Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Does thermal paste actually expire? Well, I found a sealed tube of ARCTIC MX-4 from 2019 that had been sitting in a drawer for over 7 years, so I decided to put it to the test.
I compared old MX-4 and MX-6 against brand-new MX-7, then compared the 7-year-old MX-4 with the performance it achieved when it was new on the same test platform.
The result? Around 0.3°C of difference. Basically nothing.
In this video, we also look at what actually makes thermal paste degrade, including dry-out, pump-out, heat, pressure and thermal cycling, and why replacing thermal paste just because it is “old” often doesn't make much sense.
Products Mentioned
ARCTIC MX-4: amzn.to/4gz5e27
ARCTIC MX-6: amzn.to/4guhFvY
ARCTIC MX-7: amzn.to/4qBHzCK
Related Thermal Paste Videos
MX-6 Review: youtu.be/rLQVCJOzp4o
MX-7 Review: youtu.be/NlOEI33qPcc
0:00 7-Year-Old Thermal Paste
0:30 Thermal Paste Shelf Life
2:13 The Test
3:10 Results
4:28 Why Paste Ages
6:00 When Should You Repaste?
6:46 Stop Wasting Good Paste
📷 Follow me:
Instagram: instagram.com/imwateringpsus
Become a Member on YT:
youtube.com/channel/UCyTZ7F7OGSwUl5ZQos02-vw/join
⚙️ Gear & Recommendations:
Thermal Paste I use: amzn.to/4lS2tuV
Electric screwdriver for PC building: amzn.to/4stgJga
Mini Air Duster for PC cleaning: amzn.to/4bAWJSZ
My fav mouse: https://madcatz.store/products/mad-catz-m-m-o-7-wireless-gaming-mouse?sca_ref=10580619.Vzo1VpjdXGZIC&sca_source=YouTube
My Deskmat: deskmat.io/imwateringpsus
Funny Clothes: geeksoutfit.com/discount_code/LeoD25 -- 25% Off Code: LeoD25
DISCLOSURE: Some links are affiliate links, I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.
#ThermalPaste #PCBuilding #PCHardware
Does thermal paste actually expire? Well, I found a sealed tube of ARCTIC MX-4 from 2019 that had been sitting in a drawer for over 7 years, so I decided to put it to the test.
I compared old MX-4 and MX-6 against brand-new MX-7, then compared the 7-year-old MX-4 with the performance it achieved when it was new on the same test platform.
The result? Around 0.3°C of difference. Basically nothing.
In this video, we also look at what actually makes thermal paste degrade, including dry-out, pump-out, heat, pressure and thermal cycling, and why replacing thermal paste just because it is “old” often doesn't make much sense.
Products Mentioned
ARCTIC MX-4: amzn.to/4gz5e27
ARCTIC MX-6: amzn.to/4guhFvY
ARCTIC MX-7: amzn.to/4qBHzCK
Related Thermal Paste Videos
MX-6 Review: youtu.be/rLQVCJOzp4o
MX-7 Review: youtu.be/NlOEI33qPcc
0:00 7-Year-Old Thermal Paste
0:30 Thermal Paste Shelf Life
2:13 The Test
3:10 Results
4:28 Why Paste Ages
6:00 When Should You Repaste?
6:46 Stop Wasting Good Paste
📷 Follow me:
Instagram: instagram.com/imwateringpsus
Become a Member on YT:
youtube.com/channel/UCyTZ7F7OGSwUl5ZQos02-vw/join
⚙️ Gear & Recommendations:
Thermal Paste I use: amzn.to/4lS2tuV
Electric screwdriver for PC building: amzn.to/4stgJga
Mini Air Duster for PC cleaning: amzn.to/4bAWJSZ
My fav mouse: https://madcatz.store/products/mad-catz-m-m-o-7-wireless-gaming-mouse?sca_ref=10580619.Vzo1VpjdXGZIC&sca_source=YouTube
My Deskmat: deskmat.io/imwateringpsus
Funny Clothes: geeksoutfit.com/discount_code/LeoD25 -- 25% Off Code: LeoD25
DISCLOSURE: Some links are affiliate links, I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you.
#ThermalPaste #PCBuilding #PCHardware
