Does Thermal Paste Expire?

Thermal paste is an important component of computer systems, allowing you to install a cooling solution to a processor that allows the efficient transfer of heat.

However, it’s possible that your computer’s thermal paste can go bad or even expire altogether.

Today, we’ll find out how to identify thermal paste that has expired and what to do in those cases.

Nearly every type of thermal grease is a suspension of mixed compounds all kept joined with a liquid.

So yes, it will expire inside of the tube if you leave the cap off or even on the CPU or the GPU.

You can tell the paste grease needs to change when it becomes hard or powdery. It shouldn’t be confused with thermal pads in this state.

A standard thermal paste will last roughly five years on your CPU or any other chip for that matter.

The lifespan of the thermal paste is highly dependent on your country’s climate, the usage of your CPU, the computer’s cooling system, and the compound’s quality. The number can increase to ten years or decrease to three.

One of the main reasons thermal paste goes bad is because of excessive use.

Excessive use of the CPU happens when you overclock it. If you notice your computer’s temperature rising a lot, especially around the motherboard, but you think there’s nothing wrong with the fan or cooler, it might be overused.

It can also happen if you use your computer for gaming and play demanding games on your PC.

The hotter your CPU gets, the shorter the lifespan for its conductive grease.

Yes, even unopened thermal paste can expire in the tube. It’s crucial that you check the expiry date of the thermal paste package on the tube before you apply it.

It can take four years for thermal grease to expire on the tube, though some types of it can last longer.

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