http://www.tomshardware.com/hardnews/20050502_195856.html << a sneak peak of how intel tests their processors before sale .
Overclocking is a standard part of the validation: "You bet we overclock," Grilley said. Of course, Intel does not recommend any overclocking and does not give and guarantee, but Grilley said she "has seen Smithfields reaching 4 GHz" before becoming unstable, while others already passed out at 3.3 GHz.
For all you who think overclocking is bad for you pc... like crystal meth is for your brain, think again, its a natural process in testing them , most chips can achieve stable clock speeds out of their default specification,but due to the fact that more lower clocked chips are needed than higher end chips , and intel usually saves a little clock potential in the chip for later incarnations of the same processor .
And of course with one of these chips eating 150 + watts over power, and generating that same amount of heat, the rigerous stress testing program Intel has developed over the years is essential to find would- be bad chips that could go molten on an end user ....
Though i'm sure amd has nothing as advance due to intel's overall market / technology leadership, their chips don't have to cope with nearly as much stress to produce the same amounts .... or greater amounts .. .of performance .
no i do not do crystal meth.....
