Classic Intel Pentium III sticker doesn't entirely match the 1999 CPU architecture
Who knew the Intel stickers were this detailed?
Back in February 26th, 1999, or just over 25 years ago now, Intel launched its Pentium III CPU onto the market— in celebration, CPU Duke on Twitter posted die shots of the CPU side-by-side with the holographic sticker that came with it, highlighting just how close the two actually are.
As noted by the CPU Duke, the areas highlighted in red in the image above are quite similar, but a yellow area sees a rotation on the final chip compared to the sticker design. This suggests that the sticker design actually predates the final chip design, which means that while the two are close, it's not a perfect match.
If you suddenly find yourself wishing you had kept your own Intel CPU sticker, don't worry. Intel has long held a free sticker replacement policy, much to the delight of sticker collectors and perfectionists everywhere. However, a glance at modern Intel CPU stickers seemingly just shows model range and generation, not the CPU architecture— so is it still worth it if there's no cool architecture to look at?
Yes, actually— because Intel does, in fact, still put the architecture on the CPU sticker. They have simply reversed the process so that the architecture layout is now shown on the adhesive back of the sticker instead.
So, if you're hoping to enjoy looking at the architecture layout of a modern Intel CPU, you'll be best-served by placing it on the inside of something like a glass side panel for your PC case. This way, the adhesive side of the sticker can cling to the inner surface while still exposing its cool hidden details to you whenever you happen to glance at your PC.
There are also some licensing terms for the use of the Intel CPU stickers, though these are geared toward actual retailers and unenforceable on the average user. If you've modified your CPU, for example, "Intel reserves the right to ask you to stop using the logo label." Don't worry, though, it's unlikely that Intel will send its top-trained agents to your house if you happen to modify your CPU.
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Christopher Harper has been a successful freelance tech writer specializing in PC hardware and gaming since 2015, and ghostwrote for various B2B clients in High School before that. Outside of work, Christopher is best known to friends and rivals as an active competitive player in various eSports (particularly fighting games and arena shooters) and a purveyor of music ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Killer Mike to the Sonic Adventure 2 soundtrack.
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AgentBirdnest Intel has long held a free sticker replacement policy, much to the delight of sticker collectors and OCD sufferers everywhere.
Joking about a torturous and debilitating condition... classy.
You should make a joke about cancer patients being delighted by the nuclear battery, while you're at it. -
TheyCallMeContra AgentBirdnest said:Joking about a torturous and debilitating condition... classy.
You should make a joke about cancer patients being delighted by the nuclear battery, while you're at it.
writer here: I also have OCD, to a sometimes-debilitating extent. you should make less reductive assumptions of others. acknowledging the existence of "OCD sufferers" is not the same as making them the butt of the joke. some people call that "representation", actually. -
35below0 I'm occassionally stricken with OCD. Very few things in my life are affected, but i will turn myself inside out trying to satisfy the OCD urge when it does happen.Reply
I didn't even notice there was anything improper. 100% feel the comment was more in line with acknowledgment OCD exists and not in any way making fun of OCD sufferers.
The comment wasn't even an attepmt at a joke. -
thisisaname
Was thinking that proving you had a system would be hard but from the other article it would seem it is quite easy :)
For proof of purchase, you can screenshot or photo an invoice, receipt, or packing slip to send along with your online request form. If you don't have any of that kind of proof, you will be able to save a screenshot from the Intel System Support Utility (linked to via the form) instead. -
Gururu this is a fun fact for me, but I think now knowing that I cannot see the back of the sticker is killing the OCD part of me,Reply -
Colin Ionita
Thats a false equivalent. Even if it wasn't, the original statement is plenty non-offensive. Humor is allowed to make a mild joke towards a troubled populous. You don't see Dyslexics getting up in arms about all the factually inaccurate dyslexic jokes.AgentBirdnest said:Joking about a torturous and debilitating condition... classy.
You should make a joke about cancer patients being delighted by the nuclear battery, while you're at it.
-Someone whos dyslexic and whos immediate family got cancer most likely from Chernobyl. -
cryoburner This suggests that the sticker design actually predates the final chip design
Or perhaps it's just rotated because much like the majority of the image on sticker, it's not actually meant to be a one-to-one representative of the actual chip layout. Oftentimes these chip companies will modify photos of their chips in marketing/investor materials to avoid leaking details about the design of their processors.
Sort of like how your avatar image appears to be "joking about" people dying in a cartoon rendition of a WWII battle? We should hope that no one who took part in such battles happens to see the image and be traumatized by it. : PAgentBirdnest said:Joking about a torturous and debilitating condition... classy.
You should make a joke about cancer patients being delighted by the nuclear battery, while you're at it.
Really, if you go searching for things to be offended about, you'll probably find that just about anything can be deemed offensive in some way.