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OEM vs Retail

will0812

will0812

will0812

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Joined
23 Nov 2009
Posts
239
As i understand the only difference here is that you get a stock cooler, + a longer warranty? But if you plan to use an aftermarket cooler and overclock it, is there really any point in getting a retail chip as i think as soon as you overclock it your warranty is void?
 
True, I am sure it is not always possible for them to be 100% certain the cpu was overclocked.
 
They can't really say if it was OCed or not and CPUs rarely break anyways unless your mobo or PSU are borked.

So yeh, if you're after another cooler than the stock there isn't much point going retail unless the price is very close ( sometimes on special deals it's like 2-3quid diff only).
 
If you do get the retail and change to an aftermarket cooler at least you always have a spare incase anything happens or for use in another rig :)
 
I always find if you shop around you can normally pick up the retail version for a couple of quid more than the OEM and for a few quid the fan and extra 2 years warranty is a bargain.
 
I always buy an OEM chip is its an available and if being sold £10 or £15 cheaper that the full retail package.

The only downside I can think of with an OEM chip is the possibility it has been pre-tested by the supplier . . . . some dude sitting down carefully swapping out one chip after another, no heatpaste is used just a big heatsink clamped on for quick rough and ready testing . . . . the better speed-binned chips could end up in the Pre-Built and Overclocked systems that many big etailors are offering, the not so great chips get popped in a small cardboard box and sold off as OEM chips! :D
 
Aslong as u stay within intels spec on vcore then u can overclock away, no ideas how they would test it though, so personally iv allways gone for retail ones myself.
 
I generally go Retail for the reasons already mentioned.

3x the Warranty​
Spare Cooler and Fan if you need it​
Only A few quid difference​

And I have used those spare parts previously, so they have been handy to me ;)
 
Im not too fussed about the extra warranty or cooler, but it had occured to me that with OEM chips retailers may test them and use the best ones in their own systems, which i suppose is putting me off buying OEM
 
Most cpu's ive purchased have been retail, the price difference in most cases was so small it made sense to go for them. The exception was my q9550, bought oem as the retail versions were out of stock, turned out to be a cracking overclocking chip as well which is always nice.
 
Big.Wayne said:
The only downside I can think of with an OEM chip is the possibility it has been pre-tested by the supplier . . . . some dude sitting down carefully swapping out one chip after another, no heatpaste is used just a big heatsink clamped on for quick rough and ready testing . . . . the better speed-binned chips could end up in the Pre-Built and Overclocked systems that many big etailors are offering, the not so great chips get popped in a small cardboard box and sold off as OEM chips! :D
Click to expand...

This is why I won't buy OEM chips anymore...

What happens to those chips that don't make the grade for a pre-o/ced system???

Maybe I'm just paranoid, but those chips must go somewhere, right?

I'd rather have the piece of mind buying retail, at least the box has a factory seal on it, and not to mention the 2 years extra warranty with the manufacturer, instead of just 1 year with the retailer.

::edit::

Regarding overclocking, Intel and AMD can actually tell whether a chip has been ran above spec, I remember reading that a while ago, I don't know how they can tell, but supposedly they can.. whether or not they actually test every single chip that gets RMA'd or not I can't be sure..
 
Last edited:
DavyBoy said:
What happens to those chips that don't make the grade for a pre-o/ced system???
Click to expand...
They get sold to SlugForAButt :p

I've not seen anyone *batch* testing a tray of OEM chips but I have had a few that have traces of thermal paste or a finger print . . . If the price is right though I don't mind, it has to be at least a clear £10-£15 saving for me to go OEM over retail, thats normally half the money towards a decent 3rd party heatsink etc . . .

I am laughing a bit at people who said they use a 3rd party heatsink with a retail CPU but are glad to have the stock HSF as a backup? . . . I can't say thats the best selling pitch for buying a retail chip! :D
 
You should check the bottom of he cpu to see if there are any contact marks. OEM or not it doesn't give anyone the right to pre test the CPU.
Nonetheless I bought an OEM i5 and I've been able to get it to 4.3Ghz.
 
I normally buy retail, unless theres a huge price difference.
The Extra warranty is a big bonus :)
Normally not much more for a retail one anyway.
 
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