Could a potentially harmed CPU affect the motherboard?
Could a potentially harmed CPU affect the motherboard?
Hey, just a quick question. I spotted what seemed like a solid deal on a used Haswell CPU on EBay, but the description raised some red flags. It mentioned the chip came from a machine that was damaged by a power surge, yet all other parts, including the motherboard, were fine. The seller claims it’s untestable without a working motherboard and is offering a full refund if it doesn’t work. I’m curious about the chances this could affect my motherboard, since there’s no visible damage to the connections or anything else. Thanks!
It's conceivable but extremely improbable. For this to occur, the CPU would need to completely overload and generate sufficient current rapidly enough to activate motherboard protection, a scenario nearly impossible with any decent board. I still wouldn't suggest it, though I wouldn't discourage buying a Haswell CPU either—modern office work isn't worth the effort. For general use, consider an Optiplex used model instead for similar prices. The only realistic chance would be with a non-K SKU aimed at competitive overclocking, but even then the chip might be damaged and useless.
I made a mistake. The 6950x is Broadwell E and it’s meant to push my old workstation to its limits with software that can’t be activated online or over the phone. I won’t risk my computer using a keygen to crack software I bought with a perpetual license, especially these days. I need to keep that machine running until a free software option emerges that isn’t constantly overshadowed by a small group that openly resists certain features they don’t grasp or care about. I was just talking about it. Thanks for the feedback, I’ll look for another listing.
I might struggle to suggest Broadwell E, but the platform does offer some reasonable CPUs. Your choice really depends on your needs—used Xeons could be a better fit if you're not targeting high performance. For demanding multithreaded tasks, an E5-2698 V4 under $50 works well and outperforms the 6950X in those scenarios due to its double-core design. It's definitely worth looking into.
Yes, it happened to me too. I boosted my Z170 build three years ago and the 6.6GHz clock failed. When I moved it to an older H110 board, it also stopped working. I had it fixed there for a couple months before switching to a cheaper 10th-gen i3 and H470 board.