Should You Cover CPU All the Way

When covering a CPU with thermal paste, you should aim to cover the central area of the heat spreader (the metal part on top of the CPU) rather than the entire surface. Here's why:

1. Heat Spread Focus: The most critical part of the CPU to cover with thermal paste is the integrated heat spreader (IHS), which helps transfer heat from the core to the cooler. You only need a small amount of thermal paste, usually in the form of a pea-sized dot in the center, because the pressure from mounting the cooler will spread the paste across the necessary surface.

   
   

2. Avoiding Excess Paste: Applying too much thermal paste can create air pockets or even overflow onto other components, leading to poor heat transfer and potentially causing short circuits if the paste is conductive. 

   Over-application can also act as an insulator, making the CPU run hotter instead of cooler.
   
   

3. Efficient Heat Transfer: Modern CPUs are designed so that the most heat comes from the central part of the IHS. Therefore, spreading paste across the entire CPU surface is unnecessary and might lead to uneven application and inefficiencies