Should I exchange my i5-4670k for a shot at a better chip?

boomshard

Member
Oct 14, 2013
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I recently put together a new rig with an i5-4670k. After some initial testing it looks like I'm not going to get it stable past 4.3GHz. I'm at 1.25v on the vcore currently, but I might be able to make some tweaks and lower it. I've been hearing if you get a better quality chip it can OC higher, but I'm also using air so I don't know what my limits would be temperature-wise anyway. Is it worth exchanging for a new chip to try to hit 4.4 or 4.5?

Thanks!
 

Yuriman

Diamond Member
Jun 25, 2004
5,530
141
106
Na. The difference between 4.5 and 4.3 is only 4.6% in an ideal situation, and scaling isn't perfectly linear in most real world scenarios.
 
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Vesku

Diamond Member
Aug 25, 2005
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You're already in the top ~30% or so of chips. Up to you but it's risky.
 

Maximilian

Lifer
Feb 8, 2004
12,604
15
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Is 4.3 low for haswell? If everyone else seems to be getting more i would probable take a gamble at a better chip.

It wont matter much though as others have said.
 

paperwastage

Golden Member
May 25, 2010
1,848
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sigh.... stop doing this

you are defrauding the return policy - the chip works within the stated limits... you are simply increasing the costs of the retailer (and correspondingly, the prices that consumers pay for whatever the retailer is selling)
 

boomshard

Member
Oct 14, 2013
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You're already in the top ~30% or so of chips. Up to you but it's risky.

If that's true, I probably won't take a chance. I think it's still possible for me to tweak and maybe get a little bit higher anyway. My results last night were without tweaks so we'll see what happens.

Where did you get that number from? I'd like to see any stats out there on average overclocks for this chip.
 

boomshard

Member
Oct 14, 2013
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sigh.... stop doing this

you are defrauding the return policy - the chip works within the stated limits... you are simply increasing the costs of the retailer (and correspondingly, the prices that consumers pay for whatever the retailer is selling)

How is this defrauding the return policy? I can return for any reason I see fit. It doesn't have to be defective. I would just walk in and tell them I'm not satisfied with the performance of the chip and would like to exchange for another. That's customer service.
 

Vesku

Diamond Member
Aug 25, 2005
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http://www.hardocp.com/article/2013...74770k_ipc_overclocking_review/6#.UmVYWVNk7rQ

Going by your "using air" comment where as this testing by Asus was done with H100 equivalent closed loop water cooling.

I think the defrauding comments relate to the idea you'd be RMAing the chip with Intel. If you are utilizing a generous return and exchange policy from a retailer then you are simply increasing their costs a bit, which I think is morally neutral.
 
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boomshard

Member
Oct 14, 2013
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Is 4.3 low for haswell? If everyone else seems to be getting more i would probable take a gamble at a better chip.

It wont matter much though as others have said.

Yeah I'm not sure. That's what I've been trying to figure out today. If it's an average or better OC then I'm just going to hang on to it. The thing is, it really wouldn't be hard for me to return the chip and try another, but there's always the risk of getting one that's worse.
 

boomshard

Member
Oct 14, 2013
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http://www.hardocp.com/article/2013...74770k_ipc_overclocking_review/6#.UmVYWVNk7rQ

Going by your "using air" comment where as this testing by Asus was done with H100 equivalent closed loop water cooling.

I think the defrauding comments relate to the idea you'd be RMAing the chip with Intel. If you are utilizing a generous return and exchange policy from a retailer then you are simply increasing their costs a bit, which I think is morally neutral.

Thanks for the link, this is good to know.
 

jacktesterson

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2001
5,493
3
81
How is this defrauding the return policy? I can return for any reason I see fit. It doesn't have to be defective. I would just walk in and tell them I'm not satisfied with the performance of the chip and would like to exchange for another. That's customer service.

You are overclocking the chip. Overclocks are no way guaranteed and are not an excuse to return a chip.

It's common sense.
 

boomshard

Member
Oct 14, 2013
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You are overclocking the chip. Overclocks are no way guaranteed and are not an excuse to return a chip.

It's common sense.

Overclocks don't have to be guaranteed. The return policy states: if I'm not satisfied with my purchase for any reason, then I have the right to return or exchange.
 

ChronoReverse

Platinum Member
Mar 4, 2004
2,562
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In this case it's morally neutral and completely in his right to return the chip according to the policy of the store. Just can't claim defective =)
 

jacktesterson

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2001
5,493
3
81
Overclocks don't have to be guaranteed. The return policy states: if I'm not satisfied with my purchase for any reason, then I have the right to return or exchange.

Then why are you asking us?

You will see no difference. Go for it.
 

boomshard

Member
Oct 14, 2013
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Then why are you asking us?

You will see no difference. Go for it.

I asked because I wanted to get the community's opinion. On one hand, I've seen many better overclocks out there with higher quality chips, but on the other there's a chance I could get an equal or lesser quality chip.

I don't want to get myself into some endless cycle where I'm exchanging every chip until I squeeze out another 100MHz. I just wanted to get an idea of what an average overclock would be using decent air cooling to decide whether mine was acceptable.
 

Schmide

Diamond Member
Mar 7, 2002
5,798
1,125
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Using air is a broad spectrum dude. Post specs please.

Regardless 4.2 is kindo good for haswell.
 

paperwastage

Golden Member
May 25, 2010
1,848
2
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How is this defrauding the return policy? I can return for any reason I see fit. It doesn't have to be defective. I would just walk in and tell them I'm not satisfied with the performance of the chip and would like to exchange for another. That's customer service.

return policies are generous for cases like "I bought this product X, but i think Y fits me better. I can return X right now and get Y" or "this thing somehow broke. I want to return it" or "I don't like X. Let me return it"


you're simply trying to get a better binned product, even though whatever you have right now works as you expected, just not as much as you hoped


and this is why retailers like Costco had to limit their electronics return policy to 90 days.. REI limited it to 1 year...too many people ripping them off

http://consumerist.com/tag/return-policies/

http://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defrauding
defrauding - marked by, based on, or done by the use of dishonest methods to acquire something of value <every new technology has brought with it a raft of defrauding schemes that make full use of it>

dishonest - behaving or prone to behave in an untrustworthy or fraudulent way.


anyways, enough about talking about whether it's fraud or not....
 
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Triglet

Senior member
Nov 22, 2007
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1.25V isn't that high - 1.35V is fine with adequate cooling from what I've read.

Crank that thing up!
 

SOFTengCOMPelec

Platinum Member
May 9, 2013
2,417
75
91
Maybe what Intel need to do is put a tiny breakable strap/link/foil at the top of the chip, covered in a warranty label.
If you leave the sticker alone, you ONLY get stock speeds, and all overclocking is disabled.
If you peel off the tiny sticker, it breaks the foil and changes a tiny connection, so the cpu allows overclocking. But your guarantee becomes much more restrictive.

------------------------

I doubt it is worth the OP de-lidding the chip, as they may get no speed improvement.
 

Ali Man

Junior Member
Apr 6, 2013
1
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It would only be worth getting another chip if you look up certain good OC'ing batches for a better chance of getting a good OC'ing one.

There's a guy over at OCN who just got his new 4670k and it does 4.6Ghz @ 1.216V, so there you go.
 

blackened23

Diamond Member
Jul 26, 2011
8,548
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Not directing this at you, but doing fraudulent and frivolous returns is a scumbag move that increases costs for everyone. IT's basically a waste of time for maybe 100mhz which will make absolutely zero difference in perceptible performance - all the while, offloading a used CPU on someone else no problem?

Come on man. Don't do the scumbag move. And If I were the store owner as someone else mentioned, I would tell you to get out and never return.