Intel Coppermine S-Specs

We get a lot of emails asking which chip is best to buy for overclocking. In general, 100 MHz CPUs are easier to overclock than 133 MHz parts, as the lower bus speed allows you to use 133 MHz; if you start at 133 MHz, you will wind up at 150-160 MHz if your RAM can support these speeds. In addition, from a price/performance standpoint, 500 – 600 MHz parts right now are a better bet.

This is a listing of the Coppermines that are out there and will shortly be out there. The Coppermines out there now are cA2 stepping. The new ones are cB0 stepping. If you want a shot at 900Mhz or better, don’t get the cA2 stepping, you probably won’t make it. Get the cB0 stepping. If 800Mhz is good enough, then the current stepping should be OK.

I realize not all of the processors out there are listed. I have one of them at the moment. I sent a note to Intel, and they said they’d try
to update faster, but this was the most complete list they had.

S-specs for Coppermines with the cA2 stepping:

100Mhz Processors

FC-PGA Processors   
S SpecSpeedRetail/OEMDual CPU
SL3Q9500EOEM??*
SL3R2500ERetail??*
SL3QA550EOEM??*
SL3R3550ERetail??*
SL3VH600EOEMYes
SL3NL600ERetailYes
SL3VJ650OEMYes
SL3NM650RetailYes
SL3VL700OEMYes
SL3T3700RetailYes
SL3VN750OEMYes
SL3VC750RetailYes
SL3X4800EOEMYes
SL3VD800ERetailYes
SECC2 Processors   
SL3V5550RetailYes
SL3H6600OEMYes
SL3NA600RetailYes
SL3KV650OEMYes
SL3NR650RetailYes
SL3S9700OEMYes
SL3SY700RetailYes
SL3WC750OEMYes
SL3V6750RetailYes
SL3Z6800EOEMYes
SL3V7800ERetailYes

* If the answer is “No.” Intel states “These processors have not been validated in Dual Processor (DP) applications”. This doesn’t mean that they won’t work, but that you may have to finagle with them to do so. Oddly, though, the language is there for the newest FCPGAs, but no longer for the older ones, for which Intel first stated this.

133Mhz Processors

If you want to overclock your Coppermine, DO NOT BUY THESE.

FC-PGA Processors   
S SpecSpeedRetail/OEMDual CPU
SL3VF533EBOEMYes
SL3VA533EBRetailYes
SL3VG600EBOEMYes
SL3VB600EBRetailYes
SL3VK667OEMYes
SL3T2667RetailYes
SL3VM733OEMYes
SL3T4733RetailYes
SL3WB800EBOEMYes
SL3VE800EBRetailYes
SECC2 Processors   
SL3N6533EBOEMYes
SL3SX533EBRetailYes
SL3H7600EBOEMYes
SL3NB600EBRetailYes
SL3KW667OEMYes
SL3ND667RetailYes
SL3SB733OEMYes
SL3SZ733RetailYes
SL3WA800EBOEMYes
SL3V8800EBRetailYes

The real purpose behind this is to tell you what to look for, which is the cB0 stepping. Here are the s-specs for these:


S-specs for Coppermines with the new cB0 stepping:

100Mhz Processors

FC-PGA Processors   
S SpecSpeedRetail/OEMDual CPU
SL444500EOEMNo*
SL446500EOEMNo*
SL45R500ERetailNo*
SL44G550ERetailNo*
SL45T550ERetailNo*
SL3XU600EOEMYes
SL45U600ERetailYes
SL3XV650OEMYes
SL45W650RetailYes
SL3XX700OEMYes
SL45Y700RetailYes
SL3XZ750OEMYes
SL462750RetailYes
SL3Y3800EOEMYes
SL463800ERetailYes
SL43H850EOEMYes
SL49G850ERetailYes
SECC2 Processors   
SL3XH550EOEMYes
SL44X550ERetailYes
SL43E600EOEMYes
SL44Y600ERetailYes
SL3XK650OEMYes
SL452650RetailYes
SL3XM700OEMYes
SL454700RetailYes
SL3XP750OEMYes
SL456750RetailYes
SL3XR800EOEMYes
SL457800ERetailYes
SL43F850EOEMYes
SL47M850ERetailYes

* Intel states “These processors have not been validated in Dual Processor (DP) applications”. This doesn’t mean that they won’t work, but that you may have to finagle with them to do so.

133Mhz Processors

If you want to overclock your Coppermine, DO NOT BUY THESE.

FC-PGA Processors   
S SpecSpeedRetail/OEMDual CPU
SL3XS533EBOEMYes
SL45S533EBRetailYes
SL3XT600EBOEMYes
SL45B600EBRetailYes
SL3XL667OEMYes
SL453667RetailYes
SL3XY733OEMYes
SL45Z733RetailYes
SL3Y2800EBOEMYes
SL464800EBRetailYes
SL43J866OEMYes
SL49H866RetailYes
SECC2 Processors   
SL3XG533EBOEMYes
SL44W533EBRetailYes
SL3XJ600EBOEMYes
SL44Z600EBRetailYes
SL3XL667OEMYes
SL453667RetailYes
SL3XN733OEMYes
SL455733RetailYes
SL3XQ800EBOEMYes
SL458800EBRetailYes
SL43G866OEMYes
SL47N866RetailYes
SL48s1,000OEMNo**

**Unlike the low-speed Coppermines described above, Intel flat out states “These processors cannot be used in Dual Processor (DP) applications”.

Intel’s labeling can be very confusing:

  • If there is more than one processor type at a certain speed, then Intel uses the “E” and “EB” labels.
  • An “E” means it’s a Coppermine running at 100Mhz FSB.
  • An “EB” means it’s a Coppermine running at 133Mhz FSB.
  • If there is only one processor type at a certain speed, then these labels are not used.
  • Every Intel CPU running at 650Mhz or higher is a Coppermine.
  • Every Coppermine CPU that is running at less than 650Mhz is designated by Intel with an “E” or “EB” tag, which you should see in any retail ad. If the ad doesn’t say that, don’t assume it’s a Coppermine, it may not be.
  • All Coppermines run at 1.6V or 1.65V, and that should be clearly marked on the CPU. Katmais run at 2.0V.

Email Ed


Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply