Intel Now Offers Overclocking Protection Plans on Select Processors, Still Doesn't Encourage the Dark Art
Intel Now Offers Overclocking Protection Plans on Select Processors, Still Doesn't Encourage the Dark Art
Posted 01/18/2012 at 11:26am
| by Paul Lilly
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Overclocking is no longer the dark art it used to be, and with a little guidance, even your grandmother can push her system past its rated speed with relative ease. That doesn't mean there isn't some risk involved, and if you're truly worried about frying your processor with an aggressive overclock, then you're exactly the person Intel wants to about its "Performance Tuning Protection" plans.
"Intel is pleased to announce the introduction of a new pilot plan targeted at the enthusiast community. The enthusiast community is a critical market segment for Intel and, as such, when the opportunity arises to try out a service or otherwise address the community’s particular needs, we endeavor to do so where practicable," Intel said in a statement. "In this spirit, Intel is announcing a new pilot service plan for 'K', 'X', and LGA2011-socketed boxed processors called the Performance Tuning Protection Plan. This Plan will provide certain out-of-warranty service offerings in the event of damage caused by overclocking or over-voltaging by the user. By purchasing this Plan and meeting the Plan’s criteria, the user can receive a one-time replacement processor if the user’s over-voltaging or over-clocking causes the original processor to fail. This pilot Plan in no way expands, changes or extends the original three year standard warranty and is simply a Plan the user may want to purchase for overclocking or over-voltaging."
The pilot Plan kicks off today and includes four resellers: CyberPower, Canada Computers and Electronics, Scan Computers, and Altech Computers. On February 13, 2012, Intel will add additional resellers to the Plan. In addition, the chip maker is offering its overclocking warranty direct to consumers at the following prices:
- Core i5 2500K: $20
- Core i7 2600K: $25
- Core i7 2700K: $25
- Core i7 3930K: $35
- Core i7 3960X: $35
Intel is quick to clarify in a related FAQ that these plans are in no way indicative of the chip maker supporting or encouraging overclocking, though on the main page, Intel tells users: "Go ahead and push it, we've got your back."
For more info:
Peformance Tuning Protection Plan Homepage
Plan Pricing
Terms and Conditions
Genuine Boxed Processor Warranty Information
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praack
January 20, 2012 at 9:25am
all these years never fried a proc yet- now all of a sudden there is a warrenty for Overclockers
good way to make money- just like :extended warrenty that B Buy sells on everything (including ball point pens)
not really needed unless they start binning the processors with less capable cpus and passing them off as the same. - doubt that as the failure rate would be higher.
Wiked_smart
January 19, 2012 at 1:53am
I have a 2500K and would love nothing more than to get it up to 5GHz! This will make it possible, well at least if I blow it up I can get another for $20 and the cost of shipping.
I'm on it like blue bonnet!
aferrara50
January 18, 2012 at 8:06pm
Looks like it's time for suicide runs on my 3960X. Finally get that 5.5ghz I've been looking for. 1.7 vcore here I come.
JohnP
January 18, 2012 at 6:49pm
Heh, my P8P67 Evo mobo and a 2600K will not sleep over 4GHz so my overclocking is limited anyways. Funny thing is that damn if I could tell the difference between 4.4 and 4.0GHz. Sure does not seem to act 10% slower..
Holly Golightly
January 18, 2012 at 5:52pm
Ugh, this is just Intel finding a way to make more money off of their customers. No thanks, I'll overclock intelligently. A little research goes a long way, believe it or not.
Kinetic
January 19, 2012 at 8:39pm
Not really. If you want to overclock say a 2600k, but fail and burn out your chip, you're only out $25 instead of $300. The first time at least. I'd say that's a heck of a deal.
I_pwn_newbz86
January 19, 2012 at 9:57am
So what if Intel starts offering a new service that its customers are willing to pay for? Whats wrong with that? Holly stop making everything sound bad.
austin43
January 18, 2012 at 1:54pm
As far as I know it's impossible to tell if you've been overclocking for Intel...other than examining burnt up parts on the chip; which could be caused by the fan falling off or just ceasing to work. Also, why do they sell unlocked chips if they're so against overclocking? Seems pretty hypocritical.
jason2393
January 18, 2012 at 3:23pm
The fan falling off wouldn't be covered by the standard warranty (they would probably consider it improper installation), so this additional coverage would protect you in this situation, as well as overheating from overclocking, so no matter how it burns up, you should be covered.
To answer your other question, Intel sells unlocked chips because they profit from them, and they hope this warranty will encourage more people to buy their more expensive (yet just as cheap to make) unlocked processors.
Amphoteric
January 18, 2012 at 12:32pm
Should be i5 2500k? Either way, you do a great job doling out the info on my favourite magazine's website. Cheers!
jason2393
January 18, 2012 at 11:48am
Considering that my motherboard likes to set the processor voltage to whatever it feels like even when I'm not trying to overclock and never allows SpeedStep to underclock my 2600k, this might be good to have. That, and the fact that I am trying to get stable at 5 GHz and it is taking considerable voltage to do so.
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