Debate: Thermal paste spread method - pea vs spread vs line

I used to always do the pea method in the center for CPUs. Got a call 6 months ago about a Ryzen overheating and a buddy swore I should spread it thin with a card instead. Now I'm split - the pea worked fine for years but the spread got better temps on that job. What method do you all stick with and why? Has anyone actually seen a difference in real bench tests or is this all just preference?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_emma2d ago

People get way too worked up over thermal paste. It's not like you're building a space shuttle. A few degrees difference won't matter for 99% of users.

grace_gonzalez462d ago

Have you tried the X pattern? A buddy of mine was running a 5950X and kept getting hot spots with the pea method. He went with a thin line down the middle and a dot on each side, then flattened it with a card. His temps dropped by like 4-5 degrees after that. Maybe it depends on the chip size or how the heat spreader is laid out.