I just built my new PC based on an i7-2600K, which I think comes with the same stock heatsink as the i5-2500K. I intended to mount my ThermalRight Ultra Extreme 120 (LINK) but knew there was a delay on the 1156 mounting mechanism, so decided to complete the build with the stock cooler and swap it out once the right parts arrived.
I did my initial test with the stock cooler with the thermal paste pre-applied - CPU running at stock speeds.
Idle temp 44C (Ambient 22C)
3 weeks later once the mounting bracket arrived and I had time to fit it and test I fitted my TRUE with Arctic Silver MX5 thermal paste - again CPU running at stock speeds for comparison. I have 1 x 120mm Silent Eagle fan fitted running at 1100rpm.
Idle temp 28C (Ambient 24C)
I didn't do full load test temps with the stock cooler as I minimised what I did with it before replacing it. Temps were measured using Core Temp and CPUID HWMonitor
My main concern with the stock cooler was only when I removed it - the pre-applied thermal compound had spread slightly, but had only covered maybe 70% of the surface of the CPU heatspreader - about 5mm in from each corner had no thermal compound at all, which given the thickness of it, meant no contact with the cooler to transfer heat away.
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