Why core(s) is disabled in some cpus?

timmu_india

Distinguished
Oct 5, 2010
23
0
18,510
Hi. Am just curious. I have read that some of the AMD CPUs for ex: An Athlon II Triple Core has actually 4 cores with 1 disabled, A Phenom II dual core has actually 4 core with 2 disabled. Why they manufacture like that? They are simply wasting pure silicon and so much of the computing power right? Why they just can not manufacture perfect 3 or 'x' core CPUs? Please enlighten me.
 
Solution
It actually has the opposite effect to wastage they are saving wastage.

When a 4 core cpu is manufactured with a fault rather than bin it, its cores are individually tested and used as a dual or triple core, manufacturing flaws are inevitable and this way faulty quads aren't wasted.

The unlocking process can be successful sometimes with voltage increases, underclocking or sometimes the locked chips are just faulty and un-useable.

It actually has the opposite effect to wastage they are saving wastage.

When a 4 core cpu is manufactured with a fault rather than bin it, its cores are individually tested and used as a dual or triple core, manufacturing flaws are inevitable and this way faulty quads aren't wasted.

The unlocking process can be successful sometimes with voltage increases, underclocking or sometimes the locked chips are just faulty and un-useable.

 
Solution