Logical validation
Logical validation is a process purely intended for testing the functionality of a chip, and it involves three types of tests. The first category comprises benchmarks, games, operating systems, server applications, and so on. This is the easiest category to achieve success in, because this sort of 'normal' software usually does not contain very exotic code.
The second type of tests is harder, and involves trying out specific (new) features. Usually, these tests are written by the chip developers themselves, since they know best how to cover every possible peculiarity and exception for their design.
The final category is probably the hardest. It involves firing random instructions and data at the processor to see if the physical chip behaves in the same way as the software model of it. Naturally, the 'emulator' is tested extensively before the first chip arrives from the factory, so if the hardware implementation responds identically to every combination of instructions and data, then chances are that everything is fine.
Circuit validation
(...)
The main difference between the logics lab and the circuitry lab is that here, the engineers also play around with clock speed and temperature. At Intel, an advanced form of 'temperature control' is used, a central liquid cooling system that allows temperatures to be set in a range between -50 and 80 degrees Celsius.
Jetzt weiß ich auch warum der die Werke nicht als X4 verlassen hat...
Jede CPU muss ein gewisses Potential nach oben besitzen, die Anforderungen eines Herstellers lassen sich nicht mit dem von uns als Ottonormalverbraucher vergleichen. AMD muss sichern, dass eine CPU auch nach 3 Jahren 24/7 Volllast bei maximal zulässiger Höchsttemperatur absolut fehlerfrei bei jeder Software arbeitet, das ist bei weitem nicht mit dem vergleichbar, was wir nach ein paar Stunden Prime als "rockstable" bezeichnen.
