New PIV Stepping

Intel just announced a new stepping for the PIV. You can see the details here.

It will get a new CPUID: 15-2-9 as opposed to the C-1 15-2-7.

The Intel notice covers the speed range for 2GHz to 3.06GHz. It’s probably safe to presume that any new PIVs above 3.06GHz will be D-1 steppings. It’s possible that HT processors may be also.

The D-1 3.06GHz is “supposed” to show up early May, those below it at the end of June.

What’s The Stepping Code

Looks like they all begin with SL6P.

A Not-So-Good O/C Indicator

Intel is pushing up the voltage a tad on the 3.06GHz, to 1.55V. That’s an indicator they aren’t getting enough yield at 1.525V for what will be a $250-300 CPU this summer. Intel tends to do this at the end of a generation to squeeze the last speed grade out, so we probably shouldn’t expect overclocked results much higher than we’re seeing from 3.06s now.

Another Wild Goose Chase?

It’s hard not to think Intel hasn’t had quite a backlog of CPUs for quite some time. Only now can you feel reasonably safe in getting a C1 stepping from an Internet vendor.

The latest week of production I’ve heard so far on a PIV out there is a week 47 CPU, which means a three-month old CPU.

With that kind of time lag, unless the HT chips are D-1s, we might actually not see these chips outside of maybe a Dell box until next fall.

Email Ed

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply