Hardcore PC gamers and other speed freaks have long used overclocking as a technique to squeeze the last drops of power out of their processors, but it's not without its risks — the rise in speed brings a rise in temperature, which can kill your chip if you're not careful. With this in mind, Intel is now offering a Performance Tuning Protection Plan for five of its CPUs, which bolts on additional coverage for overclocked processors on top of their standard 3-year warranty. You can buy the extra coverage within a year of purchasing a retail boxed processor, and the new policy lasts for three years. The plan only covers one replacement of an overclocked burnout, but if your processor breaks down for some other reason you're still covered. You also can't redeem the coverage for the first month after you purchase the plan. It currently only applies to five unlocked CPUs — Intel says all LGA-2011 chips will follow — and the price of the plan varies by model:

Core i7 3960X ($35)

Core i7 3930K ($35)

Core i7 2700K ($25)

Core i7 2600K ($25)

Core i5 2500K ($20)

The prices seem fairly reasonable, but this perhaps reflects how many chips Intel expects to have to replace — modern processors and motherboards tend to have built-in protection against overheating. We'd imagine the plan might be appealing for those hardcore enthusiasts who can genuinely see themselves breaking their processors, but if it's not something you've worried about before, this probably isn't for you. The plans are available to purchase today direct from Intel or approved resellers, and you can find all the fine print at our source link.