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<p><b>Engineering samples</b> are the <a href="Beta_version" class="mw-redirect" title="Beta version">beta versions</a> of <a href="Integrated_circuit" title="Integrated circuit">integrated circuits</a> which are loaned to ODMs, <a href="Original_Equipment_Manufacturer" class="mw-redirect" title="Original Equipment Manufacturer">OEMs</a> and <a href="Independent_software_vendor" title="Independent software vendor">ISVs</a> so that products can be tested prior to launch. Engineering samples are usually handed out under a <a href="Non-disclosure_agreement" title="Non-disclosure agreement">non-disclosure agreement</a> or another type of confidentiality agreement.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p><p>Several kinds of preproduction samples are made during a product's development, ranging from mechanical samples (for testing physical fit of a processor), electrical/thermal samples (for testing cooling and power draw), engineering samples (for early testing of a design) and qualification samples (made to test whether a design is ready for release). Some engineering samples with unlocked clock multipliers are valued by overclockers.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Intel does not officially acknowledge a distinction between engineering and qualification samples.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>
</p><p>Some engineering samples, such as <a href="Pentium_4" title="Pentium 4">Pentium 4</a> processors, were rare and favoured for having unlocked base-clock multipliers. More recently, <a href="Core_2" class="mw-redirect" title="Core 2">Core 2</a> engineering samples have become more common and popular. Asian sellers were selling the Core 2 processors at major profit.
</p><p>While engineering sample CPUs do occasionally appear on secondhand markets such as <a href="EBay" title="EBay">eBay</a>, they are generally not authorized for resale and can suffer from unpredictable performance issues, compatibility issues, and lack of warranty support options.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This is due to their unfinished nature compared to the retail version of the chip.
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>
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<li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">
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</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120608045725/http://www.intel.com/support/processors/sb/CS-030747.htm">"Information about Intel Engineering/Qualification Sample Processors"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.intel.com/support/processors/sb/CS-030747.htm">the original</a> on 2012-06-08.</cite></span>
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<li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.cpushack.com/2018/07/23/a-sampling-of-sample-processors/">"A Sampling of Sample Processors"</a>. <i>The CPUShack Museum</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2 April</span> 2025</span>.</cite></span>
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<li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000056642/processors/intel-core-processors.html">"What Is the Difference between ES (Engineering Sample) and QS (Qualification Sample) Processors?"</a>. <i>Intel Support Knowledge Base</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2 April</span> 2025</span>.</cite></span>
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<li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://chris.partridge.tech/2021/identifying-intel-engineering-samples/">"Signs an Intel CPU May Be an Engineering Sample | tweedge's blog"</a>. <i>chris.partridge.tech</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2024-09-08</span></span>.</cite></span>
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<li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.techspot.com/news/46902-engineers-arrested-for-selling-sample-cpus-on-ebay.html">"Engineers arrested for selling sample CPUs on eBay"</a>. <i>TechSpot</i>. 2012-01-04<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2024-12-17</span></span>.</cite></span>
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<li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.techarp.com/showarticleba80.html?artno=407&pgno=4">"Why You Should AVOID Intel Core 2 Engineering Samples Rev. 4.1"</a>. <i>Tech ARP</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2 April</span> 2025</span>.</cite></span>
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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2></div>
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