Thermal Paste will last around one to two years, depending on different conditions, when inside the tube. When stored in an air-tight, dry, and cool place, it can even last couple more years.
Furthermore, thermal paste’s life span can vary depending on its quality and the components used to manufacture them. However, it is not recommended to use a thermal paste that is more than five years old.
How Long Does Thermal Paste Last on CPU/GPU
The thermal paste on either CPU or GPU generally lasts about two to four years, depending on the heat generated by the chip.
Before considering that your parts need a fresh thermal paste, always check the CPU and GPU temperature. If your CPU and GPU have high-temperature readings, it may be that the paste is not working as it is supposed to.
Here are some things that affect a thermal paste’s life span:
- Extreme PC Usage: If you have a PC that runs almost all day, its paste will lose its thermal conductivity, resulting in CPU and GPU overheating. Besides this, overclocked components and running graphically demanding games will dissipate more heat than usual, which rapidly decreases a thermal paste’s lifetime.
- Thermal Paste Quality: If you have a low-quality paste, it will also have a lower life span. Resulting in you changing the paste more often than usual. Therefore, always consider performance over price when getting a thermal paste.
- Surroundings: The temperature rise will make the paste lose its efficiency. So, if your computer location’s temperature is higher, you may need to change the thermal paste quite often.
- Dust Settlement: If your heat sink is not dissipating heat from the chip, it may be because of the dust settled on it. This will heat up your chip more, decreasing in thermal paste’s lifetime.