I finally got a decent distribution, but I'm sticking to the pea method from now on. I just could not get an even spread and kept adding more and more paste and it seemed to vanish (or stay attached to the worthless mini spatula) as I spread it around.

I skipped the usual 'pea' method to try to spread the paste manually with the included spreader, and it felt like a small disaster. I applied my new Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut paste, which somehow ended up being one of the most fraught steps in the process. I didn't want to risk spreading any of that conductive liquid metal around the PCB. What I made sure not to do is lift up and reposition the IHS once I'd put it into place. What matters is that it's held firmly in place, and the IHS makes solid contact with the heatsink. It's still riding a bit high, and favors the right side of the socket. The first step feels a little scary, since you're putting a delicate component into a hunk of metal and tearing it in half, but turns out I had nothing to worry about.ĭone! As you'll see in this photo, my placement wasn't quite perfectly centered.

The patient was healthy, and required only a quick cleaning after I unscrewed my NZXT Kraken X42 cooler and removed it from the socket.

I didn't end up using these much, as a credit card felt safer for scraping and the Liquid Ultra comes packaged with its own brushes, which I didn't know going in.

Q-tips, toothpicks and a chopstick - For spreading the Liquid Ultra and scraping away the IHS glue.

Scotch tape - For protecting the CPU die.

Thermal paste removal material - A fancy alternative to rubbing alcohol.

(If you haven't figured it out by now, he knows his stuff).

Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut - The best conventional thermal paste, according to some exhaustive testing by Der8auer.

Coollaboratory Liquid Ultra - a liquid metal thermal material that's so good, it's almost as cool as the T-1000.

Der8auer's Delid-Die-Mate 2 (opens in new tab) - Better than a razor blade.

Quick cpu safe