Warranty Void if Using Aftermarket Cooler?

[Forsook]

I've always wondered this and I heard that it's void, but just in case, does the warranty for a CPU get void if you use an aftermarket cooler and not the stock one?

[darkorb]

Nope

[Ranzear]

The simplest answer would be 'no', on the grounds of 'prove I didn't use the stock cooler / prove the stock cooler performs better than my third party solution'.

[Kougar]

Never heard that excuse before for CPUs... Warranty would only be void if you didn't USE a cooler... ;)

However this is a problem with video cards, although many manufacturers including XFX allow for them now in their warranties... but still not all do.

[Enigmachine]

Of course this doesn't apply if you're changing the cooler on a prebuilt machine like a Dell or HP... Then you are definitely voiding the manufacturer's warranty. :)

[slugbug]

Just remember to hang on to the stock cooler in case you ever have to rma the cpu.

[Sadasius]

What about OEM cpu's? They have no cooler that comes with it. So this in itself would show that changing a stock cooler will not void warranty unless it is a pre-built like an HP or something.

[srpeters18]

Read the fine-print over at Intel. OEM CPU's don't come with a warranty. They say if you have a problem with your CPU to contact the manufacturer of your computer for service. That's one reason they're cheaper, no support from Intel.

[Sadasius]

ahhh...Did not know that. Thanks for the tip!

[srpeters18]

I didn't know it either till I got ready to start overclocking my Q6600. Then I went looking for warranty specifics.

[Kougar]

OEM by definition usually has less of a warranty than non-OEM parts, that is how some justify the lower prices you get buying OEM. That's not always the case, but it's something to be aware of when looking at OEM products. :)

[Miker]

OEM by definition usually has less of a warranty than non-OEM parts, that is how some justify the lower prices you get buying OEM. That's not always the case, but it's something to be aware of when looking at OEM products. :)

OEM has two definitions...
OEM - Only comes with that one part, no packaging, no manual, no cables.
OEM - Meant for a computer manufacturer, maybe is a different design, no support from the company, only from the computer manufacturer. (Like the Sound Blaster card Dell uses)

[Exilon]

Pretty much what everyone here says. They can't prove that you used a 3rd party aftermarket heatsink... well unless it happens to have "special" effects on the IHS. Just don't do some silly thing like lapping it, removing the IHS, or leaving the voltage high enough to scorch it.