I Bent A Kabylake CPU & It Still Works

Note to self: don't drop CPUs on the ground. But even with a bent Core i5 "Kabylake" processor, it still managed to work.

This morning when swapping out the Core i5 7600K for the Core i3 7100 in one of my Kabylake Linux test systems, I accidentally dropped the i5-7600K on the ground... Onto the laminate hardwood floors.

At first I didn't think much of it since it ended up landing pad side up, but when I went back to pop in the i5-7600K I noticed this:

Scheißßßßße! That is a bent CPU, one that I had bought just two weeks back for $230+ USD.

I had never bent an LGA CPU previously, but it brought back memories of bent pins on CPUs back during the Socket 478 days...

Weighing my options, I decided to go for it and see if it would still work... It's bent, but would still fit in the LGA-1151 socket.

To some surprise, it worked! The system powered right up and I've been running it under load for a few hours now without any problems. Though given the bending and being forced back by the socket, nervous about the stress on the CPU if continuing to swap it in and out.

But for now at least, even with a bent corner, the i5-7600K is still churning along. So I certainly wouldn't recommend dropping any CPU off a desk, but with it being my first time managing that, glad to see it's still working.