Question Is this CPU damaged ?

[SMMack]

A pre-owned i7-8700k just arrived from eBay described as in perfect condition. Yet the gold plates seemed quite grey. I cleaned with 99% ISO in the event it was oil or paste and a lot of it came off except a few plates where the gold has actually seems to have physically come off and is showing the nickel underneath. The surface feels slightly different with a Q-tip and won't clean back to gold.

The backside wasn't in the sale photos so I'm guessing this might have been a known issue.

I'm still waiting on my motherboard so can't test it yet. I get the feeling this might boot up ok but maybe cause some issues if I were to start gaming or stress test it.

Would you see this as ok and wait to see how the build turns out on stress testing, or is this a problem enough to just return as broken straight away and order from someone else?

 

[helpstar]

ask the seller directly, maybe there is a simple explanation
if I would get something like this, still depending on the price, I would return it

 

[SMMack]

ask the seller directly, maybe there is a simple explanation
if I would get something like this, still depending on the price, I would return it

My main issue is the no photos of that side of the CPU. It's visibly not in perfect condition so why would you not include them and state that it is. I would keep it if it wasn't going to be an issue later. I've given them a chance to explain it, but I get the feeling I'll be returning it anyway. As it's in the same price range as some of the others which have all gold plates.

 

[williamjeremiah]

My main issue is the no photos of that side of the CPU. It's visibly not in perfect condition so why would you not include them and state that it is. I would keep it if it wasn't going to be an issue later. I've given them a chance to explain it, but I get the feeling I'll be returning it anyway. As it's in the same price range as some of the others which have all gold plates.

Perhaps the seller was simply unaware of the blemished contacts.
Was it listed as being a tested acquisition from another party or personal equipment of the seller ?
Not that it makes any difference, it could have gone unnoticed either way.
From the photos, it appears to be foreign material on top of the gold plating. A gentle abrasive cleaning, being careful to avoid statically incurred damage, may be beneficial.

 

[geofelt]

Ebay seller protection will allow you to return the chip since it is obviously not in perfect condition.
Not all pads will necessarily be used, so even if they are damaged, it may not matter.
No telling if the function of those pads might show up later.
For example if 8gb ram is ok initially, you might have a problem later with 16gb.
There should be other 8700's out there.

I think I would return it regardless.

 

[SMMack]

Perhaps the seller was simply unaware of the blemished contacts.
Was it listed as being a tested acquisition from another party or personal equipment of the seller ?
Not that it makes any difference, it could have gone unnoticed either way.
From the photos, it appears to be foreign material on top of the gold plating. A gentle abrasive cleaning, being careful to avoid statically incurred damage, may be beneficial.

Ebay seller protection will allow you to return the chip since it is obviously not in perfect condition.
Not all pads will necessarily be used, so even if they are damaged, it may not matter.
No telling if the function of those pads might show up later.
For example if 8gb ram is ok initially, you might have a problem later with 16gb.
There should be other 8700's out there.

I think I would return it regardless.

It doesn't seem to be a blemish. I got the other blemishes off easily, zoomed in these are maybe actual delamination of the gold.

I got a reply from the seller, it's from his old pc and it was working when last used. He then told me to test it in a pc because there's no way to tell it's damaged without testing it, before accusing me of damaging it myself. Fortunately I took a video of me opening the package and finding it straight away.

Could just be he didn't check, idk. Only ?damaged contacts seem to be on VCCGT pins though. So maybe it's fine.

 

[helpstar]

maybe overclocking with higher voltages