Intel warranty

Hi guys. Sorry for a stupid question, just don't know if it's a bull or I should really worry about.

I'm getting a new comp. A guy who will assemble it for me says I shouldn't get zalman cpu cooler, because he must use the cooler which came with cpu (e6600 retail). If no, then the warranty for cpu is gone. Is he right or we're ok to use any cooler?

Thanks in advance for the response! And sorry again, I'm just a stupid woman

unfortunately, it is true. technically speaking, using anything other than the stock cooler voids warranty.

IMO, this is kinda a grey area. normally, i am totally against people voiding their warranty (by overclocking/overvolting) and returning products for RMA, but in this case, i personally wouldn't have a problem with it. intel cannot tell what heatsink was mounted on it, and if all you are doing is using the zalman for quieter operation/lower temps, i'd say do it.

the chances of you ever having to exercise your warranty are slim to none btw. in 15-20 years i've never had a cpu die, and thats even overclocking and overvolting every single one i've owned.

if you ever had to send the cpu back to intel, you could even tell them you ran the zalman. if there was truely a defect in the cpu, i am pretty confident they would replace it anyways.

oh, and by the time that cpu dies from old age, it will be dirt cheap to replace.

so to sum it up, i think using the zalman is worth it. the guy building the pc might not want to do it for you, but you can always mount it yourself.

I believe you have to buy a boxed set of the CPU and the HS to have a warranty because if you just buy an OEM CPU the warranty is offered by the OEM and not Intel.

But I don't think you have to actually use the Intel HS. Of course if the processor was damaged by over heating to 100c, they would probably void the warranty for not installing the HS properly. Otherwise, no problem.

So technically he is right, you must buy the boxed set; but he is wrong, you can install any HS so long as it keeps the Tc less than what Intel specifies for your processor.

As said before, yeah, it is supposed to void the warranty, but there is no way they would know. If it fails, it would most likely not be your fault anyway.

thideras said:

As said before, yeah, it is supposed to void the warranty, but there is no way they would know. If it fails, it would most likely not be your fault anyway.

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My Intel warranty says: "Intel warrants...if the Product is properly used and installed" and is only excluded if the product is modified or operated outside Intel's publicly available specification (too high voltage?!) or if its subject to accident, abnormal electrical, mechanical or environment conditions or installed improperly, etc.

Of course this means if the Zalman malfunctions, then Intel can't be held liable but so long as the Zalman performs according to Intels specs then your processor has a warranty; there is no need for their HS, which you could easily show was inferior to the one you want to use.

If you are not planning to overclock though, the intel HS will work perfectly because the E6600 produces very little heat at stock voltages.