How Do You Spot An Engineering Sample?

Unfortunately, you can't just rely on what the BIOS start-up screen says, because most motherboards won't identify engineering samples. Besides, most manufacturers now hide the "unsightly" BIOS start-up displays behind pretty logos. With that said, Intel has always made it pretty easy for anyone (at least those who cared to do so) to identify their engineering samples.

The usual method is to eyeball the laser-etched markings on the processor's integrated heatsink (IHS). Engineering samples will have "Intel Confidential" and "ES" etched into the IHS. However, this method requires you to physically remove the processor's cooler and thermal paste to read the IHS markings. Thus, this is a method best reserved for the hardware enthusiast.

An easier method for most users would be to use CPU-Z. It's a software that queries the processor and reveals its specifications and identification strings. Look for the ES identification string. If present, then you have an Intel engineering sample.

To learn more about Intel Core 2 engineering samples and how to identify them, take a look at our article Why You Should AVOID Intel Core 2 Engineering Samples. To read about counterfeit Intel boxed processors, take a look at our Counterfeit Intel Retail Processors article.

It Sure Matters

Yes, it sure matters whether you have a genuine Intel processor, or a fake one. It's not just about getting what you paid for.

The genuine processor is much more reliable as it would have passed all its qualification tests. Engineering samples do not have to undergo those tests. In fact, many engineering samples may have some features or even one or more processing cores disabled or broken. Some cannot even run reliably at their rated clock speed.

A genuine Intel processor is also covered by warranty so if anything goes wrong, you can get a replacement. OEM (tray) processors illegally repackaged and resold as retail processors are covered by a much shorter warranty period, while engineering samples are completely not covered by warranty.

In short, it really pays to make sure you are using a genuine Intel processor. Intel recommends that you only buy from authorized Intel resellers. For more information on buying computers with Intel processors, click here. To shop for genuine Intel boxed (retail) processors, click here. For the best price on Intel processors, try Pricegrabber.

Other Intel-Related Articles

• Counterfeit Intel Retail Processors
• Why You Should AVOID Intel Core 2 Engineering Samples
• The Intel Core i7 Memory Bandwidth Guide
• Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition Quad Core Processor Review
• The Intel Core i7 Installation Guide
• Intel Core 2 Processor Performance Comparison Guide

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