Could dirty CPU contacts cause reduced performance?

viivo

viivo

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Sep 7, 2005
Messages
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My 8700k has been pretty disappointing lately. While I know the CPUz benchmark isn't the most accurate source, it's still a place to start, and my CPU results come nowhere near the reference 8700k. Reference single-core score is 550, whereas mine struggles to top 490.

Anyway, that's beside the point as I've reached the point in my troubleshooting where I may need to remove the CPU, but I reeally, really don't want to do that right now. In the past I had an issue with a boot loop which ended up being thermal paste on some CPU contacts, and now I'm wondering if I didn't get it all. Could that potentially cause reduced performance, or would it just not function?
 
Doesn't RAM speed and timings play a role in those results?

If you're RAM is running at default, or slower, speeds and timings that could make that difference.
 
CPU-Z it's the most unreliable CPU benchmark out there in the web. you can do 100 runs, you will get 100 different single thread results. your results and online results will always vary depending on what kind of background apps and how much light or bloated is your OS.. if you want to test truly your CPU you will have to move to something different as Cinebench or Asus RealBench,
 
ZIF contacts - next to 0 chance.

Problem with cooling - nearly 77.3% chance

Problem with BIOS - 13.2% chance

Problem with OS or other software - 4.2%

Problem with user - 103.6% chance


Not sure if that’s adds up to 100% or not but looks about right.
 
Yes cpus move electrons like every other single electronic device on earth. Get some DeoxIT and spray the pads. Clean them with a microfiber cloth.

If your concerned with electrical connectivity of course.
 
I doubt that it would work if that's the case. Use a a Cnebench or something more "common". I like using SuperPI.
 
not really. most cpu pins are redundant groud or power pins. another large amount is for memory chanels. and as said it either works or doesnt no in between.

sourse: i have alot of motherboards with bent/broken pins in the sockets
 
Brian_B said:
ZIF contacts - next to 0 chance.

Problem with cooling - nearly 77.3% chance

Problem with BIOS - 13.2% chance

Problem with OS or other software - 4.2%

Problem with user - 103.6% chance


Not sure if that’s adds up to 100% or not but looks about right.
Click to expand...


ZIF...lol
 
marshac said:
It's all digital, it's either going to work great or it isn't, it won't degrade like analog due to a poor signal.
Click to expand...
Agreed, with a small caveat: a dirty contact might affect the voltage across it. If it's clean, it might handle a drop in voltage under load better than if it were dirty. (iow, not crash)

Digital signals don't behave the same as analog, but they do have to be above a threshold to function properly. That said, I doubt anyone's cpu or socket contacts/pins are dirty enough to reach that threshold...unless they put thermal paste on them or something. o_o
 
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