Cut corners: Intel has decided to discontinue its Operation Tuning Protection Plan service, which served every bit a supplementary warranty that enthusiasts could purchase for CPU overclocking. Constructive March 1, 2022, Intel will no longer be offer new PTPP plans, though they will proceed to honour and service existing PTPP plans throughout the life of the processor'southward warranty period.

Intel's PTPP launched way back in 2022 between the Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge era that spawned some of Intel's nigh memorable overclocking chips -- such as the seemingly immortal Cadre i7-2600K.

The service was trotted out initially as a six-month pilot plan, but went on to stick around for 9 years.

For a pocket-size toll -- between $xix.99 and $29.99 -- aspiring overclockers could purchase the optional warranty that would protect against the inherent gamble of damaging a CPU during overclocking. There were a few caveats, nevertheless.

First, the overclocking failure had to occur within Intel's original warranty. Intel'due south boxed processors (that is, not tray SKUs) take historically carried a 3-year warranty. Secondly, Intel would simply issue 1 replacement, and users could not purchase some other PTPP warranty for that replacement; it was i and washed.

While seeing Intel kill off PTPP is a fleck sad, it'southward not birthday a surprise either. Intel noted in its announcement that information technology has seen an overall decreased demand every bit "customers increasingly overclock with conviction."

Plus, general overclocking isn't as arcane as it used to be. Intel's boosting technology, such as Turbo Boost and Thermal Velocity Boost, already excerpt a lot of actress clock speed that used to be left for overclockers.

Intel also pushes its electric current suite of overclocking software aimed at making the process a fleck easier and safer for the inexperienced to go into. Additionally, motherboard vendors offer their own overclocking tools and safety measures that take helped make overclocking more than mainstream. Intel notes that the Xeon W-3175X is unaffected, as overclocking is automatically covered for the chip.

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