CPU stepping means that after the CPU product is put into production, it will be marked with different numbers inside the product to indicate the different levels or processes used in its production. That is to say, the step number is used to identify these different "revisions" of the CPU.

what does cpu stepping mean

STEPPING IS AN IMPORTANT PARAMETER OF THE CPU, ALSO KNOWN AS HIERARCHICAL IDENTIFICATION OF PRODUCT DATA CONVERSION SPECIFICATIONS, "STEP" NUMBER IS USED TO IDENTIFY A SERIES OF CPU DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING VERSION DATA, STEP VERSION WILL CHANGE WITH THE IMPROVEMENT OF THIS SERIES OF CPU PRODUCTION PROCESSES, BUG SOLUTIONS OR INCREASE IN CHARACTERISTICS, THAT IS TO SAY, THE STEP NUMBER IS USED TO IDENTIFY THESE DIFFERENT "REVISIONS" OF THE CPU.

FOR CPU MANUFACTURERS, STEP NUMBERING CAN EFFECTIVELY CONTROL AND TRACK CHANGES MADE, THAT IS, THEY CAN EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THEIR OWN DESIGN, PRODUCTION AND SALES PROCESSES; FOR THE END USER OF THE CPU, THE STEP NUMBER CAN BE USED TO MORE SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFY THE CPU VERSION INSTALLED IN THEIR SYSTEM, DETERMINE THE INTERNAL DESIGN OR PRODUCTION CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CPU, AND SO ON.

the above is an introduction to what the cpu stepping means.