https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Thermal-Paste-Application-Techniques-170/ https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Thermal-Paste-App... TLDR: if i

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Thermal-Paste-Application-Techniques-170/ https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Thermal-Paste-App... TLDR: if in doubt just use the small dot in the center method. the X if you're feeling creative And yes, you just apply it to the cpu and when the heatsink presses on the cpu it will do the spreading by itself