Do Manufacturers ever make experimental CPUs?

Andrew1990

Banned
Mar 8, 2008
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Now I have been thinking of this for a while, do AMD and Intel make experimental CPUs?

By this I mean do you think Intel ever made a Quad Core Pentium 4 or a Pentium 4 based on 45nm? Or if AMD ever tried to put a Athlon64 on the socket A platform or use a Athlon XP on socket AM2.

They wouldnt make these in quanity as there would be no point, but could they or would they make 1 or 2 samples of such a thing?

I would think that they would try something like this to see if there was any secret performance they could unlock.

 

Phynaz

Lifer
Mar 13, 2006
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Intel and IBM do, I don't know if AMD has the resources.

Like the 80 core cpu Intel has been showing for the last year or so.

Generally they will make hundreds to thousands of them, just making one or two wouldn't serv much purpose. If you drop all the money on R&D, and then a half a mil on a mask set, you probably want to make more than just one chip :)

As far as finding a sercret performance, no. The simulation tools will tell a designer how well something is going to perform long before it becomes silicon. These chips are used as proof of concept.
 

taltamir

Lifer
Mar 21, 2004
13,576
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simulation is not perfect...
Anyways, they are called "engineering samples", they also have completely unlocked multipliers.

There are also custom CPUs for specific purposes. The shuttle uses its own (now antique) processors. I remember reading of some fighter jet using 2x10Ghz cpus back in the day.
And as mentioned, intel built an 80 core cpu
 

Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
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Originally posted by: taltamir
simulation is not perfect...
Anyways, they are called "engineering samples", they also have completely unlocked multipliers.

There are also custom CPUs for specific purposes. The shuttle uses its own (now antique) processors. I remember reading of some fighter jet using 2x10Ghz cpus back in the day.
And as mentioned, intel built an 80 core cpu

This is a misconception. Many of the newer Engineering Sample CPUs do NOT have unlocked multipliers.
 

Big Lar

Diamond Member
Oct 16, 1999
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Originally posted by: Gillbot
Originally posted by: taltamir
simulation is not perfect...
Anyways, they are called "engineering samples", they also have completely unlocked multipliers.

There are also custom CPUs for specific purposes. The shuttle uses its own (now antique) processors. I remember reading of some fighter jet using 2x10Ghz cpus back in the day.
And as mentioned, intel built an 80 core cpu

This is a misconception. Many of the newer Engineering Sample CPUs do NOT have unlocked multipliers.


I'm with that statement, have not seen any ES chips with unlocked Multipliers on the Up side. They don't clock any better than some of the Retail chips either.

Larry
 

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
Super Moderator
Sep 28, 2005
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Originally posted by: Gillbot
Originally posted by: taltamir
simulation is not perfect...
Anyways, they are called "engineering samples", they also have completely unlocked multipliers.

There are also custom CPUs for specific purposes. The shuttle uses its own (now antique) processors. I remember reading of some fighter jet using 2x10Ghz cpus back in the day.
And as mentioned, intel built an 80 core cpu

This is a misconception. Many of the newer Engineering Sample CPUs do NOT have unlocked multipliers.

actually..

theres 2 sets..

the confidental, which we all see. (goes out to vendors and hardware companies)

And experimental, which do have an unlocked multi. (kept inhouse)
 

Gillbot

Lifer
Jan 11, 2001
28,830
17
81
Originally posted by: aigomorla
Originally posted by: Gillbot
Originally posted by: taltamir
simulation is not perfect...
Anyways, they are called "engineering samples", they also have completely unlocked multipliers.

There are also custom CPUs for specific purposes. The shuttle uses its own (now antique) processors. I remember reading of some fighter jet using 2x10Ghz cpus back in the day.
And as mentioned, intel built an 80 core cpu

This is a misconception. Many of the newer Engineering Sample CPUs do NOT have unlocked multipliers.

actually..

theres 2 sets..

the confidental, which we all see. (goes out to vendors and hardware companies)

And experimental, which do have an unlocked multi. (kept inhouse)

Not all of the in house chips are unlocked also. You have your contacts, I have mine. ;)
 

dmens

Platinum Member
Mar 18, 2005
2,271
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Originally posted by: aigomorla
actually..

theres 2 sets..

the confidental, which we all see. (goes out to vendors and hardware companies)

And experimental, which do have an unlocked multi. (kept inhouse)

heh, the in-house parts unlocked more than just the multiplier.
 

MagickMan

Diamond Member
Aug 11, 2008
7,537
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I have a pair of Pentium Pro 233 engineering samples, they're kinda neat. Used them for years in a Linux mail server.
 

ghost recon88

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2005
6,209
1
81
Originally posted by: Gillbot
Originally posted by: aigomorla
Originally posted by: Gillbot
Originally posted by: taltamir
simulation is not perfect...
Anyways, they are called "engineering samples", they also have completely unlocked multipliers.

There are also custom CPUs for specific purposes. The shuttle uses its own (now antique) processors. I remember reading of some fighter jet using 2x10Ghz cpus back in the day.
And as mentioned, intel built an 80 core cpu

This is a misconception. Many of the newer Engineering Sample CPUs do NOT have unlocked multipliers.

actually..

theres 2 sets..

the confidental, which we all see. (goes out to vendors and hardware companies)

And experimental, which do have an unlocked multi. (kept inhouse)

Not all of the in house chips are unlocked also. You have your contacts, I have mine. ;)

Very true Gilbot. All the "Confidential" chips are locked these days with the exception of EE chips. However there are some "in-house chips" that are full multi unlocked and are non-EE models. These are a little harder to obtain :D