thermal vias needed for nrf52832 QFN footprint?

[mhz]

The QFN package has an exposed gnd pad. Are thermal vias required in this gnd pad? The reference design has a 4x4 thermal via array. I believe this is only there because Altium footprint generators add it by default. Some clarification on whether the thermal vias are required for heat dissipation would be great. Thank you.

[RK]

No the vias on that layout are part of the connection between ground planes, they're not thermal. You want lots of ground plane connections.