Why is it important to keep your GPU clean ?
Let's start by explaining what a GPU is:
Consider your computer as a multitasking powerhouse that handles a variety of tasks, from calculations and data management to communication and entertainment. Now, let's zoom in on the entertainment aspect and talk about the GPU, or Graphics Processing Unit.
Think of the GPU as a specialized co-processor dedicated to handling anything related to graphics and visual data. While the CPU (Central Processing Unit) is like the general manager of the computer, handling various tasks, the GPU is a specialist, focusing solely on graphic-related work.
Imagine you're playing a video game. The game world, characters, objects, and effects are all visually rendered on your screen. This involves an immense amount of mathematical calculations to determine how everything looks, moves, and interacts. The GPU is designed to handle these calculations efficiently and in parallel, which means it can process multiple tasks simultaneously.
When you increase the graphics settings in a game, like turning on high-resolution textures, realistic lighting, and complex shadows, it requires more computational power. This is where a powerful GPU shines. It's capable of handling these demanding calculations quickly, resulting in smoother gameplay with stunning visuals.
Sounds good right ?
But just like the other components in your PC, the GPU can become dusty and run hotter over time, which will eventually lead to dips or loss in performance. GPUs do have a cooling system made up of fans and a heatsink to help keep them from getting too hot. But there's a small gap between the actual GPU chip and the cooler. This gap can cause heat to get trapped, which is not great for the GPU's health or performance. This is where thermal paste comes in.
What is thermal paste ?
Thermal paste is like a magical goo, similar in consistency to toothpaste that you put between the GPU chip and the cooler. It might sound strange, but this goo is specially made to transfer heat really well. When you apply the thermal paste, it fills in the gaps and bumps on the surface of the GPU and the cooler. This makes sure that heat moves from the GPU to the cooler smoothly, just like how heat moves from your body to the air when you're not feeling so warm anymore.
When the thermal paste is in place, it helps the GPU stay cooler by making sure heat can escape effectively. This helps the GPU perform better because it's not slowed down by getting too hot. People sometimes need to reapply thermal paste if it dries out or becomes less effective over time. It's a bit like giving your GPU a cool, refreshing drink to keep it working happily.
So how do you know if it's time to have your GPU cleaned and repasted ?
I personally believe a GPU should be tore down and fully cleaned at least once a year, different factors will change that timeframe somewhat like:
- Intensive Usage: If you use your GPU heavily, clean and maintain it more often to prevent buildup.
- Your Environment: Dusty or pet-filled environments may require more frequent cleaning.
Whenever you start to see rises in temperature or lower framerates in games, it may be time to have your GPU cleaned.
Check out our previous work section to see actual GPU cleans we've undertaken
With a starting price of just £20 (dependent on GPU type) we offer a full clean of your GPU to keep it running optimally. We offer a teardown, cleaning of the PCB, fans, heatsink & ports. We check the heatpads and replace the thermal paste. After running some tests we make sure the GPU is stable and the temperatures are good.
Click here to book your GPU in for a spring clean today
