Help - do I remove the heatsink thermal paste stickers if I don't have SSDs in those slots?
Posted by NenNuon@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 12 comments
Per title, I have an Asus Rog Strix X870-A mobo and it has a big heatsink. My worry is those stickers melting under the heat, which idk should be a worry or not. Thanks!
Image of heatsink: https://imgur.com/a/n0zTdLA
Naerven@reddit
What heat? They are to help cool m.2 drives. If you don't have one there they won't be attached to anything that needs cooling. They would also need to get to over 100c to melt.
NenNuon@reddit (OP)
I fired it up on the test bench for a few hours to install windows and felt some heat on the heat sink. Not crazy hot but still some heat that made me want to be extra cautious. I guess it makes sense per what you said since those thermal pads are supposed to cool the SSDs so there should be no problem with the stickers if they're not touching anything and are separated by the cooling thermal pads themselves.
omsues@reddit
how is it going I have the same question. did you remove those hearsink gelatins? I removed the one I use but not others.
NenNuon@reddit (OP)
Yep I removed them all
BaronB@reddit
If you can put your hand on it and not hurt yourself, it’s not going to hurt the plastic at all.
Moscato359@reddit
Leave the stickers. They are there to protect the thermal pad, incase you want to put a ssd later.
NenNuon@reddit (OP)
Thanks. I thought so too but I was just slightly concerned after firing it up on a test bench and feeling some heat on the heatsink. Not a crazy amount but just something that made me want to be extra cautious before putting it in the case and forget about it lol
Unipiggy@reddit
That... I.... Uh.. I...
Have no words because... That...
So what do you think a heatsink does, just curious
NenNuon@reddit (OP)
To be honest, I thought it would be cooler. So if I knew what you know, I probably wouldn't have asked this stupid question.
Appreciate your value adding here after people have already helped me.
Moscato359@reddit
The plastic is designed to get hot.
DXNiflheim@reddit
If youre thinking that that reisidual heat from using 1 slot will melt the rest it wont plus its better u keep them covered incase u add more so there better contact with the surface of ur future ssds if you take them off noe itll. Just be covered in dust
Diligent_Pie_5191@reddit
Yeah the plastic can stay on as long as you are not putting an ssd in that spot. If you place an ssd in that spot, you take the plastic off of it.