What does the K in a CPU name stand for?

Nothing that I know of, just Intel's designation that the chip is "unlocked".

You can check out all the numbers/letters out here.
 
I thnk K is like X and other letters... people seem impressed more by some letters than others, like G :p
 
K stands for multiplication factor in electrical engineering.
 
I always figured it stood for "unlocKed" because Intel used it first then AMD for their unlocked Black Edition processors.
 
K is the letter after J in the standard English alphabet. K stands for kalphite, a material that acts as a thermal buffer of sorts to aid in over-clocking. As processors are over-clocked, they tend to run hotter. As temperature increases, electron migration increases. As electron migration occurs, the processor degrades. The kalphite sacrifices itself rather than letting the rest of the processor kill itself. Unfortunately, the law requires manufacturers to advertise the use of kalphite since it is a deadly carcinogen. Great caution should be used when de-lidding a processor that contains kalphite since the material turns into a gas moments after contact with standard air. Since it's such a small amount, you're generally safe, but if the invisible vapors happen to be caught in your breathe-in phase air current, then consider yourself poisoned and seek immediate help from your local Geek Squad. They're the only ones gullible enough to fall for a story like this. :)
 
i do not know but I do know if intel would stop being "K"ocks and stop disabling VT-d on the K even though it is available on the companion non-k processors I would hate them somewhat less.
 
k=krippled, since they don't support vt-d and, IIRC another extension or two.
 
Pitbully said:
Nothing that I know of, just Intel's designation that the chip is "unlocked".

You can check out all the numbers/letters out here.
Click to expand...

Yep. For Intel, this looks more like a case of "what letters have we not used yet for suffixes?"

What was left?
The letter K.
-It stands for Kilo, pre-fix meaning 1000.
-It stands for the Greek letter "kappa", which in turn was derived from the Semitic letter "kap", which was denoted in Semitic languages as a drawing of an open hand (open...unlocked...hint hint).
-It is also a highly recognizable character when written, easily distinguished from other letters, and hard to forget.

There could be a whole bunch of marketing psychology behind it or it could have been as simple as the marketing guys stating "K because unlocked is 1000x better!!" or some shit like that.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top