Com Send your email address for your chance to win a Palm Pilot 3 and to receive Access Micro's electronic Newsletter. The primary factor to consider before buying a Pentium is that Pentiums with the same clock speed can be considerably different. Once an Intel Pentium CPU has been developed and tested, appropriate clock rates are selected. Certain types of processors could operate on a special clock rate only when a higher voltage is present, causing the processor to become hotter. Other types are not capable of multiprocessing.
Buyers can determine the CPU type by inspecting the letters on the bottom of the chip.
The last three letters identify the CPU type, as shown in the list. Buyers in the market for overclocking usually decide on an SSS-chip so they can boost the motherboard voltage to operate at a higher clock speed. Of course, this requires proper cooling. Falsely marked clock rates Many Pentiums with false clock rates exist, especially in Europe. The marking was ground off, new marking was substituted via laser and new lettering was superimposed.