What does STEPPING mean

[kajetan]

Hello,

if we look at a 12 core Xeon 26xx v3 version.
What does mean that it has:

stepping 1
stepping 2
stepping 3
x
x
x
stepping 8


can someone explain to me, which stepping is better and which are worst? thanks

 

[GrimThunder62]

The greater the step number the better the design for the processor is. Essentially, processor designs are reworked over-time to improve them, and each step number represents one "reworking".

 

[COLGeek]

Think of stepping as a version release. Typically, higher steppings are improvements over earlier releases.

 

[kajetan]

thanks -


but what means A B C -- is this a pre-release. what is better stepping, lets say c0 or 1 ?

so the first retail cpu-s have stepping 1? if i am right?

 

[COLGeek]

If comparing a C0 to a C1 step, the C1 is the newer step.

 

[kajetan]

I understand what you mean and it makes sense. But some cpu-s do not have LETTERS, only numbers. So what is

so, an example:

what is

stepping: c0

in relation to

stepping: 1

which is newer?

 

[GrimThunder62]

If you're saying:

CPU A has:
-c0
-c1
-c2

and

CPU B has:
-0
-1
-2

c2 should be the most recent version for CPU A and 2 should be the most recent version for CPU B. This seemingly is just a matter of semantics.

 

[COLGeek]

Now, if you are going to install multiple CPUs into a system that supports it, you need to match the stepping of the CPUs as well.

 

[kajetan]

Now, if you are going to install multiple CPUs into a system that supports it, you need to match the stepping of the CPUs as well.

thanks. I understand this. BUT I still dont know which revision is newer if you compare them alltogether. (if you know what I mean).

A B C D or the ones which are marked only with numbers and dont have a letter.

 

[COLGeek]

The higher the letter/number the newer the step. Even within a particular letter, a higher number indicates a more recent revision.