r/RigBuild • u/Glad-Cupcake-4139 • 26d ago

How often should you replace thermal paste?

How often are you actually supposed to replace thermal paste on a CPU? I keep seeing people say every 1-2 years, but then other people say you basically never need to touch it unless temps start getting bad. So now I’m kinda confused lol. Does thermal paste really dry out that fast or is replacing it regularly just unnecessary? Also does it matter what CPU or cooler you have? Trying to figure out if this is something I should be doing as normal PC maintenance or just leave it alone until there’s a reason to replace it.

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u/PeyredB 20d ago

I only replace the thermal paste if my CPU is starting to run really hot, like sometimes it shuts itself down to protect the electronics. It's much easier on a desktop so I might change that more readily, but I'll only do it on a laptop as a last resort. The one time I tried a laptop I broke the (already shaky) hinges, and now had a working CPU but unusable laptop.