Speed Binning...

Does anyone know how do the big boys test their processors for stability? I mean when intel rates one chip an extreme and another a e6600 what tests do they employ? The reason is I'm trying to test the stability of my overclock and its all good after 16 hours of prime95, but I was just wondering how does Intel do it?

Thanks.

If they think 3 GHz is "extreme" then they apparently need to fix their software, because its not doing its job properly.

They probably measure a lot more and a lot differently than just testing if a system is stable when in Windows.

There are huge datasheets of specifications both publicly released, and privately for their own engineering use. These go into power and current draw at certain speeds, eye pattern jitter on at least some of the signal lines at each frequency. They have to make sure a lot of things are in spec. And they may not even do that kind of testing on every single CPU, probably only a sample out of each batch.

Totally guessing. But I do know enough to assume it's nothing like what us enthusiasts do sitting in Windows running an app to stress the CPU. Who knows how far out of spec the eye pattern or the power draw is, all we care about is the functional side that it works, right on the limit. That kind of testing isn't sufficient for a company like Intel shipping and guaranteeing millions of parts.

Probably some marketing and sales get mixed up in it as well. If they have $100, 2.0Ghz parts selling by the freight load and $400, 3.0GHz parts selling only handfuls at a time to enthusiasts. Then sales are going to make sure they have plenty of stock in the bread adn butter low cost speed grade to satisfy customers. So many may get underrated.

The thing is, as the technology in manufacturing gets better, a larger percentage of the silicon produces fast cpu's. So if 90% of the batch runs properly at the max speed, well, they need a certain percentage of the cpu's to sell into the medium to low end pricing, so they make them into 2.4ghz cpu's instead of 3.6ghz cpu's.

So now us overclockers benefit because we buy those "magical" 2.4ghz chips and run them up to 3.6ghz or more....

It's all about pricing and market penetration/needs for the target cost range. If they can sell a million 2.4ghz cpu's @150 bucks and only 300k of the 350 buck cpu...well, guess which ones are going to be speed binned/marked to 2.4ghz units.

In the same family/spec range, a 3ghz cpu costs the same to make as a 2ghz cpu. they just lock them to a specific multiplier and bus speed to "make" a different speed.

I was having a big discussion with a friend just yesterday about this. He thought that Intel binned chips for the maximum reliability of the chip.
I feel they bin the chips to make the maximum amount of money and Intel wouldn't give a rats ass about reliability IF it penciled out to more profit.
I would love to find out what everyone else thinks about this.

Direfox said:

I was having a big discussion with a friend just yesterday about this. He thought that Intel binned chips for the maximum reliability of the chip.
I feel they bin the chips to make the maximum amount of money and Intel wouldn't give a rats ass about reliability IF it penciled out to more profit.
I would love to find out what everyone else thinks about this.

Click to expand...

No, they care about reliability....the manufacturing process has gotten so good though, that yields are very high,a nd most of the batch will run at maximum speed, they speed bin because it's easier to sell 500,000 2.6ghz cpus at $250, than it is to sell that many at 3.4ghz and $400 bucks....the average joe wants CHEAP and fast, while we want cheap and REALLY fast...and overclockable.

Direfox said:

I was having a big discussion with a friend just yesterday about this. He thought that Intel binned chips for the maximum reliability of the chip.
I feel they bin the chips to make the maximum amount of money and Intel wouldn't give a rats ass about reliability IF it penciled out to more profit.
I would love to find out what everyone else thinks about this.

Click to expand...

Intel has a reputation for stability compared to the competition for a reason.

Well I really wish we had an inside look into the manufacturing process. Wish there was an article on that. Like one of those 'how things are made' programs. Someone should write a piece on that with plenty of pictures and so on....

About how they test the stability of the cpu I'm guessing they have a specially made device that checks each one out and that they don't test every single chip that comes off the line, from what you guys have said...

Thanks.