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| Thread ID: 112771 | 2010-09-21 18:16:00 | Intel Sold Intentionally Crippled CPUs! | SurferJoe46 (51) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 1138814 | 2010-09-21 18:16:00 | Now they want to charge users for the 'privilege' to unlock the full potential of them - for a small $50.00USD fee. Intel is charging $50 to unlock features of processors in computers that people have already bought, Engadget reported over the weekend. The test involves forking over more money at Best Buy, for example, for a card that allows users to download software to unlock an additional 1 MB of cache memory and enable hyper-threading, which among other things is supposed to speed up the processor’s performance. “The pilot in a limited number of retail stores will center on one Pentium processor, one of our value brands, and will enable a consumer to upgrade the performance of their PC online. This saves the user from buying a new system or taking it in for a physical upgrade.” Intel spokesman George Alfs said to BBC News Let's just call it "Fitz-Intel" from now on. (Google that prefix and see the implication) Ain't that cute? LINK (www.engadget.com) |
SurferJoe46 (51) | ||
| 1138815 | 2010-09-21 19:26:00 | Nothing special, except that they are charging for it. This has been happening forever! Back in the days of the AMD K8s, the 3200+ was a crippled version of the 3400+. (or was it the 3600+? i can't remember.) This is also the reality in the graphics card market. Anyway, the issue here was always quality control. They man X amount of chips from a wafer of silicone, out of X you will have Y fault chips, (they fail predictably) the manufacturer then locks off the "damaged" pipelines, cores or whatever (and lowers the frequency for stability) and the sell it to you for less than what you would have paid if you got a perfect chip. Many dual core processors are in fact broken 4 cores, and single core are almost entirely failed dual cores. So meh. They have always been doing this. However, why would anyone pay for this? Surely this goes against fair trading conventions? Also, will it lower the stability of the chips? Someone will reverse engineer it in a few days, and it won't matter. Also, IMO hyperthreading is worthless crap. |
Cato (6936) | ||
| 1138816 | 2010-09-22 03:55:00 | It won't take long for a free program to pop up that'll unlock 'em. Sony does something similar with the PS3. IIRC it has 8 cores, with one disabled. Part of that is to improve production yields (one broken core doesn't mean a broken CPU). When you think about it, it does make sense. Engineer one chip, then lock out some features, and sell it cheaper. Remember, it costs far, far less to have one lithograph churning out one chip. Also, the processors were never sold in a way that would suggest they were more powerful than the specs listed. You wanted a budget processor? You got it. |
ubergeek85 (131) | ||
| 1138817 | 2010-09-22 05:41:00 | They are not "Crippled" but locked, in an effort to make hardware cheaper for the consumer so that the consumer only pays for what they get . if you want a nice laptop with 3gb RAM and a dual core 2GHz processor with a 512mb GFx card you can get it for about $1500, if you wanted the same thing but with a quad core you would be thrown up to $2000+ . this is a cornered market because the industry knows that the people who will use a 4 core processor are either gamers with the ultimate desire to have better hardware or graphics designers who need that power to do their job . problem is it puts the price up becuase these select groups are willing to pay or need to pay to have the privilage of that extra power . intel is trying to combat this by making their processors "upgradeable" if you want it . this is a well established practice with most processors in the same class being lesser quality versions of their more expensive counterpart . take a quad core CPU that doesn't perform to the minimum specs . its not quite to standard BUT its still fine for general use . it can't be sold as its true form, a quad core CPU but the extra cores can be locked and it is sold as a dual core processor in the same family (eg i5 i3 i2) neowins article explains intels intent much better . neowin . net/news/intel-testing-50-feature-unlock-cards-for-processors" target="_blank">www . neowin . net I like the idea . pay for what you need . it won't take a while before people start cracking it themselves so intels hardware security will have to but up to it . |
The Error Guy (14052) | ||
| 1138818 | 2010-09-22 09:56:00 | Years ago they used to cripple the maths co-processor and sell the chip for less, at least these are going to be upgradable. | mikebartnz (21) | ||
| 1138819 | 2010-09-22 10:10:00 | How can anyone defend this crap?:eek: | Metla (12) | ||
| 1138820 | 2010-09-22 10:12:00 | How can anyone defend this crap?:eek: +1 |
DeSade (984) | ||
| 1138821 | 2010-09-22 17:27:00 | I got to thinking about this situation, and I thought youse guys would be all up in arms about it. I've never seen youse guys roll over on something this insidious before. What's the difference in price to sell a crippled chip verses one that is up to snuff - my answer: there's NO difference. Materials cost the same They both consume identical raw materials They both require flashing Mounting the chip costs the same They both use the same amount of thermal contact paste They both even weigh the same...so? How can they say without squinty eyes that they can now charge more to unlock the full potential? That's just wrong on all levels and points to corporate greed and premeditated (and crass, don't forget crass!) assumption that they can RESELL the same product that the customer already paid for! It's on the same level as selling a car to a customer and then telling them the engine is an upgrade option. |
SurferJoe46 (51) | ||
| 1138822 | 2010-09-22 19:09:00 | TEG: There is a big difference in being locked for stability reasons, and a big reason to be locked for financial reasons. This is an attack on physical ownership rights. |
Cato (6936) | ||
| 1138823 | 2010-09-22 20:42:00 | if you want a nice laptop with 3gb RAM and a dual core 2GHz processor with a 512mb GFx card you can get it for about $1500, if you wanted the same thing but with a quad core you would be thrown up to $2000+. this is a cornered market because the industry knows that the people who will use a 4 core processor are either gamers with the ultimate desire to have better hardware or graphics designers who need that power to do their job. Not true. Many buyers have absolutely *no* idea what they're buying, even casual or semi-enthusiast gamers seem to think they need a massively expensive CPU, when in reality they're better off spending their money on their GPU. I can't tell you the number of people who've been sold on the idea they *must* buy a quad-core, or the absolute latest Intel iX line of CPU or they won't be able to do things like play certain new flash games. Complete and utter BS! <BroadGeneralization>Most people who *need* something like a quad-core, or at least use it to most of its potential, are doing media editing. That's Video, Audio or Pictures (CAD included), not gamers!</BroadGeneralization> |
Chilling_Silence (9) | ||
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