Xbox Thermal Paste Thermal paste is a silvery-gray substance that you apply to a processor before installing a cooling solution like a CPU cooler. It ensures that the heat sink clamps down firmly over the processor, with no air gaps between the two surfaces. The thermal paste allows the metal base of the heat sink to transfer heat from the CPU to the cooler, which dissipates that heat.
Without thermal paste, the processor would overheat, causing stuttering from throttling and random shutdowns. While buying thermal paste is one of the least exciting parts of a computer build, it’s vital to prevent overheating and protect your CPU from permanent damage.
You can find it online or in most hardware stores. It’s usually around $10 or less, depending on the brand you choose. The best brands have been tested by putting the PC through rigorous stress tests to measure how much heat it can handle before overheating.
Using this information, you can select a brand of thermal paste that’s the most efficient at handling heat for your specific CPU. Some people even recommend reapplying thermal paste every year, as it can lose its effectiveness over time.
To start, use a plastic opening tool to pry up and remove the tamper-evident tape covering the side vent hole on the bottom of the Xbox. Next, insert the flat end of a spudger between the case halves where they meet at the back of the USB port opening. Once the clips release, gently pull up the Wi-Fi board from its socket in the upper metal case.