Stepping (CPU)?

[E11]

Hi,

i'm looking at the AMD website, at their Athlon 64 (Socket 939) product
range. There's this specification called "Stepping", and under the
3000+ model, there's actually a choice between CG, D0, E3 and E6.

Actually, what's stepping? And what do CG, D0, E3 and E6 stand for?

Also, i looked at the MSI website, and under the K8N Neo2-F, it says
that it supports AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (D0). I suppose the "D0" refers to
the stepping? In that case, wow, it only support one of the four
stepping choices. How would i know which "stepping" model of CPU i
would be getting?



Thanks and Regards,
Edwin

 

[kony]

Hi,

i'm looking at the AMD website, at their Athlon 64 (Socket 939) product
range. There's this specification called "Stepping", and under the
3000+ model, there's actually a choice between CG, D0, E3 and E6.

Actually, what's stepping? And what do CG, D0, E3 and E6 stand for?

After a CPU is designed, there are further refinements in
the manufacturing or design- not enough to consider it a
different CPU, relatively minor things but nevertheless
could be significant for various reasons such as
overclocking potential, bug tracking, microcode updates, or
even things they'll never tell you about. They will make a
determination of what kind or extent of change(s) warrant a
different letter, and within that letter, incremental
numbers. In other words, the higher the letter (and number
after it within the same letter), the newer the CPU design
is. Often (usually?) the newer it is, the better.

However, better may be irrelevant, as a motherboard with
bios having updated microcode and a user who isn't
overclocking, should not have any particular need to choose
a newer stepping, as they are all guaranteed to work equally
well as per their model/name/spec/etc suggest.

Also, i looked at the MSI website, and under the K8N Neo2-F, it says
that it supports AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (D0). I suppose the "D0" refers to
the stepping? In that case, wow, it only support one of the four
stepping choices. How would i know which "stepping" model of CPU i
would be getting?

They can only guarantee whatever stepping they had access to
at the time of testing. That doesn't necessarily mean it
won't work with a newer one, but it does generally mean it
includes all older steppings than D0, too, everything up
until that point unless stated otherwise. A bios update
would potentially update the CPU microcode if that were
necessary, but in these cases the system will (always,
AFAIK) run long enough to flash that bios with the newer CPU
in it. I suppose there is some outside chance that a bug
would interfere with the bios update itself, but it is so
remote and I"ve never heard of it happening, let alone
anyone even mentioning it as something that might happen.

 

[digisol]

Can mean what batch of chip it is and when it was made, also can sho
(via specs) as to what performance the particular batch may be

Certain batches are made and say could be locked at say 3000, but whe
unlocked it may have a performance level of 3500 with no fuss, th
company will use whatever chip cores that are available or that the
have an excess of to make up to a certain locked cpu that whe
unlocked had a high performance level before being locked

Some cpu's are good overclockers and others are dogs, it depends o
the unlocked performance level (the stepping) while still unlocked
they then lock the core at a certain speed for sale as required

IE; you may buy say a 2500 (locked) but the core was previousl
performance tested in the factory and it reached well over 3000+ mh
while unlocked, then you may buy a 2500 that was taken from
different batch (stepping) which was tested unlocked and went t
maybe only 2600 in it's unlocked state, it would then be a total do
of an overclocker

Those in the know, (there are lists) can then choose certain stepping
that is known to be a good overclocking cpu when unlocked

As long as the performance level is higher while unlocked whateve
it's locked at will make the cpu will work fine at it's stock spee
but a dog of an overlocker, or a very good one depending on th
stepping (batch)

 

[kony]

Can mean what batch of chip it is and when it was made, also can show
(via specs) as to what performance the particular batch may be.

Stepping is not really related to batch, there are other
codes on the CPU that are used to signify the manufacturing
period. Stepping relates to the design, not when it was
made.