Question about Opteron 175/180 versus 170

[Pez D Spencer]

I'm still new to the overclocking scene so forgive me if I'm way off on any of this. I plan on building a new system with an Opteron 170 in it. The 170 runs at 2.0GHz and costs around 460.00. The 175 runs at 2.2GHz and costs 520.00. The 180 runs at 2.4GHz and costs 775.00

My question is this, if you have a 170 running at 2.0GHz and overclock it to 2.2GHz don't you more or less have a 175? And if you could push the 170 to 2.4GHz wouldn't you more or less have a 180? It would seem that way to me.

So if I am right, then theoretically couldn't you just buy a 170 running at 2.0GHz and possibly push it to 2.4GHz and have what is considered to be a 180 running in your system?

Just curious. Thanks.

 

[Doh!]

That's why everyone's overclocking. The difference is that an OC cpu is not covered under the warranty.

 

[Pez D Spencer]

Ok. Now clarify this for me. I will use the Opteron 170/175/180 CPU's as an example.

Its my understanding that since all these CPU's are based on the same core that they are manufactured identically right? What makes them different is that the manufacturer (AMD), has tested these processors and "graded" them on their level of stability at different speeds and markets them at what they believe to be their most stable speed right? Or am I way off on this?

 

[HendrixFan]

Thats mostly true. There is another factor though. They have market demand for each speed, and that wont necessarily match up to the way the processors are graded. Demand for the fastest CPUs arent as high as the demand for lower end. What happens then is the faster ones will get marked as being a lower speed, even though they are rated to run faster. When this happens, many people will notice and go after a specific stepping that has been drastically reduced in the rebadging stage.

 

[Pez D Spencer]

So how do I determine what stepping is ideal? From what I have seen, no retailers list the stepping of the processors they sell. Is it just luck that you get a CPU with good stepping?

Furthermore, how do you determine the stepping once you get the CPU? And once you determine the stepping what do you compare it against?

Thanks.

 

[imported_Dreadlox]

Ya its mostly luck with retail boxes. Some retailers will let you know the stepping if you ask. But it will be mostly OEM CPUs that they will use to tell you.

On the AMD CPUs its the first 5 letters on the heatspreader second line. Most people will post their steppings and the OC they got with them. Search the forum for some steppings you might want to get ahold of.