CPU SS Grade ( High Grade Ceramic CPU) buying scrap price

Introduction, Construction, Components, and Recycling Value

1.1 Introduction to CPU SS Grade

The classification applies to all processors that meet the SS Grade construction and inspection requirements. It is not restricted to one particular CPU model, manufacturer, socket, production year, or computer platform. Ceramic Pentium processors, selected older AMD processors, Cyrix processors, and other comparable ceramic pin-grid-array CPUs may all be purchased at the CPU SS Grade price when their physical construction and condition meet the same standard.

Under the Ohata classification system, CPU grades are arranged from CPU SSS, the highest category, through CPU F, the lowest accepted scrap CPU category. CPU SS is positioned directly below CPU SSS and above CPU S. This means SS Grade processors generally contain more valuable ceramic packaging and precious-metal-bearing construction than ordinary gold-pin PGA processors, but they do not have the distinctive gold cap required for CPU SSS Grade.

The core CPU SS Grade requirements are:

• A genuine processor or microprocessor

• A ceramic package

• No external gold cap

• Gold-plated pins

• A structure comparable to older ceramic Pentium, AMD, Cyrix, or related processors

• Sufficient completeness and cleanliness for normal identification and processing

These conditions must be evaluated together. A processor should not be classified as CPU SS based only on its age, brand, pin color, weight, or appearance.

1.2 Ceramic CPU Construction

A CPU SS Grade processor normally uses a rigid ceramic body instead of the lighter green or brown organic substrate used by many later processors. Ceramic was widely used because it provided good dimensional stability, electrical insulation, thermal resistance, and protection for the semiconductor die.

A typical ceramic CPU may contain:

• A ceramic base or package body

• A silicon processor die

• Internal conductor traces

• Bonding wires or internal interconnections

• Gold-plated external pins

• Metallic die-attach and sealing materials

• Internal copper, nickel, silver-bearing, or gold-bearing structures

• Printed markings showing the manufacturer, family, speed, or production code

The processor die is mounted within or on the ceramic package. Electrical connections carry signals from the die to the external pin grid. These pins connect the CPU to the motherboard socket.

CPU SS processors usually do not have the large external gold-colored cap associated with the highest SSS category. Instead, the top may have a ceramic surface, an exposed die area, a dark protective section, a small metal cover, or another non-gold-cap design.

The absence of a gold cap is one of the most important distinctions between CPU SS and CPU SSS.

1.3 Why CPU SS Grade Has High Recycling Value

CPU SS Grade processors are valuable because they combine ceramic construction with gold-plated pins and older semiconductor packaging methods. Older CPUs often used comparatively substantial precious-metal-bearing connections because the manufacturing processes of the period required reliable, corrosion-resistant electrical contact.

The value of CPU SS scrap may come from:

• Gold plating on the external pins

• Gold-bearing internal bonding wires or connections

• Copper conductors and internal circuitry

• Silver-bearing solder or attachment materials

• Nickel barrier layers beneath plated surfaces

• Small amounts of other recoverable metals within the package

The ceramic body itself is not the main source of payment. Its importance is that ceramic packaging is strongly associated with certain older CPU designs containing valuable pin plating and internal connections.

The exact recovery value varies between processor families, manufacturing periods, package sizes, pin counts, plating thicknesses, and internal designs. Therefore, two visually similar ceramic processors may not contain exactly the same quantity of recoverable metal. However, when both satisfy the SS Grade standard, they can be purchased under the same SS Grade category unless a more specific buying agreement applies.

1.4 Grade-Based Buying Instead of Model-Based Buying

Ohata grades processors according to recycling construction rather than resale performance. Clock speed, benchmark performance, software compatibility, and whether the CPU still operates are generally less important than the physical package and precious-metal-bearing features.

A non-working ceramic processor may still qualify as CPU SS Grade if it remains structurally complete, identifiable, clean, and suitable for recycling. In contrast, a working processor may be downgraded if it is broken, severely corroded, heavily contaminated, mixed with unrelated components, or missing important parts.

This grade-based approach provides a consistent standard for sellers with mixed processor brands. The buyer does not need to create a separate price for every Pentium, AMD, Cyrix, or equivalent ceramic CPU. Processors with the same recycling characteristics can be grouped under the same CPU SS Grade price.

Part 2 – Ohata CPU SS Grade Classification and Identification Guide

2.1 Official SS Grade Profile

Under the Ohata system, CPU SS Grade is identified as High Grade Ceramic CPU. Its principal characteristics are:

1. Ceramic processor package

2. No gold cap

3. Gold-plated pins

4. Older high-grade CPU construction

5. Common examples including ceramic Pentium, AMD, Cyrix, and similar processors

The examples are identification references rather than a closed model list. A processor from another manufacturer may also qualify if its physical construction matches the SS Grade profile.

2.2 Step-by-Step Identification Method

Step 1: Confirm That the Item Is a CPU

The first inspection should determine whether the item is actually a processor. Some electronic components resemble CPUs but may instead be memory chips, chipsets, controllers, relay modules, hybrid circuits, or unrelated ceramic components.

If the item is not a CPU or processor, it should not be forced into a CPU grade. Under the Ohata system, non-CPU items are classified as NONE.

Step 2: Examine the Package Material

CPU SS Grade requires a ceramic body. Ceramic packages are normally rigid, dense, and harder than organic fiber substrates. They may be white, gray, brown, purple, black, or another color depending on the manufacturer and production period.

A green or brown lightweight organic-substrate processor is generally not CPU SS. Such processors may belong to CPU C or another applicable category.

Step 3: Check for a Gold Cap

Inspect the top of the processor carefully. A CPU with a clear gold-colored metal cap may qualify for CPU SSS Grade, subject to confirmation of the ceramic package and gold-plated pins.

CPU SS Grade specifically covers ceramic processors without a gold cap. A small gold-colored marking, plated contact, logo, or exposed internal area should not automatically be treated as a gold cap. The evaluator must identify whether the CPU has the distinct metallic cap construction associated with the SSS category.

Step 4: Inspect the Pin Grid

CPU SS processors normally have gold-plated pins. The pins may appear bright yellow, dull gold, or slightly aged depending on storage and oxidation.

The evaluator should check:

• Whether the processor uses external pins

• Whether the pins are gold-plated

• Whether most pins remain attached

• Whether the pins show severe corrosion

• Whether solder, dirt, grease, or foreign material covers the pin field

A ceramic component without gold-plated pins may not meet the SS Grade standard.

Step 5: Evaluate Completeness and Condition

A normal CPU SS processor should remain substantially complete. Minor cosmetic wear, faded printing, or normal discoloration may be acceptable, but serious physical damage can change the grade.

Potential downgrade conditions include:

• Broken ceramic body

• Missing sections of the package

• Large numbers of missing pins

• Severe pin corrosion

• Fire damage

• Heavy mud, oil, glue, or chemical contamination

• Attached heatsinks or excessive foreign material

• Mixed, unidentified, or unsorted CPU scrap

Severely damaged, dirty, or mixed CPUs are generally directed toward CPU F Grade rather than CPU SS.

2.3 Two-Direction Verification Method

The Ohata classification process uses a two-direction comparison method.

First, the evaluator checks the CPU from the highest grade downward:

CPU SSS → CPU SS → CPU S → CPU A → CPU B → CPU C → CPU D → CPU E → CPU F.

The processor is compared with the highest-value criteria first. If it does not have a gold cap, it does not satisfy the central SSS feature. The evaluator then checks whether it meets the SS ceramic-package and gold-pin requirements.

Second, the evaluator checks from the lower grades upward. This confirms that the processor is not more accurately described as a damaged CPU, fiber CPU, modern LGA CPU, ordinary gold-pin PGA CPU, BGA processor, cartridge module, or low-grade plastic IC.

This two-direction inspection helps prevent both overgrading and undergrading.

2.4 Important Distinction Between CPU SS and CPU S

CPU SS and CPU S may both have gold-plated pins. The main distinction is the package material.

CPU SS Grade:

• Ceramic body

• Gold-plated pins

• No gold cap

• Older high-grade ceramic design

CPU S Grade:

• PGA construction

• Gold-plated pins

• Usually non-ceramic or lower-value package construction

• Examples may include Athlon, Opteron, Socket 370, Socket 478, and related gold-pin processors

Gold-colored pins alone do not make a processor CPU SS. The body must also meet the ceramic-package requirement.

Recoverable Materials, Buying Standards, and Handling

3.1 Recoverable Materials

The principal recoverable materials associated with CPU SS processors may include gold, copper, silver, nickel, and other industrial metals.

Gold

Gold is primarily associated with external pin plating and may also be present in internal bonding or connection structures. Gold is used because it resists corrosion and provides reliable electrical contact.

Copper

Copper may be present in internal conductors, traces, die connections, package structures, and supporting metal layers. Although copper has a lower unit value than gold, it contributes to the total recoverable metal content.

Silver

Silver may be present in certain solders, die-attach materials, conductive compounds, or older assembly processes. The amount varies by manufacturer and package design.

Nickel

Nickel is commonly used as an underplating or barrier layer beneath gold-plated surfaces. It may also appear in internal metallic parts.

Other Materials

CPU packages may contain silicon, ceramic compounds, tin-bearing solder, iron-bearing parts, and trace quantities of other metals. Professional processors separate and recover these materials using controlled industrial methods.

3.2 Ohata Buying Standards

A processor may be purchased as CPU SS Grade when it meets the following general conditions:

• It is a genuine CPU

• It has a ceramic package

• It does not have a gold cap

• It has gold-plated pins

• The package remains substantially complete

• The processor is reasonably clean

• It is separated from lower-grade CPUs and unrelated electronic scrap

• It does not contain excessive attachments or contamination

The CPU does not necessarily need to function electronically. Recycling classification is primarily based on construction, recoverable materials, completeness, and condition.

3.3 Conditions That May Cause Downgrading

A processor that originally belonged to the SS family may receive a lower buying grade when its condition creates processing difficulty or reduces recoverable value.

Common downgrade reasons include:

• Broken ceramic packages

• Cracked or fragmented processors

• Severely bent or removed pins

• Corroded pin fields

• Burned or charred surfaces

• Heavy dirt, oil, mud, adhesive, or chemical contamination

• CPUs attached to large heatsinks or other components

• Mixed grades and unidentified models in one container

• Non-CPU components included in the load

Damaged, contaminated, mixed, or unknown processors generally fall under CPU F Grade according to the Ohata standard.

3.4 Sorting and Handling Recommendations

Sellers should separate CPU SS processors before delivery. Recommended sorting groups include:

• Gold-cap ceramic CPUs

• Non-gold-cap ceramic CPUs

• Gold-pin PGA CPUs

• Modern LGA CPUs

• BGA processors and chipsets

• Fiber-substrate CPUs

• Cartridge-style CPU modules

• Low-grade plastic ICs

• Damaged or mixed processors

SS Grade CPUs should be stored in dry, clean containers. Heavy processors should not be dropped onto each other because ceramic packages can chip or crack. Containers should not contain loose steel, screws, batteries, heatsinks, fans, motherboard fragments, or hazardous waste.

There is normally no need to remove pins, break the ceramic body, grind the processor, or expose the internal die. Destructive preparation may reduce the accepted grade and can create sharp fragments or hazardous dust. The safest and most commercially useful condition is generally an intact, sorted processor.

Comparison and Official Ohata Classification

4.1 CPU SS Versus CPU SSS

CPU SSS is the highest Ohata CPU grade. It normally requires:

• Ceramic package

• Gold cap

• Gold-plated pins

• High-value vintage construction

CPU SS also uses a ceramic package and gold-plated pins, but it does not have the required gold cap. Therefore, a ceramic gold-pin processor without a gold cap should normally be classified as CPU SS rather than CPU SSS.

4.2 CPU SS Versus CPU S

CPU S covers gold-pin PGA processors such as selected Athlon, Opteron, Socket 370, and Socket 478 types. These processors may have valuable gold-plated pins, but they do not meet the same high-grade ceramic-package profile as CPU SS.

The simplest distinction is:

• Ceramic body without gold cap: CPU SS

• Ordinary PGA body with gold pins: CPU S

4.3 CPU SS Versus CPU A

CPU A represents modern LGA processors. These CPUs have flat contact pads instead of protruding pins. Modern Intel Core and Xeon processors are common examples.

A flat-pad LGA processor is not CPU SS, even when its contact pads appear gold-colored.

4.4 CPU SS Versus CPU B

CPU B includes BGA CPUs, laptop processors, GPUs, and chipsets with solder balls or solder contact points underneath. BGA components do not have the external pin grid required for CPU SS.

4.5 CPU SS Versus CPU C

CPU C covers lightweight processors with green or brown organic fiber substrates. They may be modern Intel or AMD desktop processors. Even when some versions have pins, the organic substrate differentiates them from high-grade ceramic SS processors.

4.6 CPU SS Versus CPU D

CPU D includes cartridge-style processors and CPU modules such as Slot 1 and Slot A products. These assemblies may contain a processor, cache chips, circuit boards, connectors, and plastic cartridge parts. They are graded as modules rather than individual ceramic SS processors.

4.7 CPU SS Versus CPU E

CPU E includes low-grade plastic ICs, microcontrollers, logic chips, and small processor-type components with relatively low precious-metal content. Plastic IC construction does not satisfy the ceramic and gold-pin requirements of CPU SS.

4.8 CPU SS Versus CPU F

CPU F includes damaged, dirty, corroded, mixed, unknown, or contaminated CPU scrap. A processor that would normally be SS Grade may be downgraded to F when damage or contamination prevents normal high-grade acceptance.

4.9 CPU SS Versus NONE

NONE is used when the inspected item is not actually a CPU. Ceramic appearance alone does not prove that a component is a processor. Non-CPU components must be excluded from the CPU grading system.

4.10 Official Ohata Classification Statement

Under the Ohata CPU Scrap Classification System, an intact processor with a ceramic package, no gold cap, and gold-plated pins is officially classified as:

Ohata CPU SS Grade – High Grade Ceramic CPU

This classification applies across brands and models. Ceramic Pentium, AMD, Cyrix, and comparable processors may all receive the CPU SS Grade price when they meet the same construction, completeness, cleanliness, and sorting requirements.

The classification is based on recycling characteristics rather than computing performance or operational condition. CPUs that retain the required ceramic body and gold-plated pins can qualify for SS Grade even when they are no longer functional. However, damaged, contaminated, heavily corroded, incomplete, or mixed processors may be downgraded.

For the best buying result, sellers should keep CPU SS material intact, dry, clean, and separated from gold-cap ceramic CPUs, ordinary PGA processors, LGA processors, BGA chips, fiber CPUs, cartridge modules, low-grade plastic ICs, and damaged CPU scrap.

View more Ohata's CPU recycling classifications

CPU SS Grade ( High Grade Ceramic CPU)

CPU S Grade ( Gold Pin BGA CPU)

CPU A Grade ( Modern LGA CPU)

CPU B Grade ( BGA CPU and IC chips)

CPU C Grade ( Fiber CPU)

CPU D Grade ( Slot CPU/ CPU Module)

CPU E Grade ( Plastic IC and Processor Chips)

CPU F Grade ( Damaged,Dirty and Mix CPU)