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The March 2015 update of Apple's 13" MacBook Pro Retina Display, model A1502, features fifth-generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and introduces the Force Touch trackpad.

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Thermal Paste and Thermal Pad on CPU

Hi!

The i5-5257u Processor in my MacBook Pro 13" Retina (early 2015) has 2 chip dies on the CHU chip carrier.

The thermal paste is only applied on larger CPU die. The Platform Controller Hub chip die (PCH) on the other hand is not covered by radiator and it also does not have any thermal paste!

You could cover the PCH using a thermal pad and it will contact with copper tube. What do you think? I think it will be better way to cool my MacBook Pro.

P.S. Sorry for my bad english.

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The i5-5257u does not require its PCH cooled unlike older versions. In fact I suspect you would cause heat issues as the heat from the CPU will sink to the PCH making it run hotter! From what I've read Apple does not want you to apply paste on the PCH in the Haswell chip series.

Besides, the added pressure of the thermal pad sandwiched here onto the die could damage it. I would not do it!

What I would do is make sure I was using the correct thermal paste and make sure the fan and the cooling fins where clean. I would also recommend getting a good thermal sensor & fan monitoring app like: TG Pro.

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I agree on this. I did it with my A1502 and without the 3M thermal pad, I used to get 42-44ºC average in general and 48-51ºC CPU average during normal use (Safari, Mail, iMessage). Once I applied the thermal pad, temps raised at least 7ºC to them and not to mention that when booting the fans were maxed (like a jet engine). I used TG Pro for measurements and when the thermal pad was in use, TG Pro prompted peaks of 100ºC frequently. (mostly red numbers).

As Dan mentioned, it is not wise as Apple engineers should have tested this before.

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