Help 22nm Centrino 6300

Hi,

I need help tracking down the 22nm (2012) version of the Centrino 6300 WiFi card. Centrino Wiki here: Centrino - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 6300 starts from Arrandale 32nm (2010) into Sandy Bridge still using 32nm (2011) and lastly into Ivy Bridge 22nm (2012).

I'm planning on upgrading my WiFi card to a 6300 22nm (2012) version since I may be getting a re-certified E4200 router upgrade and wanna make use of 3x3 MIMO over 5Ghz, I'll be adding an extra antenna to the back of my laptop's lid to enable 3x3 MIMO operation on the 6300 card itself.

Having the die shrunk to 22nm to the 6300 WiFi will be great benefit for me since the when on battery with WiFi enabled would use less power and also the card (6300) would run much cooler in operation both on battery and plugged in.

I've found these two PDF product briefs first from 2010 and second from 2012 (6300 model number at bottom of PDF):

http://www.avnet-embedded.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/Files/Wireless/Intel_N_6300.pdf

Intel® Centrino® Ultimate 6300: Product Brief

If I'm correct than the 633ANHMWEBC (extended availability) is the 22nm 6300 card I'm looking for but still I'm not convinced.

Any help would be highly appreciated.

 

Nemix77,
Just curious, are you running a modded BIOS, to get rid of the Lenovo "white list"? If so, which? Is it safe?

I only want to know, because I may eventually go this route, after my warranty runs out.

Thanks,

 

Here's a link to the thread with the Y470/Y570 BIOS 2.10 (newer than Lenovo US website) with white-list removed: http://forums.mydigitallife.info/th...uests/page1187?p=644844&viewfull=1#post644844

I've already successfully flashed to the white-list BIOS 2.10 in the link but haven't yet tried it out with newer 2012 Centrino cards, the white-list BIOS 2.10 in the link above has been confirmed working with Centrino 6235 (2012, 22nm with BT) so in theory it should work with all Centrino 6300 cards (from 2010 to 2012).

Confirmed working Centrino 6235 (2012) link: [REQUEST] Lenovo Y570 bios 2.10 - Page 2

I was running BIOS 2.10 (brushed) for several months before I flashed to the white-list BIOS 2.10 without any problems, with BIOS 2.10 the fan speed/threshold has been changed and the CPU runs hotter on idle however at full load it runs cooler.

Link to original BIOS 2.10 (brush) with BIOS change list: Google Translate

Note:

I've concluded that the Centrino 6300 model 633ANHMWEBC (extended availability) is indeed the 22nm version, this can be 100% confirmed if the 6300 Centrino card can do SoftAP at 5Ghz (older 2010/2011 32nm revisions cannot)in comparing to the older 2x2 MIMO Centrino 6200 (2010, 32nm) and 6205 (2011, 32nm) can only do SoftAP at 2.4Ghz with the newer 6205 (2012, 22nm) and 6235 (2012, 22nm with BT) being able to do SoftAP @ 5Ghz I came up that the conclusion is the same for the Centrino 6300 series.

Edit:

I've decided to just get a Centrino 6235 2x2 MIMO (22nm) card instead of taking a risk, time and effort on hunting down the Centrino 6300 model 633ANHMWEBC (22nm) which may still turn out to be 32nm. Plus the Centrino 6235 has been confirmed working with the latest white-list BIOS I have on the laptop and has the Bluetooth 4.0 integrated in which I can make use of paired with my Bluetooth mouse (most likely BT 3.0) since my laptop's on-board Bluetooth module is only BT 2.1. Besides, the Linksys E4200 router upgrade should provide better signal strength and throughput over my current WNDR3700 on both 2.4 and 5Ghz band even on a 2x2 MIMO card.

PS:

If any does however decides to use the guide above to get a 22nm version of the Centrino 6300 WiFi card and is successful (SoftAP runs at 5Ghz) then please reply/update to the thread to let others on NBRF know.

 

The process node only refers to the CPU, not the wifi chips, nor the PCH or anything else.

I can guarantee you none of the current intel wifi chipsets are manufactured on the 22nm process.
Its highly likely that they have not changed within the same product generation, and a better than good chance that (for example) the 5k and 6k series are on the same node.

You might be surprised, but I would not, that they are probably quite a few nodes behind. This is pretty standard for intel with its other chips (PCH, NICs, etc) as they keep their older (paid-for) factories working while moving their bread and butter to the latest and greatest.
130, 90 or 65nm would be likely, this article seems to indicate 90nm.

They also still have (some) analog circuitry which tends to be quite large, though intel is making a lot of progress towards a full digital. So the next revision, 7k or whatever they call it might be using the 32nm tech from that article.

 

I agree with Aluminum. Apart form the Wikipedia article quoted in the first post (with no sources) U haven't been able to find any indications that Wi-Fi cards are manufactured in the same process as the CPUs they accompany.

Also I would expect them to need new FCC tests/seal if the production process have changed. Technically that would be new equipment.

 

I'd bet they aren't 22nm either, Intel tends to use older fabs for making it's other chips like the wireless adapters, chipsets, etc and the bleeding edge is only used for the CPUs. It allows them to re-use older fabs and get more money out of them since implementing a die shrink isn't exactly cheap.

 

Well put guys, even if their not 22nm process an architecture die shrink from the 2010 models to the 2012 models say from 90nm to 65nm is still good for anyone who wants to reduce power consumption of the laptop when on battery with WiFi on.

I've decided to go with a Centrino 6235 which has a higher guarantee of an shrunk die even if it's from 90nm to 65nm, besides the Centrino 6300 on a E4200 is only good for 3x3 MIMO over 5Ghz in which case I still do use the 2.4Ghz when further ways from the router.

Again, very good information here and I've suspected something the likes from Intel when trying to track down a 22nm WiFi card especially in the 6300 series since it'll make a lot sense for Intel to conceal their process change to get right of old 6300 without the manufacturer or end consumers knowing it.