Is This E6600 Good?

[mVp24]

Originally Posted by name='TJS'

I gotta ask, what is 'stepping' and how does it and 'the batch' apply in finding out what overclocks best? What gets me is people saying this batch is better than that batch, but it isn't quite right... not all these cpu's are the same in any case, and not oc'ed and tested the same either. The only thing you can really do is go after a certain cpu model (say, the E6600) and go to task with it. If a bunch of people get a model and have success, its gold... if not, stay away. Not to mention the rest of your parts also determine how well you can overclock, and your room temp, etc etc etc.

TJS

Basically, the earlier the stepping, the better (in most cases). This is because early on in a CPUs life, Intel will use better wafers and just better silicon in general to make the chips. This is also because I believe the ES CPUs also come from the early batches, and ES (engineering sample) processors are known to perform very well. The problem is, people who are buying E6600s aren't getting as good clock as someone who bought theirs, say last year. This is because Intel has started using the better wafers/silicon in the E68xx series and the quads.

[Bungral]

Originally Posted by name='v a d e R`'

Basically, the earlier the stepping, the better (in most cases). This is because early on in a CPUs life, Intel will use better wafers and just better silicon in general to make the chips. This is also because I believe the ES CPUs also come from the early batches, and ES (engineering sample) processors are known to perform very well. The problem is, people who are buying E6600s aren't getting as good clock as someone who bought theirs, say last year. This is because Intel has started using the better wafers/silicon in the E68xx series and the quads.

But again some cpus will inevitably clock better than others and some new ones will clock better than some old.. I've had mine up at 3.6ghz stable on aircooling and not even the best aircooling out there on a not so expensive mobo. Luck of the draw also comes into I reckon. Oh yeah, mines only about 2 months old now.

[TJS]

That was a good explanation, Vader.

Unfortunately, I think Bungral is right also... its luck of the draw. You may get that one in a hundred that stinks anyway. And as for 'good' or 'not-so-good' silicon, that sounds a bit fishy. I've heard of RAM that gets 'handpicked', but it still falls under the 'this maker is good, that one is not-so-good' and 'this model is good, that model is not-so-good'. (All references to overclockability.) As for engineering samples, I don't think I would want those, or even close to them... I would want thorougly tested final products.

TJS