STRAIGHTEN BENT CPU PINS
WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR OLD CPU
If your CPU and cooler came out as one, you need to separate them if you plan to reuse either (or both). Start by placing the cooler/CPU combo upside down so the CPU is facing upwards, showing its pins. Now, use a hairdryer to heat up the heatsink, loosen the thermal paste, and make things easier to remove.
YOUR CPU CHECKLIST
One of the reasons we decided to upgrade our CPU was because it meant two upgrades for the price of one: our main PC got boosted to the Ryzen 7 5700X, while another PC was able to jump from the Ryzen 3 2200G to the Ryzen 7 2700. We had to repurpose an old discrete graphics card (GeForce GT 1030) to replace the Ryzen 3’s 2200G’s onboard graphics so we could free up the system’s meagre 8GB RAM exclusively for Windows. The upgrade came with two further benefits: a 30 percent speed bump, and the Ryzen 7 2700 supports Windows 11, allowing the PC to be bought bang up to date.
IS YOUR PC STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS of age? Envious of the latest MaxPC kit but unable to afford the cost of a full system rebuild? The answer lies in upgrading your current system, and you can deliver a major uplift in performance by focusing on your CPU, a component often overlooked when upgrading your PC.
If you’re unable to twist the CPU off the base of the cooler, take the blade from a craft knife (with care—we cut our thumbs in a moment of madness!) and insert it underneath one corner of the processor, blades facing forward. Try wriggling the blade into the gap to loosen more of the thermal paste. You may need to attack more than one side before you’re able to prise off the CPU.
1. CORES/THREADS