CB0 ?

[Med]

I keep seeing this thrown out. I assume that CB0 stepping is what I want in a 750. Why is that?
Is there something wrong with the CA2 stepping?
And I guess there is no way to ensure I get a certain stepping. I heard that if you buy retail boxed the chance is higher, is that true?

 

[Plester]

its a newer silicon revision - fixed some minor bugs/kinks.

 

[Ulysses]

You gotta ask the vendor before you buy. You get the CPU's S-Spec off the CPU chip, or the SECC2 cartridge or off the outside of the box. Then you check the S-spec against an Intel chart to verify the stepping - or vice versa if you know what speed P3 you want. The cB0's have a much better track record as o'clockers than earlier steppings. I don't know about chances re retail vs. OEM. The best chip these days seems to be a P3 700 or 750 cB0 - they may do 933/133 to 1000/133 - which saves around $500 today - a good reason to o'clock - and an even better reason to specify and get a cB0.

See:
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=27&threadid=196333

Some vendors specify the cB0 stepping, like http://www.gamepc.com

Search for threads on who's selling cB0's currently.

 

[Med]

Thanks a bunch, that gamepc.com looks like a winner.