Bent CPU Pins
A PC that fails to post with no display or memory detected can mean bent CPU or socket pins. Inspect closely and straighten gently with care.
Jake Mercer
Articles by Jake Mercer
118 articles published
CPU Compatible With Motherboard
Match the socket type, confirm the chipset supports that CPU generation, and check whether a BIOS update is needed before you buy.
What CPU Do I Have?
The fastest way to check your CPU is Task Manager. Open the Performance tab and the model name is shown at the top right, alongside cores and speed.
Why Is My CPU Fan So Loud?
Heat, dust, an aggressive fan curve, or a worn bearing are the usual causes of a loud CPU fan. Clean it, adjust the curve, or replace the fan.
Do CPUs Come With Thermal Paste?
Most CPUs do not include thermal paste, but the stock cooler that ships with many boxed CPUs usually has paste pre-applied to its base.
How to Install a CPU
Align the CPU with the socket using the notch or triangle, lower it in without pressing, apply thermal paste, then fit the cooler.
CPU Overheating
Dried paste, dust, poor airflow, and overclocks cause most CPU overheating. Clean the cooler, check airflow, and reset clocks before repasting.
How to Upgrade Your CPU
Check your motherboard supports the new CPU, update the BIOS if needed, then swap the chip and reseat the cooler. Laptops usually cannot be upgraded.
How CPUs Are Made
A CPU starts as a silicon wafer and goes through hundreds of steps: photolithography, etching, and doping build billions of transistors before testing and packaging.
CPU Bottleneck
If CPU usage sits near 100% while the GPU has room to spare, the CPU is the limit. Lower CPU-heavy settings or upgrade the CPU to fix it.