Thermal paste on an Intel heatspreader, do I really have to do it by line? This is new to me.

[2aw]

For a non-heat spreader CPU, I usually just put a bit of thermal paste on the CPU die and use a bag over my index finger and spread a thin layer of the thermal paste over it, covering it entirely.

This is the first time I am going to do it on a CPU with an integrated heat spreader and the guide from Arctic Silver says to use a line and let the pressure spread it out. Is that the way? Or can I just do it my old way above?

 

[dmr727]

Seems to me the folks over at Arctic Silver would know what they're talking about - I'd just follow their recommendations.

 

[Nguyen Duc Hieu]

Won't matter anyway.
If the amount of thermal pad is correct, the pressure will push them all out to the edge of the heat-spreader.
Too little, your CPU will heat-up and get thermal throttle, re-apply thermal paste.
Too much => Not a problem.