cpu steppings, whats the highest?
- Thread starter that1man
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techgeek
Splendid
- Apr 11, 2004
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You will almost never see the first stepping outside of the actual manufacturing testing. Even the ES (engineering samples) that are farmed out to users for testing prior to release won't see the first stepping.
In some cases you may see more than one stepping of a CPU in retail. This usually only happens when a manufacturer improves their process and changes the process while still producing a very popular model of a CPU, such as the case of the Core 2 Quad Q6600. This doesn't happen that often for Intel now that they have their Tick-Tock strategy. AMD on the other hand hasn't released a new enthusiast architecture in awhile, but they've improved their process, so here is where you'd see multiple steppings of essentially the same CPU.
In some cases you may see more than one stepping of a CPU in retail. This usually only happens when a manufacturer improves their process and changes the process while still producing a very popular model of a CPU, such as the case of the Core 2 Quad Q6600. This doesn't happen that often for Intel now that they have their Tick-Tock strategy. AMD on the other hand hasn't released a new enthusiast architecture in awhile, but they've improved their process, so here is where you'd see multiple steppings of essentially the same CPU.
techgeek
Splendid
- Apr 11, 2004
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Well depending on the stepping of the ES CPU, I'd be cautious. If it was a early revision (sometime many steppings are tested before it's released) it might have critical errata that were fixed in later steppings. If the ES is a late stepping or the same as the released stepping then you might be OK.
One reason to be cautious of ES samples is if it's an earlier stepping, Intel / AMD felt the errata was serious enough to warrant going back and fix it in another stepping (no small effort). Furthermore it is unlikely that Intel takes the time to provide microcode to motherboard manufacturers to put in their motherboards BIOS to properly detect these ES CPU's and possibly to work around any errata that was present in that particular stepping.
Lastly as these samples were placed in the hands of testers and they are usually unlocked, these CPU's are pushed to their limits in overclocking.
One reason to be cautious of ES samples is if it's an earlier stepping, Intel / AMD felt the errata was serious enough to warrant going back and fix it in another stepping (no small effort). Furthermore it is unlikely that Intel takes the time to provide microcode to motherboard manufacturers to put in their motherboards BIOS to properly detect these ES CPU's and possibly to work around any errata that was present in that particular stepping.
Lastly as these samples were placed in the hands of testers and they are usually unlocked, these CPU's are pushed to their limits in overclocking.
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