Intel Extreme Q9100 ES???

[AndroidVageta]

So, just got my Q9100 that I ordered on eBay...installation went good...booted machine...noticed BIOS tagged it as a Q9100 Extreme CPU...Im like huh?

Get into Windows 7 run CPU-Z real quick and HOLY E! I have an Extreme Edition Q9100...or its a engineering sample...either way it has a UNLOCKED MULTIPLIER!!!

But, its also a ES chip too according to CPU-z...how the hell do I test this thing to make sure its a good chip? Cause Ive heard all about ES chips and how they can be bad chips on down the road and what not...

Should I request a new CPU or be happy with what I have? I mean, I started up ThrottleStop and had it running 3ghz instantly just due to multiplier...

 

[aigomorla]

OK First off.

Quadcore CPU's can not be dropped into a dual core Laptop because of the heat sink which is required to cool the cpu off under load conditions.

Quadcore Laptops come with a special CPU cooler, so if your first cpu wasnt a quadcore, and you did a mobile upgrade to a quadcore, i would first verify your cpu doesnt fry under load.

Second Buying and Selling of ES is ILLEGAL.
ES's are the property of INTEL, and always will be the property of Intel.

Seeing how its EBAY, you probably wont get a replacement.
If you goto intel, they will say thank you for returning OUR ES back, and no we wont give you another processor.

Your processor has no warrenty outside the Ebay sellers personal gaurentee.
You have no tech support with Intel on ES processors, because once again, its does not belong to you.

Rule of thumb with ES's.
Unless intel knows you have an ES, you keep quiet about them, and pretend you never had one.

 

[AndroidVageta]

Did not know that about ES processors...and yeah, the system cools it fine, its a Asus W90vp-X2 that came stock with a Q9000...so cooling is a non-issue lol...

Interesting that its an ES...should I notify the seller on eBay or just pretend it never happened?

And even under load at 3ghz none of the cores ever broke 65C...thats a safe temp isnt it?

 

[TankGuys]

ES chips can be hit or miss. They are often pre-production samples that may not have all the bug fixes or refinements you'll find in production chips. So there's always a risk of some flaky behavior.

On the bright side, having an unlocked chip is pretty fun. Just enjoy it!

 

[aigomorla]

Did not know that about ES processors...and yeah, the system cools it fine, its a Asus W90vp-X2 that came stock with a Q9000...so cooling is a non-issue lol...

Interesting that its an ES...should I notify the seller on eBay or just pretend it never happened?

And even under load at 3ghz none of the cores ever broke 65C...thats a safe temp isnt it?

1. glad to see if cools properly.

2. Should you notify or ignore... now thats a question you need to ask your conscience. ()

3. yes its safe as long as you dont hit 80C on a laptop processor.

ES's are sometimes too good to be true because of there price.
On an old ES like this, yeah, i can see it being cheap.

But you just need to know what your getting into.

AT has ban'd the sale of ES processors on the FS/FT forum.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2065033

 

[AndroidVageta]

Yeah, ran OCCT for a couple minutes...Linpack...and it didnt crash or anything...running smooth and cool at 3.06ghz per core...

This really is AWESOME...I was expecting a real Q9100 and that "Ill be happy to hit 2.8ghz" due to the locked multiplier...so in either case, I definitely lucked out...sorry Intel...

 

[AndroidVageta]

1. glad to see if cools properly.

2. Should you notify or ignore... now thats a question you need to ask your conscience. ()

3. yes its safe as long as you dont hit 80C on a laptop processor.

ES's are sometimes too good to be true because of there price.
On an old ES like this, yeah, i can see it being cheap.

But you just need to know what your getting into.

AT has ban'd the sale of ES processors on the FS/FT forum.
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2065033

Wow! 80C is the max temp? Awesome, Im sitting good then...really have no want to go higher as I bought the Q9100 HOPING for at least 2.8-2.9ghz...so 3ghz stable is more than I could have asked for, especially considering it runs so cool and I didnt have to overclock the RAM any (just more heat...).

As far as it being an ES...hell no, Im not saying anything, especially if Intel wouldnt do anything about it as far as giving me a new CPU etc...like I said, besides a lower stock clock...I basically got a QX9300...which, for $200, what more could one ask for? Well, I actually only paid $50 for it as I sold my Q9000 for $150...so for $50 I got a Extreme Q9100/QX9300...definitely happy!