N00b question on Mobile XP

[fibes]

What exactly is "Steppings"? I have read forums where indivduals have said "My mobile has "I" steppings or "A" steppings". Can someone please explain?

Thanks :beer:

 

[Dman877]

Each batch of cpu's, as they are manufactured, get a different brand or "stepping" so some batches run better then others and hence, people seek steppings that oc well.

Post count = post count + 1

 

[Concillian]

The presumption is that AMD bins the cores by how well they perform specific tests. cores that pass 'xyz' but fail 'abc' get labeled with stepping 'pdq' and processors with stepping 'pdq' are not good enough to run a a certain speed and voltage, but are good enough to run at some lower speed and/or higher voltage, or whatever.

Now the top stepping will work as ANYTHING, but maybe there isn't enough demand for what they usually put the top stepping in (presumably a 3200+) and they have extra chips that are capable of high speeds, but not enough demand for the chip to sell them all. Then it can be labeled as a 'lesser' processor if it needs to.

That is all presumption, and I don't actually know for sure, but it makes sense to me that it would work that way.

 

[fibes]

Should specific "stepping" # and letters be a concern when I purchase my XP-M 2400? Or is this considered to be just "bragging rights"?

 

[cirthix]

in my experience, steppings on the mobiles not matter too much, its mostly luck. usually, yo cannot request certain ones. me and my brother each got 2600+ mobiles IQYHA from newegg, same day, and got them a few days later. they both oc to over 2.6ghz. our previous 45w mobiles 2400+s could not do above 2.3ghz properly

 

[cirthix]

if i remember right, they were i sumthings (sorry for repost)

 

[Zebo]

Stepping is the week or time frame it's made combined the technology employed to make a certain series of chips... when AMD or Intel expirmenting with yields and such they change the stepping...A new processor stepping is a slightly refined core design implemented to correct minor defects or to improve yields...which most likly translates into higher speeds and lower Voltages needed to run the chip.. For them it translates into profits.. Make sense?? Probably not but this should be all you care about:

When overclcokers refer to a good stepping, it means the chip was one of thier most succesful. Sucess defined as usually able to reach *WELL* over thier highest rated chip in a product iteration..in the bartons case a 3200+ or 2.2ghz... no matter what AMD decides to speed rate the chip. This is why a mobile IQYHA can reach 2400Mhz++++ even though it's sold at a measley 1800mhz-2000Mhz.

IQYHA is one of the best.

 

[fibes]

Originally posted by: Zebo
Stepping is the week or time frame it's made combined the technology employed to make a certain series of chips... when AMD or Intel expirmenting with yields and such they change the stepping...A new processor stepping is a slightly refined core design implemented to correct minor defects or to improve yields...which most likly translates into higher speeds and lower Voltages needed to run the chip.. For them it translates into profits.. Make sense?? Probably not but this should be all you care about:

When overclcokers refer to a good stepping, it means the chip was one of thier most succesful. Sucess defined as usually able to reach *WELL* over thier highest rated chip in a product iteration..in the bartons case a 3200+ or 2.2ghz... no matter what AMD decides to speed rate the chip. This is why a mobile IQYHA can reach 2400Mhz++++ even though it's sold at a measley 1800mhz-2000Mhz.

IQYHA is one of the best.

Ok, now I seem to recall many individuals stating that they have stepping "IQYHA". It's been in many of forums. So, stepping isn't a major concern when purchasing a mobile. Now, which mobile should I consider? 2400,2500 or 2600?

 

[Zebo]

What are your goals? Best value is 2400. Best overclcoking chance is 2600 but a heafty 25% price premium which will not translate into 25% more performance.

 

[fibes]

Originally posted by: Zebo
What are your goals? Best value is 2400. Best overclcoking chance is 2600 but a heafty 25% price premium which will not translate into 25% more performance.

Well, my main goal is to produce a budget gaming rig. So, I guess I will go with a XP-M 2400(Is there much of a performance gain between the 45w vs. 35w processors?)

45w

35w

What I don't want to chinse on is the video card. I plan to purchase either the Nvidia 6600 GT or the ATI X700.

Hopefully, It won't be CPU limited by O.C.ing the mobile to atleast 2400Mhz+. with newer games(ie. Doom 3 and HL2.)

By the way, I also plan to use a Shuttle "AN35N-Ultra" nForce2 Ultra 400 Chipset Motherboard with a recycled Allied 400W PSU. Memory and Harddisk are undetermined.

 

[ChineseDemocracyGNR]

I think XP 3200+ speeds is fine for any of those new games. It's not THAT much slower than the Athlon 64 2800+ at stock speeds.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: fibes

Originally posted by: Zebo
What are your goals? Best value is 2400. Best overclcoking chance is 2600 but a heafty 25% price premium which will not translate into 25% more performance.

Well, my main goal is to produce a budget gaming rig. So, I guess I will go with a XP-M 2400(Is there much of a performance gain between the 45w vs. 35w processors?)

45w

35w

What I don't want to chinse on is the video card. I plan to purchase either the Nvidia 6600 GT or the ATI X700.

Hopefully, It won't be CPU limited by O.C.ing the mobile to atleast 2400Mhz+. with newer games(ie. Doom 3 and HL2.)

By the way, I also plan to use a Shuttle "AN35N-Ultra" nForce2 Ultra 400 Chipset Motherboard with a recycled Allied 400W PSU. Memory and Harddisk are undetermined.

You may be disappointed with PSU when overclcoking. Please look into a enermax 350 with 26A 12 volts rail other wise you may compromise results. Do you have specs for it?

Good call on video card, it's really the most important part of a gaming rig, not processor.

Anyway

Here's IMO the ultimate budget high performance build:
All at newegg..

Shuttle An35N $55
I have this board and it's better than abit's, massive FSB capable. I'vee seen over 280FSB in other forums.

Mobile XP 2400 $77
Overclock to 2300 should'nt be difficult.

Crucial PC3200 8t $88 a 512 stick
Best ram company who guarntees compatability and will be around forever. This stuff has the micron G, same modules found on ballistix the best mem out right now. I've seen this stuff hitting 250 Mhz with 3-3-3 tight timmings. No other ram is worth looking at IMO.

Enermax 350 $59

Hardrive- seagate, any size you choose, quietest, almost silent really, and a forever 5 year warantee.

Video- Nvidia 6600 GT price unknown.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: ChineseDemocracyGNR
I think XP 3200+ speeds is fine for any of those new games. It's not THAT much slower than the Athlon 64 2800+ at stock speeds.

Here are some recent results I have between AXP and A64:


Same 5950 video card: I really need a new video card ..

Mobile XP @2700
3dmock2001 = 18722
3dmock2003 = 6827
aquamark3 = 52401
Sisoft sandra CPU marks = 10550/4206
Sisoft sandra Cpu mulitmedia = 24497/24773
UT2003 = 261/99
superpi 1m = 39 sec

A643000 @ 2560
3dmock2001 = 19067
3dmock2003 = 6754
aquamark3 = 53081
Sisoft sandra CPU marks = 10782/3925/5136
Sisoft sandra Cpu mulitmedia = 23684/25467
UT2003 = 285/106
superpi 1m = 38 sec


I really need a new video card which will almost double 03 marks..No processor will.

 

[fibes]

Originally posted by: Zebo


You may be disappointed with PSU when overclcoking. Please look into a enermax 350 with 26A 12 volts rail other wise you may compromise results. Do you have specs for it?

Specs for Allied 400w PSU

It only has 15A 12 volts rail. Do you think this will be sufficient for overeclocking? I know this is a decent quality PSU. It's listed on AMD's recommended PSU list.

List

What are your experiences?

 

[Lithan]

You will probably be fine with the allied. I've heard of allieds blowing and killing systems on people, but I've used them in some cheap rigs and never had that problem. I don't forsee you overclocking enough that power will be an issue. Still, I always feel more confident with a quality PSU. I recommend a Fortron or Sparkle or Aopen 350watt for you. The 530 is obviously beefier... but probably out of your pricerange. Expect ~30-50$ for the 350.

 

[fibes]

Originally posted by: Lithan
You will probably be fine with the allied. I've heard of allieds blowing and killing systems on people, but I've used them in some cheap rigs and never had that problem. I don't forsee you overclocking enough that power will be an issue. Still, I always feel more confident with a quality PSU. I recommend a Fortron or Sparkle or Aopen 350watt for you. The 530 is obviously beefier... but probably out of your pricerange. Expect ~30-50$ for the 350.

What about this PSU?


Super-Flower

I have heard good things about this company. Isn't this a rebadged Enermax? It has +12V~22.0A.

 

[TomKazansky]

he thermaltake 420 on newegg is heck of a deal...only 45 bux shipped

 

[Lithan]

You will not find a 350watt PSU that outperforms a forton. The fortron 350 is actually underated. I believe it put out around 450-470watts in toms testing.

Superflowers are better then allieds, but I still file them under "cheap" Psu's. I would ONLY use fortron, antec, PCP&C, or OCZ in my main rig. Enermax if I got a very high output one dirt cheap. But I probably use a lot more juice than you would so you can probably make due with either of those two PSU's.