Worth Repasting GPU?

[BigGamer9274]

I have run my 3060TI FE pretty hard for a couple years straight. I did a little bit of mining on it too with an OC on it that is at its absolute limit.

It doesn't seem to be running much hotter than when I first started but I wonder if anyone thinks it might be worth applying some Thermal Grizzly Kryonaught Extreme paste to it. I think it might be a couple degrees higher than the start but its been so long that I cannot remember clearly.

 

Its not running hot by any means but I am also looking for an excuse to play with my PC but I don't want to decrease the performance, any opinions on if this is a good idea or not? What risks will I need to be careful of and what advice would you give me if I do re-paste it?

[Alinz]

Sure, go for it. Generally your paste should be fine as it can't have run longer then 2 years.

 

But why do you need an excuse to play with your computer? If you wan't to tinker with it go for it, especially if you know what you are doing.

[BigGamer9274]

15 minutes ago, Alinz said:

Sure, go for it. Generally your paste should be fine as it can't have run longer then 2 years.

 

But why do you need an excuse to play with your computer? If you wan't to tinker with it go for it, especially if you know what you are doing.

I mean if it isn't doing bad then why change it, but I am unsure if its really worth doing, I might gain about 3 degrees or so. I don't know if its really a good idea as I have never repasted a GPU before so I am a little hesitant to jump into it.

[Budget DIY]

Looked up Thermal Grizzly thermal paste, because with an GPU, you kinda want to use non-conductive thermal paste. Seems like you're good to go!

 

***Is Thermal Grizzly thermal paste electrically conductive?
"Conventional" Thermal Grizzly thermal paste, such as Aeronaut, Hydronaut, Kryonaut and Kryonaut Extreme is not electrically conductive. Only Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut (liquid metal) is electrically conductive.***

 

I myself prefer to replace thermal paste for my CPU, once a year. With my GPU, I just leave it on. Because you might damage your thermal pads (assuming your card has them), which might need replacement afterwards. And my local PC store doesn't sell those. (so that might be something you'd want to keep in mind too)

[Alinz]

4 minutes ago, BigGamer9274 said:

I mean if it isn't doing bad then why change it, but I am unsure if its really worth doing, I might gain about 3 degrees or so. I don't know if its really a good idea as I have never repasted a GPU before so I am a little hesitant to jump into it.

Well, if you are not comfortable doing it then don't, it might run a bit cooler but thats it. You stated that you wanted to play with your PC, thats where my reaction came from. 

[BigGamer9274]

Just now, Budget DIY said:

Looked up Thermal Grizzly thermal paste, because with an GPU, you kinda want to use non-conductive thermal paste. Seems like you're good to go!

 

***Is Thermal Grizzly thermal paste electrically conductive?
"Conventional" Thermal Grizzly thermal paste, such as Aeronaut, Hydronaut, Kryonaut and Kryonaut Extreme is not electrically conductive. Only Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut (liquid metal) is electrically conductive.***

 

I myself prefer to replace thermal paste for my CPU, once a year. With my GPU, I just leave it on. Because you might damage your thermal pads (assuming your card has them), which might need replacement afterwards. And my local PC store doesn't sell those. (so that might be something you'd want to keep in mind too)

Is there anything else I should keep in mind if I was to re-paste my GPU? I've heard using a paper towel might not be a good idea cause it may catch on some of the fragile components around the core of the GPU.

I've only repasted one GPU from a company that was acquired by Nvidia. It was pretty barebones so there wasn't much concern for anything. Plus its so old that it would hardly be able to run any games so if it broke I wouldn't be too mad.

[Budget DIY]

Just be careful with the tiny bits. A cotton swab would probably be ideal. And some isoprosomethingsomethingalcohol to clean the parts could be useful too. (I tend to just scrub with a dry cotton swab, until all paste is removed)

[BigGamer9274]

2 minutes ago, Alinz said:

Well, if you are not comfortable doing it then don't, it might run a bit cooler but thats it. You stated that you wanted to play with your PC, thats where my reaction came from. 

I just don't want to break it so I want to be sure I know as much as I can before I do anything to it cause its not like I can just get another 3060TI FE. I don't want to go back to integrated graphics again for gaming.

I've technically repasted a SUPER old GPU from around the late 1990s I think. I am unsure when it was made cause it was in a prebuilt from late 1990s to VERY early 2000s by a company that got acquired by Nvidia. But that card is so barebones I didn't really think about safety not to mention how old it is and its ability to do basically anything modern I just wasn't worried about it breaking.

[DreamCat04]

38 minutes ago, Budget DIY said:

isoprosomethingsomethingalcohol

It's called isopropyl alcohol. When I repasted my laptop, I used a paper towel (actually a sheet of toilet paper) with alcohol and rubbed the worst part off like that. (it was completely dry, when I picked up some pieces to throw it into the garbage, it didn't leave anything on my fingers) The fine parts I did with a cotton swab that I dipped into alcohol. I was also thinking about repasting my 2060 but judging by the fact that I want to replace that with a 3060 in the near future, it might not be worth it. But if I give it to a family member, it could be as the hotspot is like 17°C hotter than the general core temp under full load and around 12°C at idle

Edited January 12, 2023 by DreamCat04
Better explanation

[Budget DIY]

2 minutes ago, DreamCat04 said:

It's called isopropyl alcohol.

Words be hard.

[Alinz]

3 minutes ago, BigGamer9274 said:

I just don't want to break it so I want to be sure I know as much as I can before I do anything to it cause its not like I can just get another 3060TI FE. I don't want to go back to integrated graphics again for gaming.

I've technically repasted a SUPER old GPU from around the late 1990s I think. I am unsure when it was made cause it was in a prebuilt from late 1990s to VERY early 2000s by a company that got acquired by Nvidia. But that card is so barebones I didn't really think about safety not to mention how old it is and its ability to do basically anything modern I just wasn't worried about it breaking.

I get that, so don't do it if you don't feel comfortable doing it.

 

You could also watch some tear down videos of 3060TI FE cards and determine if it is something you could do yourself.

Just don't push yourself, if you're not comfortable with it don't do it. It won't affect performance as of now.

[SkilledRebuilds]

Play more games, worry less about GPU paste until Temps actually climb to unreasonable levels or Fanspeed go to unreasonable levels.