Monday, September 20th 2010
Intel Wants $50 for Software Unlock of CPU Features
The Pentium G6951 dual-core LGA1156 processor may not have made any headlines when it was known to be almost identical to the Pentium G6950, until now. Intel designed the G6951 to support "hardware feature upgrades" by purchasing them and enabling them using a software, so users with this processor installed can upgrade their systems by enabling that are otherwise locked for the SKU. The $50 upgrade fetches support for HyperThreading Technology, enabling four threads on the processor; and unlocks the disabled 1 MB of the L3 cache (Clarkdale has 4 MB of L3 cache, of which 1 MB is disabled on the Pentium SKUs).
There isn't much value in buying a $99 Pentium G6951 and the $50 Upgrade Card upfront, but later down the line, companies can opt to mass-upgrade system performance without touching any of the hardware inside. The service works by the purchase of an upgrade key that the user has to feed into the software, which is then verified by Intel's activation server, following successful verification, the software unlocks the processor's features. This is a one-time process, portable between software reinstallations.
There isn't much value in buying a $99 Pentium G6951 and the $50 Upgrade Card upfront, but later down the line, companies can opt to mass-upgrade system performance without touching any of the hardware inside. The service works by the purchase of an upgrade key that the user has to feed into the software, which is then verified by Intel's activation server, following successful verification, the software unlocks the processor's features. This is a one-time process, portable between software reinstallations.
160 Comments on Intel Wants $50 for Software Unlock of CPU Features
It's like in applications. Most of applications have their full function build in. You buy registration code for unlocking all functionality.
If you would not pay, you would get trial or demo version.
If you pay less you would get full version.
If you pay more you would get ultimate version.
Maybe there is more potential in Intel CPU's. Like in AMD all Intel CPU's may be 6 core, just waiting to unlock. That would be COOL!
Some of course worked, with others you got the nice chess pattern... there was no guarantee.
In Intel's case, every and each such CPU has to unlock perfectly. And Intel has to guarnate that to the customer, while no one had to do that with possibly unlockable graphic cards.
You are developing something that cost 150$. People with 150$ dollars in the pocket would buy it, but people with 100$ would't. They will buy cheaper model. If they get 50$ they would be glad to upgrade their stuff.
It would be nice to know that your CPU has unlockable potential. I would be so happy to know, that for 50$ my Q9550 could have turbo technology or 2 more cores. It's just about creating right products for low budget by locking features of better products. Everyone does it. Even on cars. I bought Seat Ibiza (2000 year model) with 75 horses. The only difference between my model and 100 HP model is firmware !!! If I had some cash I would go to Seat dealer and buy that 25 horses for my ride.
Still think this is a good idea?
You pay for hardware you should have access to the hardware.
As for the car, the analogy is not exactly right. We are comparing between 2 products, where one costs $120 and another $12.000... Plus, you can't buy those extra 25 HP even if there is only difference in ECU software. Official dealers just don't do that. Tuner shop can hack it for you, but you'll lose warranty if the car still has it (if we're talking about new cars).
And it's likely to be hacked in no time, as Wile E said also. What then? Will the long arm of Intel then reach into your CPU over the internet and switch it off? Kinda Big Brother to me...
No thanks. :shadedshu
Why the hate on Intel but not them?