What's the deal with Xeon E5-2660 v2 Processors?

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hippyhappo

Member
Oct 3, 2016
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Intel gives a recommended customer price of $1389 - $1393 for these processors, yet I commonly see them selling (as new) for < $300. I also see quite a few of them around the Intel recommended price as well though.

For example, here's (what appear) to be the same two processors, selling for drastically different prices, from the exact same seller:

www.ebay.com/itm/191563968670 (new E5-2660 V2 for $1285)

www.ebay.com/itm/191843684343 (new E5-2660 V2 for $260)

Is there something different between these two processors? Is there something wrong with certain E5-2660 V2 processors (e.g. some sort of manufacturing flaw or something)?

I remember awhile back a bunch of E5-2670s flooding the market, driving the price way down, but I thought those were all heavily used / from a big company (might have been Facebook) upgrading their infrastructure.

Thanks
 

pgh5278

Active Member
Oct 25, 2012
479
130
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Australia
Intel gives a recommended customer price of $1389 - $1393 for these processors, yet I commonly see them selling (as new) for < $300. I also see quite a few of them around the Intel recommended price as well though.

For example, here's (what appear) to be the same two processors, selling for drastically different prices, from the exact same seller:

www.ebay.com/itm/191563968670 (new E5-2660 V2 for $1285)

www.ebay.com/itm/191843684343 (new E5-2660 V2 for $260)

Is there something different between these two processors? Is there something wrong with certain E5-2660 V2 processors (e.g. some sort of manufacturing flaw or something)?

I remember awhile back a bunch of E5-2670s flooding the market, driving the price way down, but I thought those were all heavily used / from a big company (might have been Facebook) upgrading their infrastructure.

Thanks
The descriptions provide the answers, one is new, one is used.
 

pgh5278

Active Member
Oct 25, 2012
479
130
43
Australia
I don't see any mention of that in the description besides the seller information. One is listed as New the other is listed as New (Other).
My experience is New Other is Not NEW, is used, not in original box, marked etc etc..
New is / should be unused..
DO You have a different theory?
 

hippyhappo

Member
Oct 3, 2016
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The descriptions provide the answers, one is new, one is used.
"New (other)" typically means OEM / no retail packaging (e.g. from bulk purchase tray), or clean pulls from a new / unused server (if it's a refurb it will usually explicitly say so). OEM / clean pulls are sometimes a bit cheaper than retail (maybe 10% - 15%), but never anywhere close to what the E5-2660 V2 chips are selling for.

It isn't just that seller either (do a search on eBay, and you'll see that the majority of E5-2660 V2 chips are selling for < $300). What's the deal with all these E5-2660 V2 chips selling for so cheap (the 2660 V2 is the only one so consistently selling at such a huge discount)?
 

hippyhappo

Member
Oct 3, 2016
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I just noticed hidden at the very bottom of his listing (in the middle of "Terms and Conditions") it says "All products being sold are refurbished, unless otherwise stated." It's pretty misleading (given that "New Other" could qualify as "stating otherwise"), but I'm guessing that's his intention (a lot of people likely purchasing these under the impression that they're new OEM / tray / clean pulls).