Stepping

[Setsuni]

Can someone basically explain to me what the stepping is in a core? Like on the 3800x2, The toledo and manchester, the cpu is the exact same besides the fact one is E4 and one is E6, Whats the difference?

 

[Shimmishim]

Well.

if it's E4 vs. E6...

E4 = manchester
E6 = toledo

however, there are also single core chips that are also E4 and E6 as well.

There are also manchesters that are E6's as well but I don't think there are toledos that are E4's.

If I'm correct all single core opterons are all E4 revisions.
dual core opterons are all E6 revisions (since all opterons have 2x1 meg L2 cache).

So opterons are easy.

X2's are just confusing.

E4 started off as the designation for single core san diego chips.
E6 started off as dual core chips with 2x1 meg L2.

now...

you have 2x512 meg L2 manchesters that are E4 AND E6 (a toledo with 1/2 cache disabled).
you have single core manchesters that are E4 (one core disabled).
you have single core toledos that are E6 (one core disabled).

There are also venice's that started off E3 but are now E6's.


yeah.... lots of confusion....

it gets worse because there are also mem controller revisions...

just looking at the opty/FX lines...

early 05 to early 06 we've seen...

CABCE
CABGE
CABNE
CABQE
CABYE
CAB2E
CAB3E
CACJE

(from what i understand the 3rd and 4th #'s represent mem controller revisions)

yeah.. confusion with no end....

 

[Setsuni]

lol ok, thanks for the explanation