Did I apply thermal paste wrong?

Einsteinium

Honorable
Nov 24, 2013
3
0
10,510
Before I give my problem let me first explain what I did. My laptop CPU core temps were always very different. Sometimes I would see that core 1 is running up to 10 degrees hotter than core 2, even when idle. So today I decided to fix this. I have a tube of Cooler Master IC Value lying around, now I am not very experienced when it comes to thermal pastes but I do know that this cheapo will at least give me the same temps as stock thermal paste.

Since the CPU die is rectangular and it is not very easy to apply this paste in a line as it squirts out even when applying light pressure on the back of the tube. Anyway so I made a pea shape a bit offside and tried to "spread" it a bit to the other side.

My idle temps were usually around 43 for core 1 and 38 for core 2. Now my idle temps are maybe 42 for core 1 and 38 - 40 for core 2. At lease I see that the two cores are closer now, but I do not like my temps being a little hotter. I see that core 1 still tends to run hotter than core 2.

Did I do something wrong, am I to impatient for the results, or do I have too high expectations for this thermal paste? By the way I did a "stress test" by running chromeexperiments.com and there was hot air being blown out.

I have a Lenovo G500 with Intel Core i3 3110M
 
Solution
You had too high expectations from the paste. 42-45 degrees is normal. Thermal paste can't reduce temp.. they only can dissipate heat.. it depends on your cooler how the heat is removed. As for core temps they can be different...

Dragos Manea

Estimable
Mar 30, 2015
139
1
4,660
It is normal for cores to have different temps, at quad cores can be up to 12 degrees C difference between 2 cores.

Edit: about temps, dont worry my notebook has a 2020m (35W) cpu and it is in 46 idle but when i start using it really intense it doesnt go more then 60 or so. It is made to make minimum noise maintaining a decent temp.

Dont even try using prime95 or other stress programs, they put unrealistic load on cpu and the cooler isnt designed to support such loads.
 

Diganta Das

Honorable
Jul 22, 2013
30
0
10,610
You had too high expectations from the paste. 42-45 degrees is normal. Thermal paste can't reduce temp.. they only can dissipate heat.. it depends on your cooler how the heat is removed. As for core temps they can be different...
 
Solution

Einsteinium

Honorable
Nov 24, 2013
3
0
10,510


If I could select both as the solution I would. But since both of you have said the exact same thing I decided to choose the newer response,.
 

Diganta Das

Honorable
Jul 22, 2013
30
0
10,610


Dude does it really matter? I can select you if you want. What matters is that he got the help he needed.. isn't that we are answering for?