Do I need to buy thermal grease for a new cpu with stock cooling?

[ipoopfool]

Im getting a cpu on a new rig, and was wondering if I need some thermal grease on a new cpu

 

[jerreece]

If the CPU comes with a cooling fan (Most Retail boxed CPUs will), then you don't have to.

Personally however, I don't like using 'stock' fans, nor the thermal pads the manufacturer puts on them. However, for normal everyday use (i.e. not pushing it for gaming, over clocking, etc) it's fine.

 

[br3nd064]

If you're not overclocking, the stock fan and paste/pads will be fine.

 

[sailer]

If I understand the question correctly, you're getting a new CPU and wonder if you need to put some thermal grease on it. The answer would be yes, you do. Anytime a new CPU or heatsink/fan is installed, thermal grease should be put on the CPU. Of course, you don't have to do it, but without any thermal grease applied, the temperature will soar as there won't be sufficient transfer of heat from the CPU to the heatsink.

Of course, as jerreece pointed out, if the new CPU is coming with a heatsink/fan, then it probably has some thermal grease already applied, so in that case, more would not be needed.

 

[eklipz330]

to answer the thread title, no you don't
the stock cooler should come pre-applied with some cheap goop, but should be enough to operate the processor... if you were getting an aftermarket, i would say yes, get a nice tube of artic silver or mx-2

 

[ipoopfool]

also, if u want to know, no I am not going to overclock, but it is a like 2.5 ghz intel core 2.0 duo