Why is there a "sillicon lottery"

[delet my acc pls]

So we all know some CPUs/GPUs overclock better than others, but why?

@Vitalius

[Lil Chillbil]

its all about how closer to the center they are pulled from the disk 

[simtransporter]

its all about how closer to the center they are pulled from the disk 

wafer

[M-ursu]

If you watch this picture, cores in a middle of the plate perform the best. In Intel case, center parts will be i7's and outer parts will be pentimums. (same applies to AMD)

[chaozbandit]

The simple fact that the technology required to ensure that every single piece of silicon produced can perform at the same, certified level for it's entire lifetime is near impossible to reach given the current state of advancement. (and the whole thing about wafer / die size schtuff. )

[TheSLSAMG]

CPU/GPUs are cut from a disc of silicon. This disc is better towards the middle than towards the outside. An i7 4770K and a Pentium G3220 are the same chip. But, the G3220 came from the outer edge while the i7 4770K came from the center.

[Lil Chillbil]

wafer

 

I know that lol, I had a brain fart for a minute and almost typed waffle so I just desribed it as a disk lol.

 

 

So pretty much the center of the wafer is your xeons and i7's middle is your i5's and i3's near the end is your pentium's itaniums and celerons 

[Joshyy]

Wouldn't it make logical sense for them to make it square instead of a circle..?

[simtransporter]

I know that lol, I had a brain fart for a minute and almost typed waffle so I just desribed it as a disk lol.

 

 

So pretty much the center of the wafer is your xeons and i7's middle is your i5's and i3's near the end is your pentium's itaniums and celerons 

hmm... Waffles I thought itaniums are based on a completely different architecture, I would imagine they are produced on different wafers.

[DoubleY]

Wouldn't it make logical sense for them to make it square instead of a circle..?

I was thinking the same thing

[Hirad123]

Wouldn't it make logical sense for them to make it square instead of a circle..?

Well if some of the worlds best engineers haven't done it already then I don't think so. But I see why you would think that and I also wonder why.

[SMURG]

The key thing to grasp aside from all the wafer stuff is that Intel's fabrication guys don't sit there and go "hmm, let's make a batch of 4770ks today". What they actually say is "let's make a bunch of 20nm CPUs today and see what we get".

Those CPUs with a fully functional iGPU, all 4 cores working at 3.5Ghz (with 1 boosting to 3.9Ghz) and able to perform hyperthreading without losing stability or requiring a higher voltage will be labelled the i7s, but even among those there is some variation. Some will be able to go as high as 5Ghz just fine, some will barely make it past 4.0Ghz. THAT is where the wafer distance thing really comes into play.

Sometimes all 4 cores work but cannot drive 8 threads; those are your i5s. Sometimes 1 or 2 cores are non-functional, those are your i3s. Those which have cores which work but can't perform the right speeds at the right voltages becomes your celerons and pentiums.

In simple terms, CPU manufacture is not an exact science, and so the product reflects this.

[Sarcasm]

No, they can't use a square base because a disc can be created by spinning a bit of liquified silicon with a consistent pattern going a full 360. Can't be done with a square.

[Jumper118]

they should make 1/2 core celerons from the outside one's that aren't complete to put in pre built pc's in best buy!  :lol:

[Zeruel]

The syrup makes the waffle taste the best in the middle!

[Guest]

they should make 1/2 core celerons from the outside one's that aren't complete to put in pre built pc's in best buy!  :lol:

The intel celeron mini clocked at a whopping 600mhz

[Jumper118]

The intel celeron mini clocked at a whopping 600mhz

yes    for buying such a bad pc they deserve that kind of performance. 

[MdX MaxX]

I think SMURG summed up the binning process best.

 

But you might say, well why don't all 4770Ks overclock the same if they're binned to the same level?

 

Well, devices aren't exact.  All the transistors and other devices inside the chip operate within certain tolerances.  At stock clocks you won't see a performance difference between chips because they're within the specification, but when you start pushing chips out of spec, different chips will deal with that differently.  Variances in circuit delays and voltage thresholds and such will cause some chips to fail before others when pushed to higher heat and voltage levels.  It's simply a consequence of the manufacturing process not being perfect.

[solomongrundy]

Because wafers. The middle is like the jackpot. 

[FireFox]

I know that lol, I had a brain fart for a minute and almost typed waffle so I just desribed it as a disk lol.

 

 

So pretty much the center of the wafer is your xeons and i7's middle is your i5's and i3's near the end is your pentium's itaniums and celerons 

 

Itaniums, if they are the shit at the end of the wafer, why are they so expensive?

[FireFox]

Because wafers. The middle is like the jackpot. 

 

I'd agree with that *yum

[MdX MaxX]

Itaniums, if they are the shit at the end of the wafer, why are they so expensive?

Itanium isn't a tier of x86 chip; Intel's Itanium is a totally different CPU architecture.  I think Lil Chillbil just got mixed up with the names.

[FireFox]

Itanium isn't a tier of x86 chip; Intel's Itanium is a totally different CPU architecture.  I think Lil Chillbil just got mixed up with the names.

 

That's what I was thinking, and yea probably lol

[MegaDave91]

If you watch this picture, cores in a middle of the plate perform the best. In Intel case, center parts will be i7's and outer parts will be pentimums. (same applies to AMD)

01051248-photo-wafer-nehalem.jpg

 

Man, someone out there got the middle chip, unbeknownst to themselves. Lucky person whoever they were.

[Virgule]

I don't get why the middle chips are the fastest (or best, or whatever). What's the relation between radial distance and quality ? Is the silicon disc purest in the middle ? Why aren't they making discs of the same grade all over ?