This is how a chipped cpu die looks under the microscope

[Vlad02]

This is a dead i7-4790K I bought from someone trying to repair it but after analyzing it, members on the ltt forum realized that the cpu die is chipped in the top right corner

Rest in peace my little risk! 

[Bombastinator]

Would that chip actually be what killed it though?  If the traces are on the other side one would think the chip wouldn’t do much.

[Guest]

34 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

Would that chip actually be what killed it though?  If the traces are on the other side one would think the chip wouldn’t do much.

Not likely. Socket A was infamous for corners broken off the silicon and cracks as well. SOI chips are pretty resilient. The cpu core is at the bottom of the Cpu PCB. 

[Vlad02]

I was thinking the same but I don't really know what to do with it, it doesn't post, it barely warms up probably because the mobo detects it's faulty...

In my opinion it was shorted out when the previous owner applied a shit ton amount of thermal paste on the cpu die and when relidding it has overflown on the rezistors nearby. 

The chip is actually zoomed in at 200x and I've seen waaay worse ones, but this cpu in particular is something special, like a spoiled baby. The chip looks something like this, so if you guys think it might be another thing, feel free to specify

[Bombastinator]

Oh I don’t doubt that it’s dead I just don’t think this alone killed it