Engineering sample QX9300

So I see that Ebay has engineering samples of the QX9300 for only 399$, which I find pretty cheap. The description says it's a "Engineering sample, Stepping E0" and that it's just as good as a OEM processor. Can this be true? I mean, it's a lot cheaper than any OEM version, so I'm not sure really...any info on this?

Also, how good does a normal QX9300 overclock? Is it possible to reach 3.5Ghz in a M570TU?

 

The ES QGNG is very good.
OC will be bios limited to 2.93Ghz..

With economical crysis these ES are very cheap!!

PS: ANy info from Kobalt??

 

ES or Engineering Sample processors are owned by Intel and they will only be given out for testing purposes, so selling them is illegal... Or so I have heard.

 

I'm certain Intel would've long ago put a cease an desist on the eBay trade, if the company truly held legal basis to do so.

 

I've been running an ES X9100 for about 6 months now, OC'd to 3.5GHz with no issues at all. I highly recommend ES chips. They are priced where the real chip should be priced anyways.

 

I second that.

 

Hmm, it's locked in BIOS @2.93Ghz? But we can still use SetFSB to increase the FSB and overclock it further I hope? 2.93GHz just isn't enough for me

I haven't heard from Kobalt yet, I'll let you know when they answer.

 

setFSB won't OC a PM45 chipset. At least not the ones found in the NP5797. The trick some use to bump up the FSB a bit with it won't work with my X9100 ES. Hard lockup.

 

I get hard lock on my T9800 also. Just forget about setFSB with this chipset.

 

LOL.

Isnt interesting that a name of a popular game makes us how to really spell a word.

Crysis = Crisis

I used to spell Mist as Myst and Combat as Kombat.

 

I've always wondered that, selling wise of ES chips. They are on eBay, in abundance, for years now, and Intel does nothing.

I understand the forums knee jerk reaction to banning their reselling of them in the FS section because they are pretty small and don't want to invite the "Hammer of Intel", but I am curious as to why they are still on eBay. One thing eBay will do is yank down sales fast if companies complain.

 

Oh they banned engineering samples from the BST forum? I didn't know that. Great, now where do I sell my T9800?

 

Yeah, I saw them pop up on the forums. I even had a few listed last year. Someone listed I think an X9100 ES and some nerd herder harped on Intel's policy and boom, BST rules were updated to say ES chips could no longer be sold.

Nevermind they have been on eBay for quite some time and are still available in a massive abundance even now.

Ah well.

 

yep cant sell them here now. sucks.. you will have to go to ebay

 

That blows I guess I won't be selling my qx9300 now.

 

that does suck. but i have the same chipset and i can overclock my system using setfsb and bios. i dont remember which one used. i have to check tonight.

 

For the love of God, why has Clevo locked it at 2,93GHz? It makes no sense...Will the makers of SetFSB ever make it compatible with PM45 chipsets you think? I certainly hope so. If not maybe I'll just buy the Q9000/Q9100 instead.

 

All I see on Intel's ES page is a bunch of ambiguous language that never seems to constitute anything about the legality of selling the processors.

This quote in particular:

Nothing in that phrase says that the vendor has inherently done Intel any wrong by selling an engineering sample to a customer. I'd expect something more along the lines of "please contact Intel immediately, as this is considered stolen property".

I don't see why you can't advertise in your sig, then handle further contact through private messages.

 

Cookie. The M570TU's power supply will have trouble handling the power draw from both an overclocked top shelf CPU and GPU. I think Clevo's R&D anticipated this and restricted the QX9300 and X9100 to +1.5x.

 

I'm thinking about buying a M860TU with a weak processor, buy a Q9100 on ebay (probably not QX9300, as I'm worried about heat and mobility problems) and put it there myself.
I haven't done it before, are there any guides around as to how to do this right? I'm not a novice with computers, but I never messed with processors myself.
So say I get the rig with a T6400 duo processor, could I risk the motherboard wouldn't accept the Q9100, would I just need to do a firmware upgrade with the motherboard? A bit confusing.

Also, how much truth is there to statements on ebay like:

"When comparing prices on eBay, note other sellers on eBay are selling ES cpu's (engineering sample) and not retail production CPU's. ES samples are illegal to sell and remain the property of Intel. They have most likely been stolen or obtain by deception. Not only are they illegal they are engineering samples meant for test environments only. These CPU's could damage your PC. DO NOT BUY THESE, THEY ARE NOT FULL PRODUCTION ITEMS"

Apart from this coming from a guy who's apparently selling an OEM processor, how exactly could an ES processor "damage your PC" if the ES has the same specs as the OEM anyway? (I've seen only E0 stepping ES's so far).

Thanks.

 

they WILL NOT DAMAGE your system...

 

Right. ES chips will not damage your system. They are only employing scare tactics to discourage ES chips moving around.

 

Yeah, he's trying to get someone to pay his higher price. There is merit in wanting an OEM if you so desire, but to employ sad and pathetic scare tactics like that to try and move your CPU is weaksauce.

 

i'm running an es for almost a month overclocked and i am fine.

 

Q9100 voids the warranty tho. But as far as I know, Qx9300 and Q9100 are both 45W, so they should produce same heat. I say go for Qx9300

 

I'm not worried about my warranty. If I have to send my notebook back, I'll just put the factory shipped P8600 back in and send it off. Technically, the warranty is only voided if they can prove that your CPU upgrade caused some sort of damage to the system.

 

Alright thanks guys, good that's settled then. Now returning to the first part of my previous post; what do you think about the idea of buying the lowest possible processor and replacing it yourself with a quad or high-end duo, is it wise? I believe there is some money saved, and I'm willing to have a go at it myself, just need some guides to look at, can any such ones be found somewhere?

 

Haha too funny. I'm always afraid Sager and Xotic are tracking me on here and noting whats no longer covered in my order... Who knows...

 

Replacing the cpu is easy, have a look at the service manual in my sig, and make sure you have some thermal grease to hand (I recommend Arctic Cooling MX-2)

 

It's good to know I am not the only one with this paranoia around here.

 

Hey guys, Ive got a question. I bought an OEM x9100 CPU from an Amazon.com vendor and recevied an ES chip! Now I paid alot more than I could have for an ES chip on ebay for it so I told the guy I didnt mind keeping it if he would give me a resonable rebate. He is telling me it is OEM even though it says ES right on the chip and has an ES spec. I dont want to send it back and wait forever if cause Im in Iraq. What can I do to prod him along

 

Complain to Amazon.com that he deceived you, maybe they would be able to help you.Other than that not really much you can do.

 

First you have to be willing to send it back. Otherwise you have no bargaining position. Your seller purposely tried to pass off an ES as an OEM, which is very telling about the type of person you are dealing with. Expecting him to now 'do the right thing' is probably unrealistic.

If you paid with a credit card you have some leverage. You can contact your credit card issuer and explain the details and dispute the purchase. In my experience the CC sides with its customers 99% of the time when the customer is in the right.

If you are willing to do that then you can inform your seller that unless he either refunds the purchase plus shipping, or refunds the difference between an ES and a OEM, or sends an OEM, that you will contact both Amazon.com and your CC issuer and dispute the purchase. That should should either elicit a response or garner a refund. But you will be required to return the CPU, of course.

GL and let us know how it goes.

 

Well he did something that took me offguard. He admited that these were ES chips, and also that they have never been used. This is possible but still do I take his word for it? To wipe away all my worries he granted me a warranty on it for one year. I think this turned out good.

 

That did not turn out good at all. Do you really think that some one who misleads you about their product in the first place is some one who you can trust to deal with any problems if they occurred under a one year warranty?

You said yourself that you paid more for these since you thought you were buying OEM. You have wasted money and the seller has been dishonest.

He is trying to get you to keep the over priced goods by offering you a warranty that has no basis that it actually exists (no official contract).

I would expect no less than a credit rebate from the seller otherwise I would contact Amazon customer services and be prepared to send the item back.

Dishonesty should never pay!

 

if you report him to intel....then they will go after him

 

If the seller is in the US or Europe, then yes. Intel will hunt this man down.

 

Tell him that only monetary compensation will do. Toss in something about your lawyer drafting an email to an Intel contact he has.

The guy told you it's OEM, even though it's obviously ES. Call his bluff.