Intel xeon soma, a strange online chip based on mcm appears

Strange Intel Xeon SoMa chips have popped up online, even available on eBay for a relatively low price of $ 70.

Intel Xeon SoMa, A strange online chip based on MCM (Multi-Chip-Module) appears

The processor apparently has 4 MCM arrays and there are over 100, 000 CPUs of this style. In fact, the packaging puts it in an LGA 1156 design and the lot number indicates that this CPU was manufactured almost 4 years ago. The package was made in Malaysia.

The IHS design also puts it in the Skylake family category, leading one to believe that Intel was experimenting with an MCM design shortly after Skylake's launch. You can see a complete video of the CPU being cut up by a Chinese user.

The lack of transistors / SMDs in the package means that this is not a working processor and is just an initial demo chip. This is further corroborated by that rare part number and the lack of an Intel Confidential logo. The fact that "MALAY" is mentioned on the back also corroborates this theory, as Intel has three test / packaging centers based there: PG8, KM5 and KMO (in Penang and Kulim).

Inside the chip, things get interesting. The dies shown are close in size to the Skylake dual core dies and 4 dies would make this an 8 core chip. The fact that this chip was manufactured about four years ago means that, if this was something Intel was actively pursuing, they would have had enough time to hone the technique and implement it.

Visit our guide on the best processors on the market

The fact that there are so many of these CPUs (according to a Reddit thread, almost 100, 000 of these wacky little processors out there) makes it highly unlikely that this is all an elaborate hoax.

These processors appear to be the result of internal testing by Intel using an MCM design. It is difficult to know if these tests were successful or not, but it is clear that Intel has been fiddling with this possibility, just as AMD already did with great success.

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