Does Replacing Thermal Paste on GPU Void Warranty?

When your CPU/GPU’s thermal performance gets worse, replacing its thermal interface is a no-brainer. This affordable and quick solution can instantly restore your computer component’s performance to its full potential.

But — does replacing the thermal paste void warranty? After all, you’re replacing the paste that came with your GPU and also disassembling it in the process. That’s what you’re going to find out in this post.

Does replacing the thermal paste on the GPU void the warranty?

It depends.

Most GPU brands don’t declare your warranty as void if you succeed in the paste replacement. That means if you replace the paste and nothing goes wrong, your warranty stays intact.

However, if something goes wrong and you end up damaging your GPU while reapplying the paste, you won’t be able to claim your warranty.

On the other hand, some brands will consider your warranty void if you disassemble your GPU, causing the warranty sticker to break. And as you might know, replacing the thermal paste requires you to disassemble your GPU.

So, it all depends on what your GPU manufacturer says in its warranty policy.

To find out whether your specific GPU’s warranty will be void after thermal paste replacement, check the brand’s website for the warranty policy.

In most cases, though, the warranty stays intact, as long as you don’t damage the GPU while replacing the paste.

How long are GPUs under warranty?

Again, it depends.

Each GPU manufacturer offers a varied period in terms of its warranty limit. However, most brands come with 2 or 3 years of warranty.

For instance, most GPUs from Nvidia and MSI come with 3 years of warranty.

How do I check my graphics card warranty?

If you want to find the exact warranty period of your specific GPU, there are a few ways you can go about the situation.

1. Check the warranty policy of your GPU manufacturer on its website. Almost every brand clearly mentions the number of years it offers in terms of the warranty. Plus, be sure to check the product page of your exact GPU model. There’s a good chance that the warranty period will be mentioned there.

2. If you’ve purchased the GPU from a distributor, you can ask them for the exact warranty period. Simply talk to the distributor on the phone, or appear at their store yourself with your receipt.

3. Last but not least, you can talk to the customer support department of your GPU brand to ask about the warranty. You might have to provide your purchase details and the product’s serial number, and they will help you find your exact warranty period.

When should I change my GPU thermal paste?

It depends on how much you use your computer, and what you do on it.

Thermal paste degrades with heat. As you use your computer, it produces heat, which is dissipated through the thermal paste and heat sink. However, as the paste dissipates more and more heat, it eventually dries out.

So, the faster you produce heat in your computer, the faster it degrades.

That means if you regularly do graphically intensive tasks on your computer, like playing video games or rendering graphics, your thermal paste will be degraded faster.

On the other hand, if you only use your computer for casual tasks, like browsing the internet or writing school essays, it will last longer.

Another thing to consider is the quality of the thermal paste you’re using.

A good-quality thermal paste can last many times longer than a bad one. For instance, if you do intensive tasks on your computer and use a bad thermal paste on it, it could degrade within a few months. But — if you use a good thermal paste and perform the same intensive tasks, it can easily last more than a year.

If you don’t do intensive tasks and use a top-tier thermal paste, you can even last 2-3 years without replacing the thermal paste.

The bottom line

In most cases, replacing your thermal paste won’t void your GPU’s warranty, as long as you don’t damage it. That means if you do something wrong and damage it during disassembly or assembly, you won’t be able to claim the warranty.

If you’d like to know whether your GPU is covered under warranty or not, simply check the product page for the warranty duration, or ask the distributor.

Last but not least, make sure to always use a good-quality thermal paste in your CPU and GPU. You don’t want to ruin the experience over an investment as small as a thermal paste.

If you’d like to check out Kooling Monster’s own top-tier thermal paste, KOLD-01 is there for you.