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My laptop has i7 8550U CPU.

As you can see in following photo (found on YouTube), there are 2 shiny areas on processor (highlighted by yellow arrows).

enter image description here

I found a clearer image of same CPU so you can easily see there are two shiny parts:

enter image description here

Now, I'm pretty sure the bigger area needs thermal paste. I saw the same on YouTube when people were disassembling it.

But I'm not sure about the smaller area. It doesn't look like there was any thermal paste applied on it.

But what made me curious is when I found many other videos about similar laptop processors, where people were putting thermal paste (replacing old thermal paste) on both the areas. The smaller as well as the main/bigger one.

So I think either the smaller area needs the thermal paste or it doesn't need for some technical reason.

That is what I'm trying to find out.

Does it need thermal paste?

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  • Does the heatsink cover both ICs?
    – Ramhound
    Commented May 16, 2022 at 12:27
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    You need thermal paste between the CPU and the Fan Housing at the point of contact. If both are covered, you need paste on both points. If only one is contacted, that is the one that needs paste. Did the thermal paste fail? Why are you needing to do this?
    – anon
    Commented May 16, 2022 at 12:27
  • I doubt the manufacturer would waste copper unless necessary, because it's the most expensive material in the heatsink. Sometimes there's a thermal pad instead. If there was no pad, the paste will help ensure there's a seal with good contact. Chips can burn up in a few seconds without proper contact. 🧑🏽‍🚒
    – Louis Waweru
    Commented May 16, 2022 at 12:40
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    Yep, that’s right but not until until later iterations of x86 in Intel’s case, and this is more of a mechanical feature than something truly reliable and innate. Also, I can’t say I’ve heard of this outside of CPU design. GPUs began throttling down more recently, but the total shutdown that happens when you’re installing a CPU and forget the heatsink, or install it improperly, might not be even be a design consideration because of how they’re package for end-use. Not sure, but have definitely seen burnt out GPUs from normal operation (and GPUs taking out PSUs).
    – Louis Waweru
    Commented May 18, 2022 at 8:26
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    Yes. I read the comments. If the housing touches both areas you need paste on both areas.
    – anon
    Commented May 18, 2022 at 13:56

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