It sounds like a possible manufacturing defect.


The cpu is around 8W on a netbook, higher 18-65W (think lightbulb) on faster machines and soldered to a circuitboard. Then a cooler of sorts is clamped on top of it with thermal grease between the two. A fan is used to exhaust the warm air off the cooler.


Rather than taking it apart & reapply thermal paste since it's new - just ask to replace it.    


Download & run a utility like CPU-Z which can pick up thermocouple temps in your system & see what your temps are.
http://download.cnet.com/CPU-Z/3000-2086_4-10050423.html