Guess i just like stroking my epeen then? LoL
Another thing to consider, for myself anyways, is that reduced temps
should increase the lifespan of the chip. I usually keep things around for a long time so any gain in frequency & a reduction in temps is straight up bonus! To me
Yeah, we used to reference the whole 10C = twice the lifespan of silicon, but with today's silicon doping methods, I'm not sure that still applies. It's definitely not the same tech today it was a couple of years ago, nevermind many.
And yeah, I mean, when it comes to gaming, I get really acceptable performance with stock CPUs, nevermind OC. Crunching, rendering, those see benefits, but what's out now, for most users is overkill performance at stock.
I am really impressed with Intel's products right now, they truly do let the average user get the most out of their chips with minimal effort, and OC is now warrantable, too. I mean really...shove 1.7V through IVB, and they will replace it...no problem. Sure, it costs $25, but that barely covers shipping.
If Intel can offer that kinda of warranty, their chips are pretty much bullet-proof for air users, and I truly feel that's why watercooling has such a little effect.
AMD, on the other hand...man, by 8350 just flies under water! my 3960X does too, but it's just not the same.