Intel Offers Protection Plan For Overclockers

MojoKid writes "Intel today unveiled a pilot program that provides warranty protection to overclockers in the event they get a little bit overzealous with pushing the pedal to the metal. For a fee, Intel will provide a one-time replacement of certain processors that are damaged by overclocking and/or over-volting. It's completely optional and in addition to the original three-year standard warranty that already applies to Intel's retail boxed processors. Intel isn't yet ready to flat-out endorse overclocking but the Santa Clara chip maker is perfectly content to provide a 'limited remedy if issues arise as a result of an enthusiast's decision to enable overclocking,' for a modest fee, of course. The deal applies only to certain Extreme Edition and K-series (unlocked) processors currently, in Intel's Core i7 and Core i5 families."

Comments

Does this even happen much?

[ZorinLynx]

How often do CPUs can fried by overclocking these days?

Modern CPUs have complicated temperature monitoring onboard that will throttle down the chip if it starts to overheat. Shouldn't this protect against 99% of possible damage scenarios?

Re:Why not for all CPUs?

[EnempE]

Not all CPUs are suitable for overclocking. If they tested a chip at the factory and know that it won't survive if run at a higher voltage or clock speed than it is required too it would be bad practice for them to encourage you to operate the chip in a manner that will make it unstable, which could at best cost a bit of time and money when the chip fails, or worse cost you a massive amount of time when the chip operates poorly and causes intermittent failures or incorrect calculations.

Re:Sounds to me they are relying on fuses

[Khyber]

"Simply tear down the package and replace the micro fuses and install in a new package."

Would you like to know how I know you don't have experience in this field?

Chip lithography is very much a one-time thing. Once it's made, you aren't adding on anything else. Spare silicon is gone. If it breaks, you're screwed, get a new one or nothing at all, those are your only answers.

The only recycling likely to happen will be melting the package down to get the metals out, and Intel would leave that to a reclamation company. There would NEVER be a refurbishing plant made, I can almost guarantee you this, as it's cheaper and easier (plus more logistically sound) to make a new one.