14 DAY TRIAL // Santa Clara, California-based Intel is expected to announce a new stepping conversion for its recently-introduced Core i7 920 processor, the lowest-clocked model in the company's Nehalem-based CPU lineup. In addition, the global leading chip maker has also announced that the dual-core Xeon X5772 and the E5205 will not be moving to the E-0 stepping.
Intel's Nehalem-based Core i7 920 is the company's lowest-performance processor in its family, providing users with a completely new architecture when compared to Intel's previous generation of Core 2 chips. This model is now expected to undergo a stepping conversion from the current C-0 to the D-0, a procedure that will change some of the specifications on the new LGA1366-ready desktop CPU.
According to Intel, the conversion will bring about new S-spec and Material Master numbers, a new CPUID (0x000106A5, compared to the 0x000106A4 on the C-0 models) and the “readable serial number will be removed from the package ink swatch to fully mitigate the potential risk of the IHS cosmetically overlapping a marked serial number.”
As far as the company's Xeon processor lineup is concerned, the chip maker announced that the Quad-Core Xeon X5482, X5460, X5450, X5472, E5450, E5472, E5440, E5462, E5430, E5420, E5410, E5405, L5420, and L5410 (Harpertown), alongside the Dual-Core Xeon X5272, X5260, E5205 and L5240 (Wolfdale-DP) processors, would undergo a stepping conversion from C-O to E-0. This basically means that there's going to be a CPUID change (0x1067A), new SSPEC and MM numbers. In addition, the company's X5482 processor, the second fastest LGA771 Xeon CPU, will have a reduced TDP of 120 watts, down from 150 watts.
In related news, Intel has removed several of its mobile chipsets from the stepping revision, including GM45, PM45 GS45 Express and GE45 Express.