Updated: 10 November 2026
Signs it's time
- High temperatures and a constantly spinning fan even at idle.
- Performance drops a few minutes into gaming or heavy work (throttling).
- The laptop shuts down under load.
How often?
- Every 1–2 years for office use.
- Every 6–12 months for gaming, rendering and heavy use.
- Dusty homes or homes with pets may need more frequent fan cleaning.
Why proper application matters
- Too much or too little paste hurts heat transfer.
- In laptops, VRAM and power parts use thermal pads that must be the right thickness.
- So it should be done by experienced hands with the right materials.
When to bring it in
In our workshop we use quality pastes like Arctic MX-4 / MX-5, renew thermal pads when needed and run temperature tests afterwards.
