it...
 
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clutchc
Just a dab in the center of the chip. The pad applied to the cooler was as you suspect. How you apply the TIM is not carved in stone. Some use a dab and let the pressure and heat spread it, some smear it over the entire chip before attaching the heat sink. But if you do the latter, be sure not to use your finger. use a coffee filter or some other lint-free paper to spread it. Thin layer only.
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minemarcius

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I'd say it would be the same as with CPU: size of a rice should be enough. Logically all you need is the top covered in paste as it was designed to output heat through there. Also you can always check it once you've opened the card to see if the paste is leaking over the sides. Leaking over the sides from what I've heard is dangerous if you have conductive thermal paste.
 
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clutchc

clutchc

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Use a tiny dab in the center of the GPU heat spreader and let the compression and heat spread it. All you are trying to do with the TIM is to fill in the microscopic pores of the metal surfaces to enhance heat transfer between surfaces. Anything more will decrease heat transfer.
 
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Twinkielol

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Awesome! Thank you both a lot! I contacted MSI too and they said it won't void my warranty if I do this as long as I don't break anything like an idiot. So I'll probably do it, since it was a refurb I'm betting this is the issue or possibly that the heatsinks aren't sitting straight or something simple.

Also... I noticed on my GTS 450 that the entirety of the bottom of the heatsink (looks like a stock intel cpu heatsink the round ones) was covered in a flat even layer of thermal paste, like a thermal patch was used or something... When I cleaned it off my gts 450 I only put it back on where the chip touches... Is there a reason the whole heatsink was completely covered? seems excessive.

 
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Twinkielol

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http://archive.benchmarkreviews.com/images/reviews/video_cards/01G-P3-1458-TR/evga_gts_450_ftw_heatsink_fan.jpg This is the heatsink. But on mine the entirety of that bottom part was covered in an even layer of thermal paste, far too perfectly applied to have been manually done.

However, on the chip side it only had thermal paste on the chip itself with one of those metal heatshield things around the outside of it. Only the chip seems to touch the thermal paste though. When I reapplied the thermal paste I only put it on the chip because I'm not sure if I need to re-cover the entire underside of the heatsink or if it was just applied with a patch so it was huge.

http://cdn.wccftech.com/images/news/Colorful-Slimmy-GTS450/146a.jpg
 
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clutchc

clutchc

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Just a dab in the center of the chip. The pad applied to the cooler was as you suspect. How you apply the TIM is not carved in stone. Some use a dab and let the pressure and heat spread it, some smear it over the entire chip before attaching the heat sink. But if you do the latter, be sure not to use your finger. use a coffee filter or some other lint-free paper to spread it. Thin layer only.
 
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