C2D Steppings? New Ones Coming? Explain To Me Plz!

[slim142]

Hi

I heard this new that new steppings for C2D were coming. I have one but I dont know what is the stepping of it. Is a E6600 and I believe it should be the same stepping as everybody has. Now here are my questions...
What is the actual stepping of C2D? I heard they were B something...
Why did we get B stepping processors and not A?
What stepping will the new C2D will have?

Also, are this new steppings gonna make C2D fasters than the ones we have right now?

 

[NMDante]

There is a thread about steppings already, but to answer your questions:

Why B and not A? Cause A-0 steppings are usually first runs of the CPU. They're the ES (engineering samples) that are used to refine the item. Some A steppings have gone to A-6 before going to B-0. B-1/2 are usually the steppings that are released for sale. A CPU can go thru alot of steps before finally stopping.

C2D version? Not sure. Don't have one yet. I think the other thread has some info on that.

New steppings will not make the C2D faster. They are usually minor fixes for the CPU. They might make OCing easier or harder, depending on the fix done.

 

[godman]

his stepping should be B2 (the retail stepping)

 

[lcandy]

his stepping should be B2 (the retail stepping)

Yes, same CPU for me and same stepping. Dont worry about the stepping version, it works and runs great as is.

 

[slim142]

So I have E6600 Stepping B2, sounds good. A lot of minor improvements and 1 major improvement (A to B)

But there is something you didnt answer, Whats going to be the new stepping of the new C2D?

 

[NMDante]

So I have E6600 Stepping B2, sounds good. A lot of minor improvements and 1 major improvement (A to B)

But there is something you didnt answer, Whats going to be the new stepping of the new C2D?

The next stepping? B-X, if fixes are minor. C-X if the fix is major. I would lean towards B-X, but you never know.

 

[slim142]

I hope that they release B-3 so we wont be so dissapointed

 

[NMDante]

If you want to really know what the new stepping is suppose to fix, and if it might affect you, just check out the errata sheet.

C2D Errata Sheet

 

[slim142]

I read it already but I didnt understand sh*t so I really didnt care about it.

Ill I have in my mind is that I dont want to have a processor with errata in. I always like to have the lastest stepping processor

 

[NMDante]

I read it already but I didnt understand sh*t so I really didnt care about it.

Ill I have in my mind is that I dont want to have a processor with errata in. I always like to have the lastest stepping processor

All CPUs have erratas, no matter what. If you're going to wait for all issues to be fixed, you'll get a C2D when Quad+ Cores are available. There are still erratas being submitted for older intel and AMD CPUs.

 

[slim142]

yeah i know but what i meant is that I really didnt like that intel is going to release new steppings 1 month! after they release the first ones.

c'mon, 1 month after? isnt that too early? it surprises me.

 

[NMDante]

yeah i know but what i meant is that I really didnt like that intel is going to release new steppings 1 month! after they release the first ones.

c'mon, 1 month after? isnt that too early? it surprises me.

Not really. There are always multiple steppings being produced in a fab, sometimes there is a "rush" for a certain stepping, just to test what the engineers did, and to find out if it is worth a production run.

Also, you're comparing the time to retail as the first time C2D was developed, when it probably has almost a year or so of time. I mean, A-0 to B-2 might have had as many as 10-12 steppings, before B-0 was issued.

 

[ltcommander_data]

The only stepping that anyone should be able to buy in stores is B2. Unless you deliberately wanted an engineering sample, they should have given you a B2 otherwise you can return it.

There are rumours that Intel will be releasing a new stepping, but I doubt it will hit shelves this year. Intel hasn't sent any Product Change Notifications regarding a stepping change and even when the send one it usually takes a quarter for stock levels to really rise. (Most new steppings seem to go to OEMs first before hitting retail anyways). I really wouldn't worry about it. The new stepping will correct a few errata problems, but it's nothing anyone will notice. The primary reason for the new stepping will probably be for use in Kentsfield anyways (optimized dual die support) so it won't be of major benefit to Conroe itself.

 

[NMDante]

Yeah, what Jack said. LOL

Very detailed, indeed. Alot more information than what I could ever muster to find.

 

[racerboywonder]

Jack, I'm sure others have already asked, but what do you do exactly? Where did you acquire such intimate electrical/computer engineering knowledge? It's seriously nice to have someone who can provide in-depth background information practically at whim...

 

[ltcommander_data]

Here is an example of a PCN from Intel that designated a revision:

http://intel.pcnalert.com/content/eolpcn/PCN106205-00.pdf
Here the stepping changed from C-1 to D-0 and with it the thermals changed from 95 W to 65 W. Read the PCN (Product Change Notice) to get an idea of how this works.

Just for clarity, the C1 and D0 steppings are for Presler and Cedar Mill which are the Pentium D 9xx and Pentium 4 6x1 respectively. There currently aren't C1 or D0 stepping Core 2 Duos available.

On a side note, I'm disappointed that Intel is pushing back the D0 stepping nearly 2 quarters into 2007. The D0 stepping is really needed now to make Netburst more competitive and I can't see much use for a January release when Netburst would be very dead by then, especially with the launch of Kentsfield, the E4300, and Millville.

 

[racerboywonder]

2 PhD's, huh? 8O You didn't do them concurently, did you? All I have is an aerospace engineering degree and (pending 2007) an MBA. I'm pretty sure you beat me. Did you go to UT-Austin? If so, your sister-school, UT-Arlington, has a great Formula SAE program...I had considered transferring there just so a) I could get involved with their outstanding aerodynamics group (my team never let me try any aero devices on our car), and b) get more track time (year-round warmth makes for a long racing season), as I'd like to go pro someday (hence the screenname).

I knew quite a bit about computers before, but I only seriously started learning when I build my first rig two years ago (at 25)...the different revisions/steppings that come inherent with architecture upgrades were completely lost upon me until this last year, and I only found out what they really meant when I read this post.

 

[NMDante]

Austin is a nice place (I go there for training on AMAT toolsets), but it's a killer in late summer, IMO. The humidity just kills me, even though I was in training in Mississippi (Biloxi, Keesler AFB) during the summer. It's a pretty place, and it's close enough to San Antonio. I do like those outlet stores near there.

 

[turpit]

Austin is a nice place (I go there for training on AMAT toolsets), but it's a killer in late summer, IMO. The humidity just kills me, even though I was in training in Mississippi (Biloxi, Keesler AFB) during the summer. It's a pretty place, and it's close enough to San Antonio. I do like those outlet stores near there.

MMMmmmmm San Antonio. Lackland, Kelly Annex. Riverwalk....mmmmm good.
Biloxi. Sad. Nothing left on the beach after Katrina

 

[NMDante]

Austin is a nice place (I go there for training on AMAT toolsets), but it's a killer in late summer, IMO. The humidity just kills me, even though I was in training in Mississippi (Biloxi, Keesler AFB) during the summer. It's a pretty place, and it's close enough to San Antonio. I do like those outlet stores near there.

MMMmmmmm San Antonio. Lackland. Riverwalk....mmmmm good.
Biloxi. Sad. Nothing left on the beach after Katrina

Yeah, my buddy who was stationed at Keesler told me about how some of the riverboat casinos were all over I-10, I think it's I-10. It's pretty horrible, he said. It also pissed off alot of the people there when New Orleans was the big topic after Katrina, when Gulfport, Biloxi, and other Gulf Coast towns were just as bad or worse after the hurricane.

 

[turpit]

Austin is a nice place (I go there for training on AMAT toolsets), but it's a killer in late summer, IMO. The humidity just kills me, even though I was in training in Mississippi (Biloxi, Keesler AFB) during the summer. It's a pretty place, and it's close enough to San Antonio. I do like those outlet stores near there.

MMMmmmmm San Antonio. Lackland. Riverwalk....mmmmm good.
Biloxi. Sad. Nothing left on the beach after Katrina

Yeah, my buddy who was stationed at Keesler told me about how some of the riverboat casinos were all over I-10, I think it's I-10. It's pretty horrible, he said. It also pissed off alot of the people there when New Orleans was the big topic after Katrina, when Gulfport, Biloxi, and other Gulf Coast towns were just as bad or worse after the hurricane.

Yeah. New Orleans looked bad when we went through, but not nearly as bad the the press had been hyping. The press had been making it sound like Hiroshima. There was plenty of dameage to be sure. The worst I saw was 6 good sized shrimping boats (50-75 footers) lumped in a heap in housing development. It didnt compare to Bilixi though. The beach west of the Beau Rivage was just.....gone. The next structure down the coast was Treasure cove, the big casino shaped like the pirate ship. That thing was gutted. It looked like the hulk of a BB torpedoed during WWII. The top was missing, and from overhead, you could see down into the structure.

A lot of the little non-famous towns inland were devistated. What the news doesnt tell people is the worst part of hurricanes are the tornadoes they spawn. There were a mess of little no name places that just dont exist any more thanks to the tornadoes spawned by both Ivan and Katrina.

 

[joset]

On a side note, I'm disappointed that Intel is pushing back the D0 stepping nearly 2 quarters into 2007. The D0 stepping is really needed now to make Netburst more competitive and I can't see much use for a January release when Netburst would be very dead by then, especially with the launch of Kentsfield, the E4300, and Millville.

Agree, although a 30W (95-65) reduction in TDP keeping (NetBurst-high) frequencies, might still be appealing to a very significative slice of the market (read gaming).


Cheers!

 

[joset]

I have 2 PhDs, one in chemistry and another in physics (don't ask why, it is a long story and it sounds more impressive that it really is)

(...)


Jack

I bet - no matter in what field(s) - a Ph.D in Physics is always handy.


Cheers!

 

[Jamers]

If you can ever, ever live in Austin TX do it!!! BTW, it is the only place in Texas I would want to live ....

Jack

Isn't Austin a Liberal Mecca? No thanks.