[Joe]

Bill... the more I look at it the more it makes no sense to test with more unknown variables than are needed to do a simple, inexpensive (relatively) test. Since you cant prove that the Intel TTV's or CPU's are 100% consistent, since no one can prove for fact what kind of inconsistencies are seen with AMD cpu over a range of CPU's and different plants (same goes for Intel)...

I think in large the IHS is a liability to the testing no matter who makes the chip. Since we are discussing testing something that there are few facts about (just lots of assumptions and word of mouth observations from friends of friends of friends), and little confidence in getting real tangible results from on a consistent basis... It just seems to go against the logic that got us to the point of testing the way we are.

I mean look at the review industry as a whole, its all moving to better ways and methods. Think 5 years ago when most sites used mobo probes and MBM to do review testing with. Someones gotta move testing forward... or present different ideas and ways of doing it. Being happy with the variability in an IHS as "real world" gets us back to MBM days.

I don't buy that testing without an IHS is an absolute high end, to me if you are an enthusiast, you probably are going to remove an IHS to get your moneys worth out of the cooling system. I just see us as catering to our audience: enthusiasts.

If procooling stands on its own to test in a way that is logically more sound than other sites, I guess thats what happens. We've been there before. If other sites want to join in and start testing sans IHS, then so be it.