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My GPU fans on the “Auto” setting
(i.ibb.co)
I know the max rated temperature for my GPU is 92°C, but that doesn’t mean it’s your target temperature!
I don't know of any modern paste that is electrically conductive, heck I basically use old thermal paste as an extra layer of protection on my gpu with liquid metal. You can be sloppy and contrary to the old belief, you can't use too much.
The bigger thing to watch out for is dried paste that essentially turns into adhesive. You can break a contact applying too much force, though with a heat gun (or hair dryer) and some patience it should be easy to avoid.
I wasn’t trying to imply that. When I said “frying the chip” I meant through bad thermal coupling.
You’re the first person to suggest that, and frankly, I find that counterintuitive. Everything isolates if it’s thick enough. However I’ll also look into that someday and see if there’s something to it. Thanks again.
Your correct that thickness plays a role in theremal transfer, but the paste and amount you use is not what determines that gap. Both laptop and desktop heatsinks are under quite a bit of pressure, more than enough to squish out extra paste. If you want to be extra sure you can spread a thin layer across the entire chip, but a dot or two usually works just fine. This video is on desktop coolers but mounting pressure should be similar.
If your laptop is over a couple years old I can almost guarantee there are dry spots on the chip currently. Laptops already run pretty hot and it's a double whammy for drying and pump out.