Thought this was an interesting topic and to post this for others:
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Information about Intel Engineering/Qualification Sample Processors
What are Intel Engineering Sample Processors? Intel® Engineering Sample Processors ("Intel ES Processors"), also known as Intel® Qualification Sample Processors, are pre-production processors loaned to Intel's Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Original Device Manufacturers (ODMs), and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) to be used in the product design cycle prior to product launch.
These processors often include additional features that production processors do not include for customer pre-production evaluation and test purposes. The following conditions apply to Intel® ES Processors:
- Intel ES Processors are the sole property of Intel
- Intel ES Processors are Intel Confidential
- Intel ES Processors are provided by Intel under nondisclosure and/or special loan agreement terms with restrictions on the recipient's handling and use
- Intel ES Processors are not for sale or re-sale
- Intel ES Processors may not have passed commercial regulatory requirements
- ES Processors are not covered under Intel warranty and are generally not supported by Intel
The
Intel® Processor Identification Utility can also be used to help identify whether a particular processor is an Intel ES processor.
Once you install and run Processor ID on an Intel ES Processor, the following message will appear in the text box:
"The following Intel processor appears to be an engineering sample, not a production processor. The utility is designed to support Intel production processors only. Sample processors are not warranted by Intel and are not intended for resale."
Can I get Intel® ES Processors from Intel? Due to the pre-production nature of Intel® ES Processors, they are generally only loaned by Intel to Intel's Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), Original Device
Manufacturers (ODMs), and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) for pre-production test and evaluation work under specific contractual terms and conditions that assure the protection of Intel's assets and confidential information.
Intel ES Processors are not made available to the general public by Intel.
How Do I Identify Intel® ES Processors? The easiest way to tell if you have an Intel® ES Processor is to look at the processor topside markings. If you have a 4 or 5 digit Qspec listed like the one pictured below, you have an engineering sample. A production processor will have a 5 digit sSpec, usually beginning with S, such as SLB9L on the topside markings.
If no ink or laser markings are found, the processor may be an "unmarked" Intel ES Processor. Contact Intel if you are in possession of an unmarked Intel ES Processor.
The Intel® Processor Identification Utility can also be used to help identify whether a particular processor is an Intel ES processor.
Once you install and run Processor ID on an Intel ES Processor, the following message will appear in the text box:
"The following Intel processor appears to be an engineering sample, not a production processor. The utility is designed to support Intel production processors only. Sample processors are not warranted by Intel and are not intended for resale."