For those of you thinking about buying a Q6x00 series processor!

Good for you. I got an OEM with 1.3125vid. Boogers...

Run CPUZ.
http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

so is there any "good" excuse to return the CPU to the company? you know, those "genuine" reason for returning and not get turn down. because i return it because its got a high VID its certainly not going to accept the RMA.

just frequent crash? i think that will be a good one.

That's within the acceptable range of when they hadn't gone through them yet. It's been about 4 months since I have seen someone report a retail q6x00 series with anything under 1.3000.

That junk didn't appear to start till Januaryish.

--Lupi

Well, a 1.3250, the worse VID, gets 3.6 at about 1.45 volts while fully loaded. So if you have decent cooling, like a xiggy or a TRUE, or just about any water, it'll get you 3.6, and prolly last more than 2 years.

However, if you just happen to get a good VID chip, 1.2500 or lower, its suitable for 3.8 with great cooling. At 1.5000 volts loaded!

A 1.200 VID chip will get 3.6 Ghz at 1.312 Volts, loaded and non tuned at all. Thats lower than the last two NATURALLY occurring VID chips, 1.3125, and 1.3250.

Imagine how long that would last? Less VCore means less heat, longer life, etc. So if thats important to you, or you just wanna have the best VID possible, so it maximizes what you can do.

So you want OEM if at all possible.

If you really wanna get one, take a flash drive with Core Temp to all yer local stores, find one of those 500$ full comps that has a q6600 in it, check it out, and if its a good one, buy it from the display!

I have to admit that I did that once. Thats EXACTLY how I obtained the 1.2000 VID q6600 that I have now!! Office depot had three types of q6600 display models, I went to all three, two were GREAT VIDs, 1.2250, and the third was 1.2000!! So I got it for 499$, took the chip, and used the parts to build a friend a decent comp and sold it to him for the same price, lol!!

Good Luck!!

--Lupi