XPS 8930, Processor died

Question

My wife and I have had 4 Dell PCs, usually getting a new PC every 5 years or so. Each one lasted the entire time without any issues. My recent 8930 was purchased in June 2019 and the processor died recently. Since my warranty ended last June, I had to pay to get it fixed. I'm disappointed that the processor only lasted a year and 10 months.

Has anyone else had issues with a processor in the recent 8930 PCs?

Thanks.....Tom

bertro514 · Accepted Answer

Honestly, it was probably a freak accident. You got the rare one that was faulty. As the others have said, modern CPUs are pretty hard to kill. The processors are made by Intel or AMD, which have way tougher quality standards than Dell.

RoHe · Answer

How do you know the 'processor' died?   Do you mean 'motherboard' rather than the Intel Core i_ CPU (processor)? Did a BIOS update fail?

redxps630 · Answer

Re: Has anyone else had issues with a processor in the recent 8930 PCs

it is quite hard to kill a cpu unless it is run at dangerous high temp all the time, which did not sound like what you did. more likely your 8930 no longer POST due to other issue including motherboard or psu etc..

JOcean · Answer

I agree. The most reliable part in a PC is the CPU. They never fail...unless it does. But seriously I have only seen a CPU fail once and it was because the pins were bent..nope not my doing.

TC1000 · Answer

Thanks. Yes, they replaced it.  Just surprised and not happy that it died a year and ten months old.  In any case...fixed.

RoHe · Answer

@TC1000  - Thanks for the update, but sorry to hear the CPU failed. Hope they solved the problem for you and the PC is working ok now...

TC1000 · Answer

Was the 'processor' - not motherboard.  Confirmed by Dell.

TC1000 · Answer

Glad that it is rare and that others aren't experiencing any issues with a processor. Now if I can be so lucky with the lottery.

RoHe · Answer

@TC1000 wrote:

Glad that it is rare and that others aren't experiencing any issues with a processor. Now if I can be so lucky with the lottery.

You already won...they replaced the CPU...

Did you perhaps have a power surge in your bldg that fried the CPU?

I've been running my XPS 8930 for hours every day for ~1.5 years, with no problems (other than of my own doing!).

bertro514 · Answer

IMHO, even a power surge should not have fried the CPU. The PSU and the VRM should have stood in the way and taken the fall. Most likely the PSU. Even with Dell's less than stellar component sourcing and build quality, the VRM should not have let that happen.

@TC1000 did the support techs you worked with test the motherboard (specifically the VRM)? That's the only Dell-controlled component I can think of that could have been at fault. The CPU comes straight from Intel/AMD, and is very unlikely to just die like that. But Dell controls the motherboard design and production (someone else actually produces it for them), and they don't always pay for the highest-grade components or manufacturing / quality control, so it wouldn't be a total surprise if the VRM transistors failed and allowed a voltage spike to go to the CPU. I hope that's not the case and that your replacement CPU doesn't suffer the same fate.

TC1000 · Answer

Originally brought it to The Geek Squad, but they couldn't fully check the MB or CPU. But narrowed it down to either of those. Not sure what checks Dell did. I would hope they checked the MB and all it's components.

Like you say, hopefully that will not be an issue in the future.

TC1000 · Answer

No power surge.  Yes, got it fixed, but paid for it.  More of a win for Dell.

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XPS 8930, Processor died

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