Intel document source -> HERE (PDF)
Quote : (for those lazy to download that document)
Product Change Notification
Change Notification #: 107667 - 01
Change Title: Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Desktop
Processors E2160 and E2140,PCN 107667-01,
Product Design, L-2 to M-0 Stepping
Conversion, Reason for Revision: Updated
Description of Change
Date of Publication: July 03, 2007
Forecasted Key Milestones: Jul 27, 2007
Date of Samples Availability: Jul 13, 2007
Date of Qualification Data Availability: Sep 28, 2007
Date Customer Must be Ready to Receive Post-Conversion Material: Jul 23, 2007
Date of First Availability of Post-Conversion Material: Jul 23, 2007
Description of Change to the Customer:
Reason for Revision: Updated Description of Change.
The Intel® Pentium® dual-core desktop processors E2160 and E2140 will undergo the following changes for the L-2 to M-0 stepping conversion:
Customer Impact of Change and Recommended Action:
Minimal re-qualification and/or validation is expected for the M-0 stepping conversion due to no feature set changes between the L-2 and M-0 steppings. Thermal qualification may be required if a new thermal solution is implemented to take advantage of the maximum allowed Case Temperature change.
Refer to Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Desktop Processor E2000 Sequence Electrical, Mechanical, and Thermal Specifications (EMTS).
The Intel® Pentium® dual-core desktop processors E2160 and E2140 on M-0 stepping will require a BIOS update. Once customers implement the BIOS update, they will be able to accept both L-2 stepping material and M-0 stepping material. Customers should be ready to receive a combination of both L-2 stepping material and M-0 stepping material by the "Date Customer Must be Ready to Receive Post-Conversion Material" above.
The below listed E2160 1.80 GHz samples (QYRJ, MM# 889707) are limited to the marked frequency, but are not frequency locked. Therefore, customers should down-clock these samples to also qualify the Intel® Pentium® dual-core desktop processor E2140 (1.60 GHz) for the L-2 to M-0 stepping conversion.
To facilitate earlier qualification and enable “First Availability of Post-Conversion Material,” customers may use the Intel® Pentium® dual-core desktop processor 2.40 GHz M-0 samples (QZMV, MM# 890043) provided late June 2007 for an Intel® Pentium® dual-core desktop processor NPI. The 2.40 GHz M-0 samples are also limited to the marked frequency, but are not frequency locked such that customers can down-clock them to qualify the Intel® Pentium® dual-core desktop processors E2160 and E2140 L-2 to M-0 stepping conversion.
Brief summary :
Looks like Intel's die yield is getting better and better every day.
Since BIOS update is mandatory, if you're planning to buy E2160 and E2140, beware if your mobo doesn't yet support it, especially you don't have other supported CPU to boot up for flashing the BIOS.
Quote : (for those lazy to download that document)
Product Change Notification
Change Notification #: 107667 - 01
Change Title: Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Desktop
Processors E2160 and E2140,PCN 107667-01,
Product Design, L-2 to M-0 Stepping
Conversion, Reason for Revision: Updated
Description of Change
Date of Publication: July 03, 2007
Forecasted Key Milestones: Jul 27, 2007
Date of Samples Availability: Jul 13, 2007
Date of Qualification Data Availability: Sep 28, 2007
Date Customer Must be Ready to Receive Post-Conversion Material: Jul 23, 2007
Date of First Availability of Post-Conversion Material: Jul 23, 2007
Description of Change to the Customer:
Reason for Revision: Updated Description of Change.
- Removed “Extended HALT power specification will reduce from 12 Watts to 8 Watts” statement as the L-2 Intel Pentium dual-core processors E2160 & E2140 Extended HALT power specification is already 8 Watts and is not changing
- Added Brand string will be set to report “Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU” as the L-2 Intel® Pentium® dual core processors E2160 and E2140 brand string was set to report “Genuine Intel(R) CPU” because an “Intel(R) Pentium(R)” string was unavailable with the L-2 stepping
The Intel® Pentium® dual-core desktop processors E2160 and E2140 will undergo the following changes for the L-2 to M-0 stepping conversion:
- New S-Spec and Material Master Number for the converting product
- CPUID will change from 6F2 to 6FD
- The Electrical and Mechanical Specifications remain within the current specifications. Intel anticipates no changes to customer platforms designed to previous Intel guidelines
- Thermal specification has changed:
- Maximum allowed Case Temperature will increase from 61.4°C to 73.2°C
- Tcontrol offset will remain the same relative to 0 with the increase in maximum allowed Case Temperature, which will help reduce acoustics
- Brand string will be set to report “Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU” as the L-2 Intel® Pentium® dual core processors E2160 and E2140 brand string was set to report “Genuine Intel(R) CPU” because an “Intel(R) Pentium(R)” string was unavailable with the L-2 stepping
- Minor visible difference between the L-2 and M-0 packages (see below for a visual comparison).
- While the packages are visually different, the M-0 package is pin-compatible with the L-2 package and Intel anticipates no changes to customer platforms designed to Intel guidelines.
Customer Impact of Change and Recommended Action:
Minimal re-qualification and/or validation is expected for the M-0 stepping conversion due to no feature set changes between the L-2 and M-0 steppings. Thermal qualification may be required if a new thermal solution is implemented to take advantage of the maximum allowed Case Temperature change.
Refer to Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core Desktop Processor E2000 Sequence Electrical, Mechanical, and Thermal Specifications (EMTS).
The Intel® Pentium® dual-core desktop processors E2160 and E2140 on M-0 stepping will require a BIOS update. Once customers implement the BIOS update, they will be able to accept both L-2 stepping material and M-0 stepping material. Customers should be ready to receive a combination of both L-2 stepping material and M-0 stepping material by the "Date Customer Must be Ready to Receive Post-Conversion Material" above.
The below listed E2160 1.80 GHz samples (QYRJ, MM# 889707) are limited to the marked frequency, but are not frequency locked. Therefore, customers should down-clock these samples to also qualify the Intel® Pentium® dual-core desktop processor E2140 (1.60 GHz) for the L-2 to M-0 stepping conversion.
To facilitate earlier qualification and enable “First Availability of Post-Conversion Material,” customers may use the Intel® Pentium® dual-core desktop processor 2.40 GHz M-0 samples (QZMV, MM# 890043) provided late June 2007 for an Intel® Pentium® dual-core desktop processor NPI. The 2.40 GHz M-0 samples are also limited to the marked frequency, but are not frequency locked such that customers can down-clock them to qualify the Intel® Pentium® dual-core desktop processors E2160 and E2140 L-2 to M-0 stepping conversion.
Brief summary :
Looks like Intel's die yield is getting better and better every day.
Since BIOS update is mandatory, if you're planning to buy E2160 and E2140, beware if your mobo doesn't yet support it, especially you don't have other supported CPU to boot up for flashing the BIOS.