Help on sample versions definition

[morkork]

Since I did not find any appropriate information about different sample versions of a chip I plan to make an article on my web site about sample chips. Since I'm not too sure about the differences I need your help. This is the beta-version of my article, please feel free to comment and/or correct it. Native English speakers please also correct language issues:


Sample chips are processors made for evaluation- and testing purposes. They sometimes have features the final production versions miss, like an unlocked clock multiplier or other features later deactivated in the production version. Some samples might also lack features of later development stages that are integrated in the final product.
There are different kinds of sample chips for different purposes:

Engineering Samples
An engineering sample is a chip revision from within the product development stages, a prototype. It is a working version of the planned final product with all its characteristics and properties. Engineering samples are used for development and evaluation of all kinds of issues related to the chip, like electrical specifications and heat dissipation. They are also sent to mainboard- and component manufacturers to provide ways for them to develop their product around an upcoming production version.

Engineering sample chips have markings like 'ES' or 'Sample'. Intel versions also are marked with a Q-Spec number (like Q525 for a Celeron ES) in comparison to the S-Spec product code number of the production version (SL2TR for the same Celeron type). There are also markings like 'not for resale' or 'Intel confidential'.

Qualification Samples
A qualification sample is a chip revision that is in its late development stages. It's kind of like a release candidate and is sent to major customers for qualification testing. Qualification samples are very near to the final product version and sometimes do not differ from them at all.

Qualification sample chips are marked with 'QS', Intel versions also have a Q-Spec number and are sometimes marked with 'not for resale' or 'Intel confidential'.

Customer Samples
A customer sample is a prototype- or production version of a chip, made as a specific lot for a certain group of customers. They sometimes have customized specifications to satisfy a customer's special demands, like additional burn-in tests, larger electrical tolerances or a package version different from the standard version.

Customer sample chips are typically marked with 'CS'.

Mechanical Samples
A mechanical sample is a non-working dummy version of a chip that has the same mechanical properties as a final production version. It uses the same package and pinout of a working version but does not have working internals. Mechanical samples are given to component manufacurers to allow them mechanically adjust components like sockets, chip coolers or mainboard layouts to the chip.

[skold]

marketing samples.. the ones the use for photos

[chipcollector]

Never seen one but, Military Sample is definately a possibility

[gshv]

There are also thermal samples.

Gennadiy

[xsecret]

Engineering Samples
Prototype CPU. A kind of "Beta" chip. For Intel CPU, starts at A0 (boot only), A1, A2, B0, ...etc

Qualification Samples / Customer Samples
A QS chip *IS* a final chip. Exactly the same specs and the same hardware than the commercial chip. QS Chips (or old naming "CS") is given by Intel to OEM in order to validate their hardware with the upcoming final chip. Of couse, a QS "Qualification" chip must not be different than the final commercial version

Mechanical Samples
Description OK

Thermal Samples
CPU used to validate the thermal specs of a chips. Usually does not boot, only generate heat.

Marketing Samples
Used for printed publishing. Nice pictures with big logo.

[chipcollector]

I think Morkork has a more of a professional definition of each type, you can use the simple ones The_Mad provided, to help out the new dummies of the cpu-collecting world

[CPUShack]

Thermal samples have pwr and ground and clk circuits usually.

Often they are darlington transistors meant to dump large ammounts of current.

[xsecret]

[chipcollector]