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airattack111

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 9, 2008
84
3
I’m changing the battery in my 2015 macbook 12.

Is it possible to reapply thermal paste?

Thanks
 
I'm not aware of any thermal paste application in the 2015 Retina MacBook.
Unlike the earlier Macbooks the logic board includes a flash storage chip.
The battery change is also more difficult on your MacBook, as in addition to the replacement battery you will also require a solvant for adhesive removal.
Just last week I completely refurbished an earlier 2.4GHz MacBook7.1, changing the battery, removal/cleaning & repasting the motherboard, install of SSD with High Sierra and upgrading RAM which took 40mins. I've also used a later 2015 MacBookRet but find the earlier 2.4GHz a wonderful model as they are now not only very affordable but also totally and easily upgradeable.
 
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I don't think so.

pJRRmBSpxDRUGM46.huge


Looks like a small metal bracket instead of a heatsink on the processor.

https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Retina+MacBook+2017+Teardown/92172
 
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No, there is a bit of thermal paste between the bracket (which is a small heatsink itself) and the CPU.

iGMNpqmRcKsmUMKH.huge
do you think replacing the stock "thermal paste" (if you could call it that) for a high quality arctic thermal pad like this one (Amazon.com: ARCTIC - Thermal Pad 120 x 20 x 1.0 mm Thermal Compound for All Coolers Efficient Thermal Conductivity Gap Filler Safe Handling Easy to Apply: Computers & Accessories) would help keep the temps more in check

I also do realize im a bit late to this conversation XD
 
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I doubt it would make much difference. But that's just a guess.
yeah i agree tbh but it cant hurt to try i guess, the worst thing that can happen is that if the thermal pad works like $h1t and i cant use the old "thermal paste". ill try it and update this thread i guess
 
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do you think replacing the stock "thermal paste" (if you could call it that) for a high quality arctic thermal pad like this one (Amazon.com: ARCTIC - Thermal Pad 120 x 20 x 1.0 mm Thermal Compound for All Coolers Efficient Thermal Conductivity Gap Filler Safe Handling Easy to Apply: Computers & Accessories) would help keep the temps more in check

I also do realize im a bit late to this conversation XD
Not sure, I don't have much experience with thermal pads.

If you go through all the trouble of disassembling the machine and removing that bracket, why bother with a half-measure like a thermal pad? You already did 95% of the hard work, might as well put on the highest-rate thermal paste possible at that point. Why bother with anything less?
 
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Not sure, I don't have much experience with thermal pads.

If you go through all the trouble of disassembling the machine and removing that bracket, why bother with a half-measure like a thermal pad? You already did 95% of the hard work, might as well put on the highest-rate thermal paste possible at that point. Why bother with anything less?
LOL honestly i might just deal with the thermal throttling and not give a crap because it seems like wayyyyy too much effort to dissasemble that pc, plus i always break the ZIF connectors
 
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