CPU stamina?

SkaarjMaster · § #1 11-03-2009, 09:41 AM

OK, so that's not really the correct word for it, but I was wondering about something. You always hear about RAM going bad, PSUs frying, MBs getting toasted, HDs spinning out of control, burners dying, video cards overheating, and other things going bad on computers, but you never hear much about CPUs going bad. Why is that? I've screwed up the pin alignment on one before and aligned them back and it's still working fine right now.

Bearded Frog · § #2 11-03-2009, 09:57 AM

Depends.. If you are running high voltages for an OC they can die sooner but usually they still outlive anything else in the system. I always thought CPU manufacturers should just claim lifetime warranty. Chances are you wont be sending one in for warranty that isnt physically damaged.

I did send one into AMD that had 2 missing pins and the rest bent from it getting pulled out with a heatsink and they sent me a brand new one even though they could have just told me to bugger off. I don't think they get many legit warranty replacements.

Kamlanie · § #3 11-03-2009, 01:44 PM

i have had a processor that was on its last leg. It caused the computer to malfunction like nothing else can in a computer... It would just randomly freeze, without warning, no blue screen... your mouse, your screen, your sound just stops. the only way to get it to start working again is by force restarting the computer. So it is possible for processors to die, but when the processor starts to go, i have noticed that it damages your other hardware, wich is why, i think, that many people are talking about the video card issues, or ram issues or whatever.

My ol processor that died took my motherboard, my video card and my ram with it...

That being said, i think it is more rare for a processor to fail than it is for something like ram, or something else.

Windrunner · § #4 11-03-2009, 01:56 PM

On a typical system that is not overclocked, a faulty processor is the last thing you should ever suspect. When it appears to be the processor - it's likely that the PSU, mobo, or if it has an integrated memory controller, the RAM did something to damage it.

ozzy983 · § #5 11-04-2009, 03:13 PM

Processors never fail, they just knew it was time for an "upgrade"

Seriously though, it's rare for it to just up and die. Unless you are pumping a serious overclock, and even then, it's hard to really kill it. As long as cooling is good and the PSU is capable.

Chiles4 · § #6 11-04-2009, 05:42 PM

Electronics and circuit-board-based items will always die sooner than a processor. The processor package is like a tank. Then again, even the former stuff doesn't die very often.

Windrunner · § #7 11-04-2009, 10:11 PM

It's always the capacitors that die first, electrolytic ( did I get it right? ) capacitors are 99% of the time the first to go.

Then if it's in a high humidity / unregulated environment you can get some oxidation, but that takes awhile unless we're talking REALLY unregulated or you splash it with water.

mr_raider · § #8 11-05-2009, 02:09 PM

Quality and calibre of engineering and tech that goes in to a CPU is far ahead of what goes in to mobos or RAM. During regular operation, or even OCed operation I have never had a CPU fail on me. I only had one CPU fry, but that was a crappy ANtec PSU that blew two hard drives and the mobo at the same time.