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How Long do CPUs Last?

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In my 15 years of building computers, I've never killed a processor.

Obviously changing the Multiplier and Voltage can shorten it's lifespan, but most of the time you're ready for a new computer long before it ever happens. As for a non-OCed processor... good luck killing anything from Intel/AMD. If it doesn't die within the first month, chances are it will outlive your usage.
 
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they typically keep going even past the point when they are obsolete even if you overclock them to the extreme

to those that say overclocked CPUs don't last as long, have you ever seen or heard of one fail? theory is nice but what's the point if overclocking shortens the lifespans of a CPU from something like 15 years to 10?
 
sangyup81 said:
to those that say overclocked CPUs don't last as long, have you ever seen or heard of one fail? theory is nice but what's the point if overclocking shortens the lifespans of a CPU from something like 15 years to 10?
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In my case it manifested really weird because the DVR/server machine was getting a RAM upgrade first. After putting in the new memory, the machine started throwing panic errors (using Arch Linux). After testing, turned out the new memory AND the CPU were to fault.

But the difference? When I had the core, 600MHz made all the difference in Crysis being enjoyable. 😀 I pushed the CPU to max spec voltage quite a few times which definitely didn't help its lifespan.
 
realmike15 said:
In my 15 years of building computers, I've never killed a processor.
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I have.....stepped on it.

Had one killed by a cat once.....shorted it out and made it a paperweight. Was an old 486DX66.....found dead last year.

About the only way to kill them, though. Never had one die in use, OC'd or not.
 
They will last until a power surge kills it. I have good reason to believe that it is ALWAYS something else that will kill it. Regardless of what voltage you run at, there will always be spikes, and the higher your base voltage the higher those spikes are going to be. I think it depends more on power supply than anything else. If you use a heavily filtered triple battery stage, triple redundant power supply, and perform regular maintenance on the batteries, it could conceivably run for 100+ years.
 
I don't think I've ever had a CPU just up and die on me. I'm pretty sure if I still had my old 286 machine, it would still run.

As for motherboards, I've had a lot less luck with them. Typically the chipsets work great, but I've had auxiliary components start going bad. I replaced my C2Q-6600 as a server, because the "GIGARAID" (Gigabyte rebranding) controller kept messing up and dropping SATA drives.
 
just remembered 🙁 the only cpu which has died on me was a athlon xp 2500 which I was trying to make into a athlon xp 3200 lol 😉

then I got a athlon xp 2500 mobile which would do 2.6ghz easily so I was happy 🙂
 
I have a Windows 2000 server here running on an old P4 based Celeron since 2002-2003.
Still kicking, but I am currently looking for components to replace these for "fear" that it won't last much longer. Pre-emptive.
 
gosh ive killed so many yorkies i lost count.

And ive lost 2 gulftowns... which hurt

ive lost god knows how many ram chips... and god knows how many boards..
 
aigomorla said:
gosh ive killed so many yorkies i lost count.

And ive lost 2 gulftowns... which hurt

ive lost god knows how many ram chips... and god knows how many boards..
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That's insane, those gulftowns are so expensive. Were they the extreme edition ones?
 
aigomorla said:
gosh ive killed so many yorkies i lost count.

And ive lost 2 gulftowns... which hurt

ive lost god knows how many ram chips... and god knows how many boards..
Click to expand...

I see you are a water cooling user. How high did you put the volts in those? Also, is it just me or are a great majority of CPU deaths Intels? Are they more sensitive to volts or something?
 
Smartazz said:
That's insane, those gulftowns are so expensive. Were they the extreme edition ones?
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i was trying to see how durable they were... but i tried to keep safe.
The first one died on WCG after 1 month being on constantly load with 1.45Vcore and 1.4VTT

The second one died @ 1.4Vcore and 1.4VTT.

My sponsor after i killed the 2nd one went GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!
But managed to squeeze in 2 more being the 980X and the 990X

sangyup81 said:
I see you are a water cooling user. How high did you put the volts in those? Also, is it just me or are a great majority of CPU deaths Intels? Are they more sensitive to volts or something?
Click to expand...

Oh ive tried to kill cpu's back when i was really into the hobby (also had cpu sponsorships). I wanted to test IDC's voltage migration's statement as well as others..

I would set Kents (B3) up at 1.6Vcore (Freakishly a TANK CPU)... Yorkies at 1.5V (cheetahs), and Wolfies @ 1.6 (crack addict) just to see how long they would last...

My ethics is... you dont know whats safe until you've killed one.. or until you've had a long run with one... the first being a faster route at the answer then the second.
 
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Idontcare said:
I killed my QX6700 after running it on 1.55V fully loaded 24/7 for around 2yrs.
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the rock of Gibraltar actually fell? :O

lolol... no but seriously.... the Kentsfield has to be one of intel's most durable processor, once the cpu pins were removed from the cpu.

The Original Bloomfield gets close... but its not an armored kentsfield.
 
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