Is this pre-applied thermal paste?

[Brinson]

The first time I've bought a boxed cpu...usually buy OEM...but the heatsink that came with my boxed cpu has what looks like thermal paste...its gray and in three different strips...is it thermal paste or something else?

 

[gurusan]

Yup...just mount the heatsink on and use the pre-applied paste.

 

[peterhuang913]

Thats thermal compound, the HSF is ready to mount.

 

[undefined]

Yeah I had to figure it out the hard way. I touched the thermal paste to get a little part of my finger sticky. That isn't bad right?

 

[BiGyLiLuPdAmIdL]

No, it's alright. Eventually you can actually buy some after market thermal paste and just wipe the stock one of the cpu and heatsink. It depends if you really need it though, or if you're overclocking. For now, that stock one will do you fine, and putting your finger on it won't have any effect on it.