Is your graphics card generating way too much heat and the
fans roaring like jet jets? Then you should reapply the thermal paste. How it
works? COMPUTER BILD shows you - step by step.
First the theory: There is thermal paste between the graphics
chip and the cooling system, which helps the graphics card to dissipate heat.
However, the constant influence of high temperatures changes the consistency of
the paste - it literally dries up over the years. If graphics card
manufacturers also use low-quality paste, drying out accelerates. The result:
graphics cards with dust-dry thermal paste do not dissipate the waste heat via
heat sinks and fans, which does not last long - in the worst case, the graphics
chip burns out. The following rule of thumb applies: After three years of
operation, the graphics card is ready to refresh the thermal paste. A renewal
is also recommended after buying used graphics cards. COMPUTER BILD shows how
to do it in simple steps.
How hot is my
graphics card?
Is your graphics card booming? And still you experience a
drop in performance while gaming? If the fans can't keep up with the cooling,
graphics cards reduce their performance by lowering the clock frequency - so
they also develop less heat. Tip: You can use the GPU-Z tool to determine how
high the temperature of your graphics card is. The chips on graphics cards can
withstand a little more heat than processors in the mainboard, but should not
exceed 60 degrees in normal operation. When playing, the pain threshold is around
90 degrees Celsius. At 100 degrees and more, you should act immediately: First
remove the PC wall and check whether the fans installed on the graphics card
are still turning. If they rotate, it's time to freshen up the thermal grease.
Safely remove thermal
paste
Before applying new thermal paste, you must remove the old
one. A fine cloth and highly concentrated alcohol (isopropanol) are sufficient
for this. First, carefully wipe off most of the thermal paste from the base and
cooler. Then moisten the rag with the alcohol and carefully wipe away the
remains. It takes a while, but tolerance pays off.
If you have an eye on the temperatures of your graphics card, you are
on the safe side.
Graphics card: apply
thermal paste
So that your graphics card survives the maintenance
unscathed, COMPUTER BILD explains step by step how you should proceed in the
photo gallery. It is significant that you take your time and always exercise
caution. If the repair is successful, it will increase the service life of the
graphics card. You can also look forward to more performance - in many cases up
to 20 percent! The new paste also relieves the cooling system, the noise level
drops. Please note, however, that a possible residual guarantee expires as soon
as you open the housing.
Before you get started: First, prepare well. If you want to
maintain your hardware regularly, you should treat yourself to a repair kit for
computer technology. This consists of screwdrivers with different bits to
attach. It is usually also suitable for use in cell phone maintenance. Also
indispensable are a container for the screws, alcohol for cleaning the chip and
cooler attachments, cloths for cleaning or drying and of course solid thermal
paste .
Graphics
card still too hot
If your graphics card is running at well over 90 degrees
Celsius despite the new thermal compound, the cause may be that the heat is
accumulating in the housing. Tips on how to cool your computer properly can be
found in a guide from COMPUTER BILD .
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