Thermal Paste Already Applied?

[Method]

I have just purchased a Q6600 retail (Scan Computers UK: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 SLACR, Kentsfield Core, Socket 775, 2.40 GHz 1066MHz 8MB Cache, Retail). And was wondering will the thermal paste already be applied?

Was thinking of getting some arctic silver 5 to apply to it. (Is this any good?) And if its already applied (being retail) what would be the best solution to remove it?

Final question before I go ahead and build, finally! I must of asked a dozen questions about building pc. (cheers for all the help lads)

Cheers

- Will

 

[Luke]

yes it will have pre applied mx-2.

No don't get arctic silver 5, as it isn't as good as mx-2. Get tx-2.

The best way to remove thermal paste is a coffee filter and alcohol of 91% purity or higher.

 

[Method]

So the pre applied stuff is much better than the Arctic Silver 5 I can buy? Will the pre applied stuff be good enough for leaving the CPU at stock settings.?

 

[Luke]

^it's not a ton better but it is better. For stock settings yes, the pre applied paste is perfectly fine.

 

[Method]

Cool, thats all I needed to know. Cheers mate.

 

[wafflehammer]

do you really absolutely need to do the coffee filter stuff? i usually wipe mine off with a papertowel and it seems fine lol

 

[Luke]

^ideally you want the heat sink and cpu to be as clean as possible.

 

[wafflehammer]

^ideally you want the heat sink and cpu to be as clean as possible.

meh..i think it's overkill. Just like lapping, thermal paste is made to fill in the gaps and to increase the heat that's taken away....i'm sure flattening out the surface doesn't help that much.

 

[Luke]

^in fact it does help a good bit.

 

[wafflehammer]

how much does it actually help? i'm sure it can't be more than 5-10C