Do i really need thermal greese?

Is thermal greese a must? i plan on getting a new motherboard prossesor combo soom. I really dont know much about overclocking but i do plan on overclocking this new system so is it a good idea to get thermal greese. Also is it hard to apply?

If you plan on OCing...then yes...thermal paste is pretty much a must...since it will help the heat transfer to the HS...

Too apply the thermal paste...put just enough on to lightly cover the CPU die...

Here is a good link to show how thermal paste should be applied...

Link

Definately spring for some good quality thermal paste...
No point in thrashing a brand new system over 25 cents worth of AS3...

yes

you wont be able to use a system at stock without some sort of thermal transfer material inbetween the cpu and HSF

drunksquirrels said:

you wont be able to use a system at stock without some sort of thermal transfer material inbetween the cpu and HSF

Click to expand...

Not entirely true - You'll be able to run it, but don't expect good temperatures. (Usually 4-5C more than what it would run with thermal goop.)

If there is no thermal paste/pad used on the HSF, you cannot run it. If you use bare copper/aluminum to the cpu die, only about 1-2 % actually touches each other, because of the surface uneveness of the metal. I dont think anyone wants to try this....
-Ceramique is very good thermal paste, recommended.

short answer yes, long answer, even if you lap the heatsink to a chrome-like finish there are still microscopic pits on the surface. because of these pits you do not get complete contact between the heatsink and the processor core. a good thermal grease i.e. arctic silver, is largly micronized silver which means silver that has been reduced to a near atomic size. the micronized silver fills the pits in the heatsink very well and helps produce a near perfect contact between the heatsink and the core.