Due to microscopic variations in semiconductor fabrication, no two processors are perfectly identical. Some chips require less voltage to hit target frequencies and can be pushed far past their rated speeds without overheating or crashing. Enthusiasts and overclockers refer to getting one of these exceptionally capable chips as winning the silicon lottery.
I lost the silicon lottery hard on this CPU, it crashes immediately if I push it even 100 megahertz past stock.
Manufacturers bin their chips based on these same variances, selling the highest-performing silicon as premium models.
Related terms
Chip
A small piece of semiconducting material containing a complex integrated circuit.
Clock speed
The operating frequency of a processor or digital chip, determining how fast it executes instructions.
Wafer
A highly polished slice of semiconductor material used as the foundation for fabricating integrated circuits.
Burn-in
A rigorous testing phase where components operate under stress to force early failures before shipping.