Use "Factory" Thermal Paste???

[TipsyMcStagger]

I'm about to install an Athlon II X4 620 with the stock heatsink onto an Asus M4A79XTD. I didn't realize the heatsink comes with thermal paste preapplied.

Should I install the heatsink with the factory thermal paste? Or should I clean it off and install some Ceramique by Arctic Silver (that I have left over from a previous build) directly to the CPU?

I'm not a gamer or an overclocker.

TIA.

Tipsy

[Rocketmech]

Most people find replacing the factory TIM with AS5 or Ceramique improves temps by 2-10c . I normally only use AS for OC'g or for reapplying a HSF. The factory stuff works fine as long as you install the HSF correctly. If your case has good ventilation and your room temps are good, your cpu is going to run within OEM spec.

[TipsyMcStagger]

Most people find replacing the factory TIM with AS5 or Ceramique improves temps by 2-10c . I normally only use AS for OC'g or for reapplying a HSF. The factory stuff works fine as long as you install the HSF correctly. If your case has good ventilation and your room temps are good, your cpu is going to run within OEM spec.

Thanks. I went with the preapplied stuff

Tipsy

[Ol'Tunzafun]

Whichever way you go when you are installing a heatsink/fan, you should always enter BIOS Setup immediately to check the CPU temperature.

[TipsyMcStagger]

Whichever way you go when you are installing a heatsink/fan, you should always enter BIOS Setup immediately to check the CPU temperature.

Okay, thanks...I'll do that...but I'm pretty much a novice and off the top of my head, I'm not entirely sure what temperature would be unacceptable???

Tipsy

[BipolarBill]

Ideally, the temp should be below 40C. It should never exceed 60C.