How to check that a CPU is working (without my own motherboard)

Greasy Pommel · Jan 15, 2017

Hi, I'm wondering if there's any way to test a CPU to see if it works without my own motherboard. Are there any stores such as Fry's Electronics, Best Buy, or computer repair shops that offer this sort of service?

This may sound absurd, but the reason why I'm asking this is because I ordered a new i7 6700k on Ebay for $50 and I want to confirm that it works before spending money on a motherboard. Before anyone starts bashing me for doing this, I bought it because I had to make a decision before they all got sold out. If anything goes wrong, I can just get a refund.

Thank you in advance.

blazorthon · Jan 15, 2017

It's generally okay to buy a CPU off Ebay if you aren't looking for an excellent overclocking CPU. I don't know if any stores will test your CPU like that, but if I were to hazard a guess, I'd say no. Do you have any friends who might have a board to test with?

uberman · Jan 15, 2017

I would just get a board and if that cpu doesn't work just get another one.

13thmonkey · Jan 15, 2017

at $50, I strongly suspect that all is not as it seems.

USAFRet · Jan 15, 2017

"a new i7 6700k on Ebay for $50"

Highly unlikely that is a valid, new, i7 CPU.

13thmonkey · Jan 15, 2017

USAFRet :

Maybe an i5 670 with green crayon all over it turning it into i[strike]5[/strike]7 670 0k

USAFRet · Jan 15, 2017

Please do let us know what you actually get (if anything) and what exactly it is.

Greasy Pommel · Jan 15, 2017

blazorthon :

USAFRet :

13thmonkey :

Haha

Thing is, all 31 of them got sold out within about an hour. That would make me and those other people either very lucky or very unlucky.

Greasy Pommel · Jan 15, 2017

USAFRet :

I'll be sure to do that! I'll just try to find someone with an LGA 1151 motherboard if and when I receive the CPU.

MrN1ce9uy · Jan 15, 2017

Sounds like that time I bought a brand new 4690K on Ebay for $89. I got suspicious when UPS said the item was delivered but it was nowhere to be found. Turns out the seller sent some cardboard flat with nothing in it to a local business nearby. It didn't even have my name on it. I only knew this because UPS told me the address. Ebay did refund my money.

Greasy Pommel · Jan 16, 2017

MrN1ce9uy :

Strangely enough, the seller has a good reputation on Ebay. Do you think it's still very likely that something like that will happen?

USAFRet · Jan 16, 2017

Greasy Pommel :

Selling multiple copies of a current i7 CPU for $50.
Still very likely.

It would be like seeing brand new Mustangs for $4000.
Or new 70" Sony TVs for $150.

At some point, you have to ask yourself - How?

James Mason · Jan 16, 2017

Probably a scam, I bet the seller will contact you later to get you to enter your payment information thorugh a different site, that they use to steal your credit card information/steal your identity.

Ebay is rife with scammers selling fake GTX 750tis as well.

Greasy Pommel · Jan 16, 2017

USAFRet :

Greasy Pommel :

Selling multiple copies of a current i7 CPU for $50.
Still very likely.

It would be like seeing brand new Mustangs for $4000.
Or new 70" Sony TVs for $150.

At some point, you have to ask yourself - How?

Well, the cost was actually 35 British Pounds and I said 50 US Dollars because that was just an estimate. I know that 350 Pounds is a common retail price for i7 6700k's, so maybe the seller forgot to add a 0 at the end?

USAFRet · Jan 16, 2017

35 quid, $50, typo....all the same.
Not a valid reasonable price for a new i7.

Greasy Pommel · Jan 18, 2017

USAFRet :

I found a similar ad on Ebay by coincidence, posted 20 minutes ago. $45 for a new core i7 6700k, seller with 100% positive feedback.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Core-i7-6700K-8M-Skylake-Quad-Core-4-0-GHz-BX80662I76700K-Processor-/172492302377?hash=item282957a829:g:TvAAAOSw-0xYf8FW

13thmonkey · Jan 18, 2017

look at the positive feedback, only 137, some for dolls, bic razors, coupons, most of from more than 1 year ago, then suddenly find a batch of 7600k's. With no previous history of this kind of product.

Greasy Pommel · Jan 18, 2017

13thmonkey :

Do you think it's a hijacked account, then? This is strange. I don't understand, though, why people trying to pull off scams would use Ebay and PayPal. They defend the buyer more often than the seller in the case of any problems. Wouldn't it make more sense to use something like Craigslist instead to pull off a scam like this successfully?

USAFRet · Jan 18, 2017

Greasy Pommel :

And that link now just leads to a general listing of i7-6700k's.
Starting at $237.

Your listing seems to have been pulled.

13thmonkey · Jan 18, 2017

The reason that they might get away with it, is that proving that what you've been sent is a tampered pentium is really difficult.

Greasy Pommel · Jan 19, 2017

13thmonkey :

I'll just open up a PayPal dispute if anything.

USAFRet · Jan 20, 2017

Greasy Pommel :

When do you expect to receive this thing?

Greasy Pommel · Jan 20, 2017

USAFRet :

Feb 22 at the latest. It can take a while until I take action or not, however, PayPal increased their dispute filing time from 45 to 180 days after purchase. In the worst case scenario, I think that my money, which isn't much to begin with will be held temporarily.

Greasy Pommel · Feb 5, 2017

USAFRet :

Hi, this is about that $40 i7 6700k that I bought on Ebay a while back. Looks like people are starting to give the seller reviews for not sending anything at all. Mine is "expected" to arrive later but obviously I'm not going to receive anything in the mail. Going to leave a negative review as well so that others approach that seller with more caution.

USAFRet · Feb 5, 2017

Greasy Pommel :

USAFRet :

Hi, this is about that $40 i7 6700k that I bought on Ebay a while back. Looks like people are starting to give the seller reviews for not sending anything at all. Mine is "expected" to arrive later but obviously I'm not going to receive anything in the mail. Going to leave a negative review as well so that others approach that seller with more caution.

"If it looks to good to be true, it probably is"

How to check that a CPU is working (without my own motherboard)

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