Intel Releases 3 "Upgrade Cards" for Sandy Bridge

So if I'm understanding this correctly, Intel is selling a faster CPU that you have to pay extra to fully use?

This is the dumbest thing ever, will just go with AMD then I know what I'm paying for is what I'm getting.

Wouldn't it be great if Intel would tell you exactly what you were getting instead of "15% faster" with increases in Frequency/Cache?

I've looked on Intel's site and they don't list the specs for the upgraded models anywhere.

Herp this is what happens when amd can't compete intel can artificially cripple their cpus to match amd's power/price point and still turn a profit, while at the same time turn even more of a profit selling keys to unlock more power from the cpus.

You do realize that the lower end processors are just high end processors with certain features disabled?

AMD does not make ANY triple core processors, they are quads with one core disabled...

Pretty much every modern intel has the architecture to support hyperthreading, it's just disabled on certain models by the firmware.

Yeah, this is profiteering at its finest... I'll stick with AMD, thanks...

I've heard of people unlocking cores on their AMD processors. They throttle stuff too; they just don't offer upgrades. If you had purchased one of these throttled Intel processors earlier, you would still get the performance you originally expected from them.

I don't like the idea of disabling hardware as part of the bleed you for every cent scheme myself. But the worst thing you can do for a cause is give bad arguments for it.

Frankly I'm shocked. Not at Intel but at my friends and others I see on the net who think this is some new form of profiteering that hasn't been seen/done before...

This is what AMD, Nvidia, ATI, and Intel have been doing for well over a decade now...except now when Intel makes it easier, cheaper, and open to everyone people complain. People really must be slow to catch on.

It used to be you bought an artificially slower chip from the factory, and if you wanted to upgrade you replaced the ENTIRE chip--spending more money and having the hassle of taking it out of your system and installing a new one. Now you just pay an extra 50 bucks and instantly make it faster...

With GPU manufacturers it is the same thing...release the top end chip and keep disabling/removing features from it and selling it at lower price points to cover your market.

Yes, sometimes they go "up" by adding faster memory or "unlocking" the multipliers...but it essentially the same thing. Like sticking a Cobra sticker on your v6 mustang.

So basically intel is charging you to unlock their cores so you can overclock & have a little more cache. No thanks. I'm waiting for Bulldozer.

You're a fool if you pay $50 extra for these trivial upgrades.

I may be wrong, but I thought the AMD tri-cores were made from defective AMD quads, and that enabling the 4th core could cause problems?

In the past, the lower end chips were just that, the lower quality products that came off the line(not all silicone is created equal...).

Now it seems like intel is taking perfectly good products and crippling them to sell them to you for cheap.

Again, this might not be exactly how it works, but thats the way ive always perceived it.

Freakin money whores. I respect Intel, but their prices and this is just wrong.

Let's see, save on production costs by offering a more inexpensive solution to the people who cannot yet afford the faster machine by using "upgrade cards". Sounds pretty fucking smart to me. Honestly, they should make one BAD ASS processor that would cost in the 500-600 dollar range and when you ready, you can purchase the upgrade.

This is just another blurb of ignorant ranting on Tom's. Sounds just like my co-workers in my union. What!? Your going to charge us 14 dollars a week for health insurance and if we don't use that money in that year we lose it!!?? LOL

We realize you had your new car for several months and did we mention the motor is only set @ 250 horsepower? But for an extra $1000 we can set it to 380 horses. And, in the next several months we are going to offer an extra 15mpg for the low price of $1200. All you need is this scratch off "upgrade card".

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BLEEDING PEOPLE FOR MONEY! NOT EVERYONE CAN AFFORD THE HIGHER END PROCESSOR! Where is this "bleeding" even coming from???

We realize you didn't have the "money" to afford all of the options at the time but will still opted to sell you the car initially with a few drawbacks. When you are ready, we have a great upgrade option that doesn't require you to purchase a new vehicle, have any modifications done and you can do it from home, online, in your underwear. Hmmm....

Or initially broke at the time of purchase.

No, Intel is giving you a processor at a lower price point so they don't have to waste CPU's in order to achieve the same result with a completely useless, un-upgradable POS, I mean.. CPU.

Finally, someone with some common sense.

I haven't owned an OEM computer for a while, but these folks can't go into the bios and overclock it themselves? The vast majority of users might not have the technical knowledge to do so, but it seems that someone who knows about the upgrade cards might know enough to google overclocking.

Also, isn't this prone to piracy? Can't someone crack intel's software or write their own firmware for a free unlock?

Ohhh, yes.. thumb these all down. It'll be like FOX news up in here. Drama sells.

Not trying to be a jerk, but... what about prepaid cellular phone cards?

I understand that most chips are just disabled better chips, but this is a rip off. If you purchased the original chip for say $65, and the next chip up is $70-75 (which is about the difference we are talking about) then $50 for an upgrade is just unreasonable.
Besides, these are all bottom barrel Pentiums and i3s. 15-20% of slow is still crap slow no matter how you look at it.

That being said, I have always bought Intel chips, and likely always will because back when AMD was fastest, good software wouldn't run on them, and now AMD just cannot compete except is low power markets that I rarely visit.

You get what you paid for without having to be stuck with a 2 year contract with a monopolistic corporate satan like at&t.

Hackers unite /Keygen

AMD does it for a reason for e.g. The fourth core on triple cores is not up to the mark or just plain non-functioning(Evident from the fact that everyone was not able to unlock the fourth core and keep it stable). Intel is doing it just to have a new product up its sleeves. This means that Intel is sure this upgrade will work on every mentioned processor. AMD couldn't have said that.

Sir, yes, I know if you buy this upgrade car you might get anti-lock breaks and 20 more horse power, I really don't know what it will do to the car to be honest, but go for it.

While you are correct in asserting that most low-end processors (by BOTH AMD and Intel) have their capabilities artificially disabled there can be reasons that they do so. Take the AMD Phenom II X3 for example. AMD initially decided to release these chips as a result of one of the cores on the Phenom II X4 being defective. This is just a flaw in the manufacturing process and allows them to sell them at a lower price point. However, the when the market for the X3 expands and exceeds the number of faulty processors then some of the X4s are artificially limited to 3 cores. This is why some people are able to unlock a 4th core on the X3 and some are not. I have no problem with this process as it is simply making use of an otherwise defective processor.

However, what it sounds like Intel is doing is artificially limiting every single processor and not because of the aforementioned binning process. I see this as a grossly unfair method to raise their profit margins. They should just sell the chips without the artificial limitations without increasing the price.

Us at THG won't fall for this Intel crap.
But you can expect OEM to do this on their new builds.

As long as you're getting what you paid for I don't see a problem. Complaining about this is like complaining you can't sit in unsold business/first class seats if you have a coach ticket.