Which to Buy - ES Q9550, or Keep Waiting for Retail Q9550? - Better Overclocker?

I've had my Core 2 Quad Q9550 on preorder since March 8, and there are still no signs of any retail and OEM editions of this CPU coming to the US. A few have trickled into the European market, but they are incredibly overpriced. On eBay, there are several auctions for Q9550 engineering samples. Several people are claiming that they are cherry picked processors and are built exactly like OEM but with better overclocking potential? Is this claim true? Or is it merely a marketing ploy. I want to get my hands on this CPU as soon as possible - in fact, I've been waiting for it since August if you can believe that. All I want is to be able to hit 4.0GHz stable 24/7 (see rig in signature). Please let me know the advantages and disadvantages to this situation other than warranty issues. Thanks in advance.



Also, what is the advantage/disadvantage of C1 stepping over C0 stepping other than motherboard compatibility?

The ES typically comes with an unlocked multiplier, so that might help your overclocking goal if you get a chip that can't do 445FSB. And since most of these 45nm quads have a pretty low (and quite abrupt) FSB wall, an ES or Extreme version of the chip may be your only option for 4Ghz -- unless you're gonna go with cryogenic cooling options.

I'm not saying that's the only way you'll hit 4Ghz, but it's probably the most guaranteed way.

EDIT:
While I've never heard of any issues directly, please keep in mind that all "ES" chips are property of Intel -- no matter who sells it to you. Thus, in theory, Intel can take back that chip at any time if you aren't the originally intended owner.

Again, never seen this go wrong like that, but it's still there... Ownership or sale of ES chips aren't talked about on these forums, at least not openly, due to legal ramifications for both the person in posession and the forum itself.

When will the Q9650 333x9 be here?

But a Q9550 333x8.5 that could do 475x8.5 24/7 would rock!

The claim is generally false and the ESes do not have an unlocked multiplier.

I've been watching the exact same ES chips as you have, and at the price they're currently at, theres no way a Q9550 ES is worth $650 with free shipping.

Ugh, might as well get a QX for that price.

Gautam said:

Ugh, might as well get a QX for that price.

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Glad to see a fellow Michigander on here. Still have snow over on the enemies tundra? P.S. I'm from East Lansing
/end of threadjack

Gautam said:

Ugh, might as well get a QX for that price.

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Yep, if you are paying that much for an ES you might as well spend a bit more for a retail chip made with production stepping silicon (which might not be the case with an ES) and have an actual Intel warrantee and factory heatsink that looks to be at least half decent for mild overclocking. Plus, have a totally unloked multiplier. Buying a QX9650 only hurts for a few months. Mine is just about paid off now.

Well, at the moment there's a refurbished QX6850 going for $595 on eBay. Would it be worth getting, being 3.0GHz with an unlocked multiplier and all?

How does one "refurbish" a processor?

I haven't heard much on the overclockability of the QX6850. Heck, I didn't even know they existed until recently.

It is worth the couple hundred more for the 45nm