A method of testing semi-conductor chips is disclosed. The individual semiconductor chips have I/O, power, and ground contacts. In the method of the invention a chip test fixture system is provided. The chip test fixture system has contacts corresponding to the contacts on the semiconductor chip. The carrier contacts have dendritic surfaces. The chip contacts are brought into electrically conductive contact with the conductor pads on the chip test fixture system. Test signal input vectors are applied to the inputs of the semiconductor chip, and output signal vectors are recovered from the semiconductor chip. After testing the chip is removed from the substrate.