Mobile 2400+ with 3000+ core?

[PerlAddict]

Hey guys,

I was gonna buy an unlocked 2500+ off eBay, but then I saw this ad and decided "what the hay, it's only $30 more." I hadn't heard much about the Mobile XP's yet, but I'm happy to be on the bandwagon after reading up on them aftwards. :)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3462121716&category=44935&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBWN%3AIT&rd=1

I bought it from the guy, and it's supposed to be here tomorrow (though I can't test it out for a few more weeks, as I don't have any RAM yet to work in my new mobo).

Can anyone confirm that these things actually have a 3000+ core according to that serial number? And what does being from the center of the fab disk actually have to do with anything? I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to CPU components and what determines what.

If this was actually just a mobile 2400+, then yeah, I guess I got a little ripped off, but I'm not too worried about a couple of extra bucks. But if it IS a 3000+ core, how does something like that happen?

Take a look at his stats screencap for the chip, too ... 148W and 49.5C, aircooled.

What do you think?

- Dave

[adelphia83]

Read his feedback, he's been known to sell altered chips, for example selling a 2500+ as a 3200+ simply by remarking it.

I myself would not do business with a seller who has to use all capital letters and a 72 size font to sell his products. That just screams flaming idiot.

Personally, I would have opted for the cheaper mobile chips sold on Newegg, as they are regarded as the best overclocking AMD chips currently being sold, and are unlocked as well.

That or deal with a seller who isn't such a moron. Let your knowledge of the chip do the buying, not what the seller is trying to advertise to you. This guy is obviously marketing to idiots who know nothing about the chips, in hopes to woooo them over with his big claims, supersized fonts, and useless misinformation.

[Freddie]

Bull Crap. Did any of you remember the 'gold plated' intel 3ghz. It is almost as bad as that. lol

[The Coolest]

DO NOT BUY THAT CHIP, you can get the same chip NEW over at newegg for $99

[PerlAddict]

Well, as I said, I already bought it last week. If I miffed away $50, oh well, I'm not too upset about it.

I was more curious about the serial numbers and the fab disk thing.

And as far as his feedback - I read it. The guy leaving it was a noob to ebay and probably didn't read the ad - lots of people put 3200+ in the ad title and then put that it's actually a 2500+ that will run 3200+ with a 200 FSB.

So we'll see ... anything is better than a PC 450. :p

[adelphia83]

Do the research before buying, it'll save you 50$ next time.

In either case you won't be dissapointed, 150$ is a damn good deal for such a fast chip, if it turns out to be a decent overclocker.

Serial numbers are hard to go by, as they simply haven't been fully deciphered yet. Some claim this is the production sequence number, there are lot of different theories concerning this. What you want to look for is the stepping and the date code, as this is often the most pertainant information concerning a chip's overclockability.

As far as the "middle of the wafer" goes, that is purely hypothethical. Unless this guy is manufacturing these chips at his house, he is simply assuming that since these chips are such overclockers, that the die must have come from the "purest" portion of the silicon wafer, which is generally in the middle. Again this is just advertisment to make this look like a good chip.

[dabhpr]

Got my shiny new XP2400M yesterday. Still priming, no problems.

Here's the obligatory label shot:

http://img29.photobucket.com/albums/v87/dabhpr/MobileXP24004.jpg

A CPU-Z shot:

http://img29.photobucket.com/albums/v87/dabhpr/CPUID_CPU-Z.jpg

And some Sandra benchies... (mislabeled the snaps as, "2719" OOPS!:p

http://img29.photobucket.com/albums/v87/dabhpr/sandra_benchmarks.jpg

[PerlAddict]

Well, next time I'll know. I bought the chip before I really posted here at all, so next time, I'll ask here first. ;) I normally research everything to ungodly lengths - my girlfriend laughed and said it was about time somebody got the better of me.

Still, I'm looking for to it coming. Maybe I'll go ahead and buy a couple of Mobile 2500+ chips in case I burn something up. Can't go wrong for $100.

Speaking of which, is there a big difference in the overclocking performances from the mobile 2400+ and the 2500+ (or even 2600+)?

And as steppings are more important in determining a chip's overclockability, is there a page out there that breaks down what steppings to be on the lookout for?

Thanks for all the help guys, and for not picking on the new guy too much. I've always been a software man, and you guys make it really nice to try and learn new things without being made to feel like an idiot. I really appreciate the hospitality.

- Dave

[PerlAddict]

Alrighty, I got the chip today (though still can't test it because I don't have any compatible ram) ... they delivered it to the wrong house (we have three 2722 house numbers in our neighborhood ... wonder who the genius was that came up with that).

Pics of it:
http://www.daveandsam.net/galleries/computer/amd2400m.jpg
http://www.daveandsam.net/galleries/computer/amd2400mstepping.jpg

I noticed my stepping is a little different from dabhpr's - his chip is four weeks older, but at the end of the stepping code, it was a "W". What does that mean?

There was also a very small residue of some kinda of sticky green substance on the core of the chip ... any clue what that might be?

- Dave

[Xtc4u]

It was probably some sort of thermal pad.

[adelphia83]

The differing three letters at the end of the date code is most likely the production sequence. It generally changes with each week. It's hard to judge the overclocking potential by that alone, unless there is a large database of proven overclocks with a certain code.

Of all the Athlon chips I've come across, all have had shiny dies with no substance on them. Take a close look to make sure it isn't interface material from a prior installation.

[PerlAddict]

I don't know what kind of interface material it could be, so it's hard for me to tell.

I'm guessing I should get this off before putting on any Artic 5 ... any recommendations on what I should use to clean it off besides just a clean cloth?

[PerlAddict]

Oh, and the differences in the end of our steppings is that dabhpr actually has an EXTRA letter in his stepping code. Mine just ends with MPM, and his ends with MPMW. Just to be clear that I was talking about that and not the serial or anything.

[dead_man311]

Originally posted by PerlAddict
I don't know what kind of interface material it could be, so it's hard for me to tell.

I'm guessing I should get this off before putting on any Artic 5 ... any recommendations on what I should use to clean it off besides just a clean cloth?

To clean it off use rubbing Alcohol and a que tip, dont worry you can soak the CPU in the alcohol and it wont hurt it just make sure its 100% dry befor using it

[PerlAddict]

Awesome. I can't use this chip till I get my ram, so it'll have a few weeks to dry. :p

Thanks man. :)

[dead_man311]

No Problem, if been read the thread, post your results when you get it done


good luck, i hope it screams

[bulk88]

that serial number equaling rated coore speed is ABSOLUTE BS, I have applebred durins with a 300xx serial and I dont speed them going past 2330mhz.

[PerlAddict]

Yeah, I've kinda caught onto that. lol. :)

Live and learn. Thankfully it was only a $50 lesson. :D

[PerlAddict]

LOL. The guy I bought the chip from emailed me back when I said I thought his "3000+ core" claim was a load of BS, and I could've gotten this same chip for $77 off Newegg. I told him I wasn't upset - it was my fault for not doing the research like I should have as a buyer. But that he really ought to watch his claims, because someone could get upset and report him to eBay for false advertising.

He wrote me back and told me he had made sure to send me one of the chips that he KNEW would run stable at 2.6Ghz aircooled, and that he had even tested it himself on Prime95 for me to ensure it's stability.

How long did he run Prime? How about a whopping 10 minutes at 1.9vcore ... and from that, he says it's "stable."

Whether it ends up OC'ing great or not isn't the point ... I could've slapped the guy for telling me later on that his stability test took less time than my 4X burner takes to write a CD. And then I could've slapped myself for buying his stuff.

Maybe I'll go buy a couple of mobile 2500's off Newegg to make myself feel better. :D

Has anybody seen any significant overclocking differences in the 2400, 2500, and 2600?

[OC Detective]

They have the same core so I dont think you will really see much of a difference in the 3 models.

[PerlAddict]

Thanks. Good to know.

[PerlAddict]

Okay, I got his official answer on how he knew these chips had a 3000+ core in them:

"It was just a speculation that I found to be true and I advertised on it. I have no solid proof except by testing every cpu by myself."

So yeah, I got had. :D I'd leave him negative feedback in his eBay rating if I knew he wouldn't come back and leave it on mine ... don't wanna screw up my 100%.

[skidooosl]

you should have told him you wanted a refund for false info on the chip, got your $50 back.

[PerlAddict]

The ad clearly stated no returns, no RMAs. *sigh*

I was gun shy about missing out again (missed out on some OCZ 1Gig Dual Platinum EL PC3200 for $200 a month ago), so I went ahead and jumped on it and took the chance. From now on I'm gonna trust my gut feeling when I'm not sure.

If nothing else and it doesn't OC well, I'll make a mini-atx for my girlfriend and buy myself a mobile 2400 or 2500. Either way, it's gonna be faster than my current PIII 450 rig.

[PerlAddict]

well, I decided to see what I could do about all this after all. Never hurts to try, right?

So here's the email I sent the guy:

Jack,

Not to be rude, but your speculation was wrong, and I bought this chip from you under false pretenses. You said you hand-picked ones with 3000+ cores (which I later found you had no way of discerning after thoroughly researching serial numbers and AMD cores and stepping codes online), and then said it was speculation which you confirmed through testing. If you picked them out due to their numbers, then one would assume you had a reason for buying them at the time other than speculation , which you've now told me you didn't have. It doesn't add up.

Just because Mobile 2400+ chips overclock to 2.5Ghz - 2.8Ghz doesn't mean they have 3000+ cores in them, and their serial numbers can't tell you anything about their core or where the came from in the fab disc. Almost all of these chips are capable of achieving these speeds, and since they are mobile processors, they are capable of achieving them at near-stock voltages that the normal, non-mobile counterparts they are overclocked to obtain them at.

I'm sorry, but after much research over the past few days, I've come to find the information in your ad was decidedly false and had no proof to back it up. Had this ad been just for a Mobile 2400+ chip with none of the other claims, I would not request a return, but as the only reasons I bought it from you and not from somewhere else were the claims of a different core and near-center fab disc creation, which you have no way of knowing - these are just standard, everyday 2400+ chips.

I would like to return this item for a refund. I will of course pay shipping. If you hadn't charged twice the price of the actual chip and did in fact have chips with 3000+ cores, I would have just gone about my way, but false advertising is the only reason I bought this chip in the first place. If you agree to a return, I will still leave you positive feedback and just post that there was a mix-up and that you were very accommodating in getting everything worked out.

If you're not familiar with how these AMD chips are processed (I don't know the guy you bought these from feed you the lines about the 3000+ core and the fab disc or what), then I would respectfully recommend researching components before making claims about them and their parts in the future.

Thank you for your time.
Best wishes,
Dave Baughman

> It was just a speculation that I found to be true and I advertised on it. I
> have no solid proof except by testing every cpu by myself.
>

We'll see how it goes.

[dead_man311]

hopfully that hits him good, and learns not to false ad. again.

Have you tested the chip yet ? if so what have you got with it

[adelphia83]

Good for you man. It's nice to see somebody is doing something about circumstances like this, hopefully this guy changes his methods of selling in the future.

Although the chip looked pretty damn promising (and even moreso if it reaches the 2.6ghz this guy advertised), I think you'll be happy in the end after saving 50$ or more, and likely getting just as good a chip.

Good luck! btw that letter was VERY well written.

[PerlAddict]

Thanks. I haven't tested the chip yet, because I'm having to buy this rig piece by piece as finances allow (I just footed over $1000 in medical bills for our pets :( ), and I still have to get my ram and a new psu.

I'm a sticklier for grammar, so after I copied and pasted that email here, I could've kicked myself for not proofreading more ... a couple of those sentences you can see where I started to say one thing and switched halfway. I hate not sounding like I took all those college english and journalism courses. lol. But I think it'll do.

Whether or not he'll agree to it, I don't know. The ad DID say no returns, but it also said it had a 3000+ core, and we already know that's a load of bull.

With the same chip for $77 on Newegg, I just can't justify buying one for $150 ... I could get two of them for that price (and I just might if he refunds the money. :D ), and I'm sure one of them would end up being a good OC. Or just put the extra money towards the SP-97. :)

But like I said, I've got a P3 450 right now, so anything is a step up. lol. Once I get my barton up and running, I'd like to see what I could OC this old chip to. When I first got it, I clocked it to 606Mhz (and back then the P3 550 was the fastest chip out), but it overclocked the PCI and AGP buses, too (which I didn't know about back then), so I couldn't keep running it, because my video card kept crapping out (and to think a Leadtek TNT2 Ultra 32MB card was $200+ .... I think I saw one for $14 the other day on eBay. I weep for my computer ... lol).

Thanks guys. You've all been a big help, and without some of the comments in this thread, I probably would've just sucked it up and let it go, but I think something should be done about people making claims to sell products that aren't true.

If he refuses to issue a refund, I wonder what else I can do, though? And as petty as it may sound, I really like having my 100% feedback on eBay, so I hate to just leave negative for a guy and get negative back, too.

[PerlAddict]

Well, he says the auction stated "no returns," so he won't take it back. I said it also stated "3000+ cores", but that obviously wasn't true, so I thought we could work it out.

But no dice. So for anyone's future reference, if you eBay, don't buy from this knumbskull: compyoung (http://cgi2.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewFeedback&userid=compyoung)

I think I'm going to wait until day 90 after the sale, and give him my negative feedback at the last minute. Hopefully that way he won't see it until after his timeframe allowed to leave feedback for me is over, and I won't have to deal with his posting negative feedback on me for revenge. :D

[PerlAddict]

As an update (for anything that cares at all about eBay drama), I've decided to file a fraud report for selling items that are not as they were described. I've emailed eBay asking them about whether I should tell him I'm filing one before I do in hopes of him going ahead and settling it then and there, or just wait until after the mandatory 30 days past the sale and file it without talking to him again prior to that.

What that means, though, is that I can't test this chip out. I'm going to Utah in four days, and I'll probably just buy a Mobile 2400+ off Newegg when I get home. If my tax return is back by then, maybe I'll be able to pick up my ram and new psu, too - and then I'll be on my way! :)

[FatesWarning]

Good for you! :) I was just about to say file an ebay claim and have them pressure his ass. Either you will get 80% of your $150 back or they will convince him to give you a refund.

[PerlAddict]

If they give me my 80% back, what happens then? (I knew they had a $25 claims processing charge). If they refund it, would I still get to keep the chip? Cause THAT would be a little to good of a deal. That would be like getting the chip for $25. lol.

[treepop]

so what happens if you don't win?.....do you end up with $225 in processors?......just currious......also.......what happens if that chip does hit 2.6ghz stable?.....will you cancell your fraud attack.....or is this based on principle?

[PerlAddict]

Well, if they still charge you the fee, I'd only be out an extra $25, which would total $175, and I still keep the processor.

And I don't care if it hits 3.2Ghz at 32C under load, the guy said he was selling chips marked as 2400+ chips that actually had 3000+ cores and were from the center part of the fab disk, and he later said it was just speculation because he ran it at that speed for 10 minutes on Prime and it didn't crash.

I have no way of knowing what the chip will run, because I'm not going to install it until I get this whole thing settled, because that wouldn't be right of me to use it and then send it back if he ends up saying he'll allow a return.

And I wouldn't call it a "fraud attack" :rolleyes: It's not like I'm trying to ruin the guy or lambasting him for things he can't control - I just want what I paid for, and $150 for a normal 2400+ chip is NOT what I paid for. For all I know the guy bought them off Newegg for $77 with free shipping and then turned around and sold them at twice the price.

I have a feeling if I bought a couple of mobile 2400+'s with that money (since I could afford two chips for $150), that I'd find one I could get to 2.6Ghz with the NF7-S, SP-97, and 1 Gig Mushkin Lvl 2 PC3500.

[adelphia83]

Fraud attack? Perhaps you should choose your words a little more wisely next time. Seeing the circumstances, I don't really understand how you consider this an "attack".

Call it what you want, but the thieves on Ebay will not stop unless something is being done about it. The auction/transaction in question is fraud, pure and simple. Unless transactions like this are brought into the light, nothing is going to change, and countless other people are going to get ripped off in a similar manner.

If I were in his shoes, it would be based on principle, yes.

[PerlAddict]

Yeah, the money really isn't that important. It's not like I'm rolling in the dough or anything (the vet bill this past month for three dogs and two cats pretty much wiped out my savings account, going on for a grand total of $1,200 currently), but losing $75 bucks isn't going to kill me. But buying something that he so adamantly stated had a certain core and fab disc location based on the secondary serial number of the chip (which was actually different on the one he sent me, as well) at a price so much higher than it should have been, and knowing I bought it ONLY because of his statements ... that makes me want to remedy the situation and make him own up. Whether it was ignorance or idiocy that cause him to post what he did, it's still his fault (and I say that because in his original ad, he spouted off a bunch of figures as if he really knew what he was doing, and in emails he said all his figures were just "speculation he found to be true during testing").

One of his buyers was happy with an OC of 2.2Ghz with 45C under load. Supposedly he sent me an even better chip, so he says. But it doesn't matter. Unless this chip has a 3000+ core and came from the fab disc center, and he can prove it (meaning he didn't just post those facts and hope that he was right), then he was in the wrong as a seller. Thankfully I was keen enough to do some follow up research. If I had been a little more on top of my game, I would have done it beforehand. But his "I only have 10 of these chips" thing put a little bit of a rush on me, so I thought (though later he told me not to worry, he had plenty, and to just email him if I didn't get to it on eBay before they were all gone from the listings).

Besides, every now and then, someone has to see if the system really works. :)

I know one thing for sure - from now on, I'm sticking to Newegg instead of trying to save a couple of bucks. :D