Using expired thermal paste — a hidden danger for your PC?

Thermal paste doesn't last forever: every syringe or jar has an expiration date, but with proper inspection, the material can be reused. Experts explained what signs to look for so as not to harm your computer's cooling system.

SlashGear writes about it.

How to understand that the thermal paste is still working

Thermal paste is usually bought "as a spare" and lies in a drawer for years. The first clue about the condition of the material is the date on the package, but even after the formal "end," the paste is sometimes suitable. If the container is transparent, it is worth examining the surface: dried cracks or oily layers indicate that the composition is no longer suitable. Any changes in density, texture, or viscosity are also an alarm signal.

In a closed form, the shelf life varies greatly: Kooling Monster and Noctua indicate from 6 months to 2 years, Thermal Grizzly — at least 3 years, and Arctic promises up to 8 years. However, the rule is simple: the paste usually survives several years in a dry, cool place without problems.

To make sure for sure, you need to squeeze out a little of the material. If it is too dry, sticky, does not spread well, or, conversely, is liquid and flows, the paste has lost its properties. Fresh, on the other hand, spreads easily over the processor cover and does not flow after application.

Will expired paste harm the processor?

If the composition was stored tightly, even expired paste rarely harms the CPU — the main thing is that its condition is normal. It is best to keep the tube tightly closed in a zip-top bag in a cool, dry place.

Practical tests confirm this. Igor's Lab founder, Igor Wallossek, tested the 20-year-old Arctic Cooling sample on an Intel Core i9-13900K: the temperature increased by only 5-6 °C compared to the new Alphacool Apex. YouTube channel mryeester compared six pastes (the oldest is 19 years old, another is 30 years old) and got 85 °C on fresh samples and 87-90 °C on old ones.

So, the old material is worse, but quite viable if there is no overheating.

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