Intel Charging $50 to Unlock CPU's Full Features

[bfstev]

they test it now and hurt the small consumer who doesnt know better while the enthusiast unlocks it for improved performance. then intel steps up its vPro plus McAfee integration to detect such things and it could bring that party to an end.

 

[Guest]

This will be hacked and Intel will still have egg on its face for years after this fiasco.

I would not buy a car with a V-8 in it where I had to pay ransom to the mfg just to be allowed to use the last two cylinders.

When this massive failure of an idea hits the market, AMD will be laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[wcooper007]

Okay so i am wondering if this is going to be something like the xbox360 if you hack it we brick it kinda deal... it states on the card that you have to download software to get the key so if you have to have software installed than technically that software could access a server to check said code and if code is not valid and regististered to said computer hardware ID than send pulse to computer and hello boat anchor... And you can say that your modifying hardware but technically its using software to modify your hardware that Intel has made so that does fall under a copyright law. i can see this as being just like what microshaft does for the xbox to prevent modifying your xbox

 

[Digital Dissent]

Bogus crap like this is why people pirate and hack games. People that would otherwise pay in full for them.

 

[DjEaZy]

... i got a Athlon x3 and unlocked it to Phenom II x4... OC it to 3,6... and all for dirt cheep... even... in Latvia Athlon x3 costs 55,- lats... when i unlocked it, the cpu was 106,- lats worth... i saved 51,- lats...
0.5370 LVL = 1 USD...

 

[ptroen]

Can't we just agree to sue intel for intentionally making a defective product?

 

[dark_lord69]

That'll get hacked... and fast!

 

[thechief73]

I cannot believe Intel would go this low even as a marketing trial, Worst Buy yes, but not Intel.

Minutes ago I was looking at a Gamestop add saying pre-order this and pre-order that to unlock exclusive game features, this kind of stuff to me is absolutely infuriating. Everyone is buying the same product but if you dont get it at a particular place or time or they way they want you to, your left with a dumbed down version.

I dont know how others feel about this kind of practice, maybe Im looking at it all wrong, but for me those companies that use this type of marketing have lost my business.

 

[roshith_k]

This makes sense If i didn't pay the entire price of the hardware. Depends on what market intel is aiming at.

 

[azcoyote]

This is assholery at its best.

If i buy a car with 6 cylinder engine and you want to charge me to upgrade to 8, that is fine. But don't sell me a car with an 8 cylinder engine and tell me I have to pay extra to use more than 6.

 

[kettu]

[citation][nom]Pyroflea[/nom]So.. after paying for my CPU... to actually use it I have to... pay for my CPU?[/citation]

No.. You get what you pay for. If you pay more, you get more... Just like with the Other chip company.

As for the question asked by Marcus Yam "Do you feel that you should be getting 100 percent of the capabilities of the hardware you own?"

I'd say, I'm happy if I get 100% of the capabilities that I paid for. If I want more, I'll just pay more.

 

[theoutbound]

This is an absolutely horrible idea. Fortunately I don't see it lasting very long, and certainly not making into high end products. The problem is, this could be a good idea with a slight alteration. Rather than paying full price for an i7 980x you could pay a reduced price for a cut down chip. At some point in the future when you need the performance/have the appropriate funds, you pay for the rest of the chip at the current price point. Unfortunately, Intel will never go with this idea and will instead choose to overcharge for performance that could have been purchased at a lower price point originally.

 

[Duckmeister]

Wow, this is really amazing. I never thought Intel would stoop this low.

 

[Caffeinecarl]

If I buy a quad core, I'd better be getting all four cores!

 

[jgiron]

this will bite them in the arse because someone will find a crack for it. Which means all you have to do is buy the cheap proc, get the hack and now you just saved $$$

 

[marraco]

Is excellent if it means that I can buy low cost hardware, and hack it.

 

[willgart]

its a clear demonstration that the cost of a CPU could (must) be far lower!!!!
I propose to Intel to resell this 4cores CPU at the price of the 2core version, this is a better move for them.

 

[Sabiancym]

I'll crack that in 10 minutes.

 

[IWC Member 23495867]

God damn thats some bullshit! I think I just fell off the fence and landed on AMD's side.

 

[Guest]

This is idiotic. If it goes mainstream on Intel, I'm going AMD.