BIOS Option Enables 4th Core on AMD Phenom II X3 710

Intel might be in the position to do this, but AMD can't unfortunately

You don't need a special product, just put it into an existing quadcore PC and sell it for less. For only one OEM supplies should be sufficent.

Why would an OEM buy a single, one-time batch of CPUs? It would not be cost effective for an OEM to design a product around a small quanitity of CPUs, or any other part just for one-time use.

Not saying they don't exist but I do not know of any "unofficial" OEM SKUs? OEM parts especially are required to have a specified level of market time before a CPU manufacturer can cease selling that SKU.

The problem could be solved by making it an unofficial OEM SKU, accumulate a certain amount of them and then sell them as a whole batch.

As Wutske said, it is done in many situations, especially GPUs. Where do you think all those unlockable GPUs from years gone by came from, or how flashing a software BIOS magically upgrades a card's specs?

AMD has a certain number of defective CPUs they must sell as 3-core or 2-core parts. If their yields are TOO good and they lack sufficient defective chips, then they must cannibalize lower end chips in order to meet supplier demand.

They cannot simply decide to arbitrarily stop selling X3 CPUs just because they don't need to anymore. It requires channel notifications, EOL warnings, and the chance to allow suppliers to place final orders.

It's better as selling nothing and believe it or not, this is common practice in many companies, even powerfull cars are sold as less powerfull simply by downtuning the engine controller.

//edit: btw, a tri-core might be a quadcore with a 'defective' (as in not passing the strict tests) core disabled

If that means they are essentially selling working quadcores at X3 prices, AMD is doing it wrong again.