pentiumspeed wrote on 2023-07-09, 16:54:

Fake. The way the laser burnt looks wrong and the copyright symbol is too comical.

Give it a scrape with sharp knife, the top layer should come off. I have a remarked Pentium 150 as 166 like this.

Cheers,

No, don’t scrape it leave it fakes are rare in of themselves. Do not damage it.

Simply look at it under a microscope. If it is paint, it is fake if there are a bunch of melted ceramic pools then it is legitimate, but do not damage it, do not scrape it. Fakes are collectible.

Fakes are collectible? So if I were to rebadge my Pentium processors their value would go up? 😁

Shponglefan wrote on 2023-07-09, 18:03:

Fakes are collectible? So if I were to rebadge my Pentium processors their value would go up? 😁

If you do a really good job and market them as fakes maybe?

Pentium 1 366mhz The Infamous Golden Tiger/Warrior

Los Pebos wrote on 2023-07-09, 08:12:

Hello, […]
Show full quote

Hello,

I’m new here but loving hardware since decades. I’m taking the liberty of digging up this topic as I came accross what’s seems to be a Pentium 233 MMX in a CPGA package (ceramic, then, not plastic PPGA) but its sSpec is SL27S which relates to a classical PPGA P233 MMX. Also, I don’t find any mention of any CPGA P233 MMX anywhere else.
I haven’t tried to scratch it to see if it could be a relabelled P200 MMX (or even a P166 MMX) but the engraved numbers and printed labels seem pretty legit so far. What do you think? I also enclose the bottom of the chip, which printed stuff looks rather faded out.

Thanks for your advice on this!

Ceramics never ever have a QR code (or whatever that shall be) on the back.
There's always more text printed like some serial number, country of origin and type number (such as A80503200) plus spec code.
SL27S is a PPGA 233 MMX.
Also the top surface looks very uneven and ugly. You definitely have a fake!
But I assent to Sphere478's statement, I wouldn't scratch it too. It is certain that it is a fake. So what else would that proof?

Sphere478 wrote on 2023-07-09, 08:34:

Oh that is interesting

I also have a curiosity, a 200mhz sl27s ppga

Would you mind posting a picture of that?
Just for the sake of curiosity?

ChrisK wrote on 2023-07-10, 12:32:

Ceramics never ever have a QR code (or whatever that shall be) on the back.

Data Matrix, a type of 2D code: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Matrix

Intel has Data Matrix on most -- if not all -- of its products.

Yes, you are right, it is (could be) a Data Matrix code (taking the bad quality into account), or at the very least not a QR code.
I was just focused on the fact that there shouldn't be any type of code at all.
Data Matrix codes must have appeared first on Intels PPGAs, AFAIK. But definitely not on CPGAs.

dormcat wrote on 2023-07-10, 13:16:

Data Matrix, a type of 2D code: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Matrix

Intel has Data Matrix on most -- if not all -- of its products.

Data Matrix was applied only to the new PPGA packaging, which includes Pentium 200 Classic, before MMX release. None of the ceramic chips had one, including really late ones like Pentium Pro 1 Mb.

Also it just doesn't make any sense that backside have Pentium MMX logo plastered without any useful information. That is not how Intel manufactured their ceramic CPUs.

ChrisK wrote on 2023-07-10, 12:35:

Sphere478 wrote on 2023-07-09, 08:34:

Oh that is interesting

I also have a curiosity, a 200mhz sl27s ppga

Would you mind posting a picture of that?
Just for the sake of curiosity?

Unable to at the moment. But will try to remember when able.

The Serpent Rider wrote on 2023-07-10, 13:39:

Data Matrix was applied only to the new PPGA packaging, which includes Pentium 200 Classic, before MMX release. None of the ceramic chips had one, including really late ones like Pentium Pro 1 Mb.

Also it just doesn't make any sense that backside have Pentium MMX logo plastered without any useful information. That is not how Intel manufactured their ceramic CPUs.

Well we all knew the CPU in the photo was a fake one, trying to mimic some features of newer MMX chips. 😅 Just like gerwin said,

gerwin wrote on 2023-07-09, 15:13:

Fortunately, Asian counterfeiters tend to lack feeling for latin typography details.

Pentium-era counterfeits were mostly "fixed" in Taiwan; the topic was widely circulated among PC DIYers on text-based BBS back then.

Thank you all for your advices, insightd and thoughts. I'll put it under a microscope when I get the chance to do so but in the meantime, I keep it among its (non-fake) pairs.

I have a few other pentium chips btw if there are any questions about specific models