Unusual CPU discovery on eBay
Unusual CPU discovery on eBay
Scrolling through eBay looking for a used 12900K, found this "12900K ES" for about $200. On the images it shows intel LGA1700 CPUs,but it doesn't say 12900K, it says "intel confidential" LGA pads very shiny Wondering if this is a legit CPU and if I should take a chance and buy it. If anyone asks, here is the reference link https://www.ebay.com/itm/175205735731?ha...R_6xu7GMYQ
These ES chips are primarily used to verify motherboard functionality, ensuring they operate correctly. They're not intended for consumer purchase. As a result, many boards lack BIOS compatibility with these chips, and even when supported, the boards often miss essential features such as functional PCIe lanes. If you're looking to purchase an Intel Confidential chip, opt for Quality Samples (QS) instead—they're nearly identical to retail versions, though they may occasionally experience unusual problems and run at much slower clock speeds.
As said above - legit CPU, just that it's an Engineering Sample. Used to be favored over traditional chips once upon a time (i was there, 3000 years ago), now they are mostly the scrapes at the bottom of the barrel. Think of most of them as the other end of silicon lottery. Might work on your mobo, might not. Might have some additional features that are cut off from the main product, might be stripped to bare minimum. Few years ago landed my hands on an ES i7 which performed worse than i3. So fun for experiments and stunts, not for regular everyday use.