Do I have a slow chip?????

princejim · 2 Nov 2007 at 15:45

Just been to Overclockers, to return a Q6600 bought yesterday, because the chip showed marks where in my opinion there had been a cooler fitted, i.e. it looked used. To there credit they changed it however, the new chip although not badly marked still shows some marks? I know that they sell Overclocked systems of there own so does this meen they check every chip and keep the fast chips for themselves???

jaykay · 2 Nov 2007 at 15:47

No its probally just machined marks. Where they cut the IHS for. Shouldnt harm the chip in anyway.

w3bbo · 2 Nov 2007 at 15:49

Most cpu's will have these marks. Aslong as they are not deep scores/scratches (check with your fingernail) then they are fine. Surprised they changed the first one tbh!

waso_dude · 2 Nov 2007 at 15:54

As long as the security seal is still intact it has not been used.

ns400r · 2 Nov 2007 at 17:10

All the CPU's are tested by Intel and this means that a heatsink is placed on the heat spreader whilst testing takes place, hence the marks.

hillbilly2 · 2 Nov 2007 at 18:29

ns400r said:
All the CPU's are tested by Intel and this means that a heatsink is placed on the heat spreader whilst testing takes place, hence the marks.

Hi mate, not trying to hijack this thread,but do you own a NS400R? As i have quite a tidy original "Freddie Spencer" rep sitting in my garage back in NZ :cool:

jaykay · 2 Nov 2007 at 18:34

btw why did you asume you had a slow chip?

princejim · 2 Nov 2007 at 18:59

As to intel testing the chips, the chips are tested on the die, so no marks would be left on the heat spreader! I assumed that to get the fastest chips for there own high speed systems they are testing lots of chips, to get a few that will clock the fastest. However, this means that we could be buying all the slowest chips???

ns400r · 2 Nov 2007 at 19:13

hillbilly2 said:
Hi mate, not trying to hijack this thread,but do you own a NS400R? As i have quite a tidy original "Freddie Spencer" rep sitting in my garage back in NZ

Yes, sure do.

ns400r · 2 Nov 2007 at 19:15

princejim said:
As to intel testing the chips, the chips are tested on the die, so no marks would be left on the heat spreader! I assumed that to get the fastest chips for there own high speed systems they are testing lots of chips, to get a few that will clock the fastest. However, this means that we could be buying all the slowest chips???

Die/heatsink, call it what you will. The chips are tested with a device on the heat spreader. This leaves marks.

hillbilly2 · 2 Nov 2007 at 19:30

ns400r said:
Yes, sure do.

Cool

princejim · 2 Nov 2007 at 20:15

Sorry the die is the original silicon before then chip is mounted with the heat spreader.

Ace Modder · 2 Nov 2007 at 21:16

for the amount of CPU's sold I very much doubt they would be able to check/test all their CPU's for o/c'ing limits

steve258 · 2 Nov 2007 at 21:56

They sell lots of chips every day I don't think they have the resource to test every single one of them. If you want to be sure 100% that it's brand new spend an extra £15 for the sealed retail version.

Jokester · 2 Nov 2007 at 22:01

Ace Modder said:
for the amount of CPU's sold I very much doubt they would be able to check/test all their CPU's for o/c'ing limits

Each and every Intel chip is speed binned, when you get a new CPU take a look at the pin pads underneath, you can see the mark where the socket pins have made contact with the CPU.

Jokester

wannabedamned · 2 Nov 2007 at 22:19

haha, It's an OCUK Conspiracy

Justintime · 2 Nov 2007 at 22:20

jaykay said:
btw why did you asume you had a slow chip?

He thought he got a chip that did'nt 'pass' ocuks overclocking validation or something to go into an overclocked system, hence 'slow' as in a medicore or poor overclocker.

princejim · 3 Nov 2007 at 08:17

Jokester "Each and every Intel chip is speed binned" you are correct except for them testing the chips when fully assembled with the heat spreader! The chips are manufactured on a large slab of silicon, many chips to a slab, then thay are tested on the slab and marked for classification, then removed from the slab and assembled.

Ace Modder · 3 Nov 2007 at 08:21

the chip wouldnot be slow. All chips at stock run the same, itsa the o/c potential which makes a difference, at stock the heat may vary. But there are so many factors to take into consideration.

Justintime · 3 Nov 2007 at 10:23

Ace Modder said:
the chip wouldnot be slow. All chips at stock run the same, itsa the o/c potential which makes a difference, at stock the heat may vary. But there are so many factors to take into consideration.

Justintime said:
He thought he got a chip that did'nt 'pass' ocuks overclocking validation or something to go into an overclocked system, hence 'slow' as in a medicore or poor overclocker.