Installing a CPU (Intel & AMD)

Socket handling for both platforms, correct orientation, and the paste job — the highest-stakes 10 minutes of any build.

1. 1

   Know your socket

   Modern AMD (AM5) and Intel (LGA1700/1851) both use pins in the socket, contacts on the chip. The danger zone is the socket itself — never touch it, and keep the plastic cover until the moment of installation.

2. 2

   Orient with the triangle

   A small golden triangle on one CPU corner matches a triangle on the socket. Line them up, lower the CPU straight down from a few millimeters up, and let gravity seat it. Zero force required.

   Careful: If it sits crooked or high, lift straight up and retry. Closing the lever on a misaligned CPU destroys socket pins.

3. 3

   Close the retention mechanism

   Close the load plate and press the lever down and under its hook. Resistance is normal — that's the designed clamping force. On Intel, the plastic cover pops off as you close.

4. 4

   Apply thermal paste

   A pea-sized dot in the center is all you need — mounting pressure spreads it. Replacing a cooler? Clean old paste off with isopropyl alcohol first.

   Tip: More paste is not better. Excess squeezes out and insulates the edges.