Thermal grease is a compound that helps a heat sink cool a CPU by filling in gaps and imperfections. It conducts heat and is made from materials like silver or silicon. A properly installed heat sink with thermal grease is necessary to prevent overheating and damage to the CPU. CPUs sold with a heat sink and fan include thermal grease, but if supplying your own, don’t forget to purchase and apply it carefully.
Thermal grease, also called thermal compound, helps a heat sink cool a central processing unit (CPU). A CPU is the integrated circuit responsible for running a computer. The CPU is made up of millions of tiny electronic “switches” embedded in a core. Every time a switch operates, a small amount of heat is generated. With millions of these switches activating thousands of times every second, heat builds up quickly. For intensive programs like computer games, a CPU works very hard and can potentially overheat. Overclocking also increases heat output.
A heat sink is a device that clips onto the CPU, designed to draw heat away from the chip to protect it. The bottom surface of the heat sink is designed to be extremely smooth to maximize surface-to-surface contact with the CPU. But imperfections and holes in the CPU wafer allow for small gaps that reduce the heat sink’s effectiveness. This is where thermal grease comes into play. It’s a thin layer of one of a variety of compounds that thermally bonds the CPU and heat sink together. It fills in any holes, gaps, or imperfections that would allow air pockets between the chip and the heat sink.
Because thermal grease has to conduct heat to be effective, it’s made from specific materials that do it quite well. Some types are better at conducting or transferring heat than others. Expensive thermal grease contains silver particles for maximum effectiveness, while cheap compounds are silicon-based. Ceramic grease is a medium quality compound; a notable brand outperforms silver-based compounds according to many independent tests.
With a properly installed heat sink that uses this material to maximize contact, heat is extracted from the chip and drawn up into the heat sink fins where it is dissipated by a fan. A CPU should never run without thermal grease and a heat sink. Temperatures can rise rapidly to melt the core, rendering it unusable.
CPUs sold with a heat sink and fan in a retail package include thermal grease, often in the form of a thin thermal pad. In most cases, the CPU warranty depends on the use of the supplied thermal pad, heat sink, and fan. If you buy an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) CPU and supply your own heat sink and fan, don’t forget to purchase thermal grease and apply it carefully according to the accompanying instructions.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
