What do CPU steppings mean?

[flowerpower]

This is reference to AMD CPU steppings. I think that it is something that indicates CPUs revision/version, is that a correct assumption?

 

[LinkedKube]

yes. u r right

 

[CMH]

Yeap, and if you know what you're looking for, you can snag a pretty good chip from a bunch of similar chips

But you'd only see the difference in overclocking.

And you'd be looking at a more specialized overclocking forum for that type of info....

 

[flowerpower]

Not really looking to overclock, but i already got the motherboard and now i'm trying to get a CPU. I have a Gigabyte nforce590 board and want to get the fx-62 CPU and it says on their site in the CPU suport list that this CPU must have a F2 stepping, does this mean no other FX-62 will work with this board? And how do i find out which stepping the CPU is before i buy?