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AMD 2500+ Socket A CPUs Compared

Posted by timothy on from the other-semiconductor-company dept.

SuperPuppy writes "Hardcoreware.net has rounded up three 2500+ Socket A processors from AMD. An AthlonXP, based on the Barton core (this particular one predates the locked multipliers we've been seeing lately), a Mobile Athlon, based on the Barton SOI, and the new Sempron, which is based on the Tbred core. Each processor differs in clock frequency and cache size, but most importantly, the Mobile Athlon takes up a LOT less juice than either of the other two, and is therefore a remarkable performer in terms of overclocking. The Sempron was quite disappointing on all fronts but price."

26 of 227 comments (clear)

  1. CPU Market by sofakingon · · Score: 5, Interesting

    In general, The need for new CPU's has stagnated in the last year or so. What can't you do with a 2.4Ghz HT Intel CPU? The "bleeding edge" isn't as far ahead as it used to be. What do you guys think will be the next revolution in the CPU (or GPU, for that matter) market?

    1. Re:CPU Market by oxygene2k2 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      multicore - a bunch of real cpu cores (not that HT hack) on a single chip. of course, you need a scalable SMP/NUMA capable OS for that (scalable in terms of, say 8 cores/chip*4 chips = 32cpus)

    2. Re:CPU Market by noselasd · · Score: 4, Informative

      The next revolution might be when we get ram and bus speed up to the current CPU speeds. I can only imagine how blazingly fast a computer
      with enough ram bandwidth and the CPU could fetch data from the RAM in
      the speed of the CPU...
      --
      Just my $.02 , may I have them back please.

    3. Re:CPU Market by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Word processing or web browsing would ROCK at those speeds.

      I know I'm being pedantic, but there is no reason in faster bigger better when current tech is so underused.

      Its like buying a car that does 200mph, but then only doing the school run in it.

      For those of us that *use* our computers to the fullest, your right it will be a godsend.
      Direct access to memory without a deep cache, or needing a super pipeline would definately be nice.

      The cache on my old 62020 was 256 BYTES, perfect for fitting a tight loop in and short enough to not cause problems. The current range of cpus have more cache than I used to have main memory!

      Speaking of which, could you fit and run an entire OS from cache? is it even possible?

      --
      liqbase :: faster than paper
    4. Re:CPU Market by renoX · · Score: 4, Informative

      Unless you slow down a lot the CPU, this is unlikely to happen: in the same technology, propagation delays implies that the CPU will always run much faster than the RAM.

      Using cache and several links from CPU to RAM to add bandwith, helps but the delay is still there and will be felt in case of cache miss due to branch mispredict for example.

    5. Re:CPU Market by mmkkbb · · Score: 3, Informative

      Probably unsafe with current cache models. A set-associative or direct-mapped cache would probably get written over with new memory accesses. A fully associative cache might work if you can mark particular cache lines as off-limits, but associative caches are also slow.

      --
      -mkb
    6. Re:CPU Market by Khali · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Silence.

      I'm quite fed up with these noisy computers. I have 4 of them at home, and except for the laptop, they all generate much noise, because they heat so much that every little piece, CPU first, needs a fan. I hardly can hear me think anymore. One of these systems acts as a server that I keep up at night. I did my best to make it go silent but I can still hear it behind the door.

      In some way it means the same as another post right before mine: low power dissipation. This value has dramatically increased in the past few years, in the name of the top speed race, but at the price of our tranquility.

      It also joins the view of anther poster that most users don't need the extra power offered by the latest CPUs. I certainly don't, so I'd rather use a quiet 1GHz machine than a noisy 3GHz one.

      This is why I'm quite sad to see that you cannot easily buy Transmeta-based systems. This is exactly the kind of CPU I would enjoy, if only my online computer parts store had that available. What I am really looking for is a completely fanless system.

    7. Re:CPU Market by noselasd · · Score: 3, Interesting

      And that was one of my points. CPUs have caches and advanced pipelining/branch prediction/TLBs etc. Why ? Cause ram access is
      amazingly slow relativly speaking. Make it faster and you don't need
      all these things. (Well, ram is located further away, and there will be delays for other reasons, still, things would be much,much better..)

    8. Re:CPU Market by JPelorat · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Wonder how many more decades it'll be till we're talking about how many cores a chip has, in the same manner that we talk about transistors now. That'll be freaky. And cool.

      --
      Hokey statistics and ancient misconceptions are no match for a good thought in your head, kid!
    9. Re:CPU Market by twbecker · · Score: 4, Interesting

      What can't you do with a 2.4Ghz HT Intel CPU?

      Why does it have to be an Intel chip? I like to think I'm pretty unbiased when it comes to CPUs, but the fact of the matter is that the A64 architecture is clearly superior to that space heater Intel calls Prescott. Intel still holds a slim advantage in some encoding tests, but that's about it. I'm not trying to troll, I'm just curious why you chose to mention a 2.4Ghz HT Intel chip when TFA is about AMD. . .

      --
      "The problem with internet quotations is that many are not genuine" -Abraham Lincoln
    10. Re:CPU Market by twbecker · · Score: 4, Informative

      You should look into an Athlon 64. They support Cool & Quiet technology, which basically just underclocks the CPU when it's idle. My 3000+ (2Ghz clockspeed) runs at 1Ghz most of the time. And the fans spindown accordingly. When you start up an application, the chip adjusts so quickly that you can't tell any difference in performance. Anyway, something to think about.

      --
      "The problem with internet quotations is that many are not genuine" -Abraham Lincoln
    11. Re:CPU Market by kidlinux · · Score: 3, Informative

      I agree with what you say 100%.

      If you're looking for a silent system, try the VIA micro-itx formfactor with 1ghz cpu. Not only can you build a very quiet system, but you can build a really small one too. 17cmx17cm full-featured motherboard.

      I think the current trends are moving towards small and silent. Personally I'm tired of seeing big box computers. Shoebox (even a bit smaller) size is where it's at.

      --
      -kidlinux.
    12. Re:CPU Market by TilJ · · Score: 4, Funny

      Reminds me of one of my favourite quotes from the monastary:

      CP/M-86 *screams* on a PII/400.
      -- Dave Brown, a.s.r.
      I would think so. The whole floppy image will fit in the L-II cache.
      -- Mark Atwood, in reply

      --
      "The purpose of argument is to change the nature of truth." -- Bene Gesserit Precept
    13. Re:CPU Market by shokk · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Redundant hardware. A chip that big is going to have a lot of flaws and we won't be able to just throw out chips that have the flaws. The chips will have to fail self-test and repair before they can be considered unusable.

      --
      "Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart, he dreams himself your master."
    14. Re:CPU Market by Minwee · · Score: 4, Informative
      You can get a quiet or even silent PC using off the shelf parts, if you look for them.

      CPUs like the Pentium III can be underclocked and underpowered to the point that they work just fine without a fan. The VIA C3 is a Socket 370 / P-III compatable processor designed for low power and fanless operation. Check out the mini-itx motherboards for examples of these in operation.

      Most video cards don't need a fan at all, although passively cooled cards can still heat up the interior of your case. It's doubtful that you really need the absolute latest and most powerfull leaf-blower video card on your home server.

      Hard drives and power supplies are the other big sources of noise. Hard drives noise is noticable because it comes and goes, while power supplies need to push all the heat that those passively cooled components have been producing out of the case. A well made drive seated on noise absorbing padding, rather than bolted directly onto a steel frame, can be reduced to a low, cricket-like chirping noise while large, slower case fans can take a lot of the load off of the PSU without raising noise levels significantly. Take a look around Silent PC Review for more on this topic, or just look for a retailer in your area who carries quiet PC parts.

      I have been slowly replacing all the computers around my home with silent parts over the last few years, and the difference is stunning. Just last week I needed to replace a power supply and used a spare that I had sitting on a shelf -- It sounded like a jet engine compared to everything around it. If that's the kind of noise that's coming out of your server, then I understand your frustration. You don't need to turn to rare, high tech prototypes from military labs to quiet down your PC -- All you need now is to shop around a bit.

  2. Yes.. by manavendra · · Score: 3, Funny

    ..but does it still double up as a comfy portable heater for you, like its predecessors?!

    --
    http://efil.blogspot.com/
  3. 2500+ by Eeknay · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The Barton 2500+ is probably the best chip that AMD have ever released. It was cheap, it performed well, and it was an overclocker's dream. It's not at all uncommon to find many people who have a 2500+ and have overclocked it to 3200+ speeds with nothing more than a stock cooler, without crashing.

    The Semprons, however, are rather lacklustre, and I'm nto sure why they released them for the Socket A platform... the XP's are the same price and perform better. The only Sempron anyone would be remotely interested in is the Socket 754 Sempron 3000+, which gves the same performance as an Athlon 64 2800+, but without the 64bit compatability (i.e. no Windows XP 64 edition).

  4. For those who don't know... by Silverlancer · · Score: 4, Informative

    The Mobile Barton is basically the cream of the crop in terms of Bartons. They take the chips that will run the highest speeds on the lowest voltages, and sell them as Mobiles. Of course you can buy one, put it in a desktop PC, and they will often overclock massively--most 2500+s easily hit 2.5Ghz and will often reach 2.6-2.8Ghz... on pretty standard air cooling! The only problem with this is getting RAM that will run that fast... in which case two 256MB sticks of BH-5 running at 2-2-2-5 are your best bet :).

  5. Come on now by lachlan76 · · Score: 4, Funny

    or perhaps our wives' strong grip on our wallets

    I get the feeling that this isn't the case for most readers of that site ;)

  6. Thinking about an upgrade by Echnin · · Score: 3, Interesting

    On my Windows PC I still have an Athlon XP 1600+ I bought in late 2001. I don't have a big budget, but I'd like to make some upgrades; go from 512 MB of RAM to 1 GB, add a 200 GB HDD, DVD burner, little by little. Of course, I have a Socket A motherboard (ASUS AV266-E) and I'm interested in upgrading the CPU without replacing the mobo. Is the upgrade from a 1600+ to a 2500+ worth the extra money, or should I wait and get a new motherboard with an Athlon 64 when I have the money? I'm sure I'm not the only one with an early Socket A CPU wanting to upgrade.

    --
    Lalala
  7. google cache by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Fresh from the Google Cache.

    Take care.
    Ken.

  8. Site seems down: here is conclusion I saved by jmke · · Score: 5, Informative

    old review.. from 13/09.. not new?

    So what was going to be a relatively easy summary has now become a little bit more convoluted thanks to the extreme overclocking ability of the Mobile Athlon chip.

    Basically in short we can conclude the following.

    - If you're looking to run at straight out of the box stock speeds, then going for the Athlon XP 2500+ should be a no brainer. The XP either beats or almost matches the Mobile chip in every benchmark and can be had at a lower price

    - If however you're a tweaker, a freaker, a mad cookie eater, then by all means spend that extra four bones that is burning a hole in your pocket and pick up a Mobile Athlon chip (and as you can see above, we found it for the exact same price as the standard Barton). Even if by some chance you get a dud in the overclocking department you'll still have a chip that can easily run at stock XP speeds all the while requiring MUCH less voltage which will enable you to have a quiet if not super fast gaming system.

    - Finally, if you're looking at the Sempron do it only if you absolutely cannot afford that extra ten bucks that it's going to cost you to move up to a Barton based XP processor. Though admittedly marketed at the low end internet/email usage market, AMD 2500+ Performance Rating system just doesn't hold up here. With the return of the low end Duron-esque processor let's hope AMD moves to a new naming system so as not to confuse Joe AOL who picks up a Sempron 2500+ thinking he's getting a great deal picking up the newest AMD chip at a great price to expecting it to perform at par with the regular Athlon XP chip his twelve year old kid made him promise to get.

    this article made me think of a AMD Duron Applebred vs. Athlon XP Thoroughbred review we did. pretty much the same results here; Duron/Sempron not recommended, even for going "on the cheap";

  9. Upgrade Guide by node159 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Its worth it for gaming modern games, but its not gona get you typing word any faster...

    I got my 2500+ over 6 months ago, OC'd it to the speed of a 3200+ and never looked back. If your getting a new system, go for 1Gb ram, makes a diff.

    Generaly when upgrading:

    Gaming PC
    * Graphics card first, then CPU+Ram, then monitor ;)

    Word/Browser PC
    * If its >1Ghz don't bother ;), for speed up try linux, or if your not that wild try win2k for a preformance boost ;P

    Server
    * If you do hard number crunching or heavly loading stuff, then try 64bit, but only if there is support for your app, as for gaming; its gona happen, just not yet, you won't get your bang for buck, but you will win any 'my d*cks bigger than yours' :)

    --
    GPLv2: I want my rights, I want my phone call! DRM: What use is a phone call, if you are unable to speak?
  10. Athlon XP out of stock by Riddles · · Score: 3, Informative

    The comparison between the Athlon XP and the Sempron is nice, but AMD has stopped supplying Athlon XP's under 3000+ rating. The CPU is already out of stock in some stores and others will soon follow. It won't be long before AMD stops the entire Barton line and all CPU's are based on the Athlon-64 core like the Sempron (which is Athlon-64 with 64-bit extensions disabled).

    One pro for the Sempron is that it supports Cool'nQuiet, but I haven't been able to find a 2.4 patch that will support Cool'nQuiet for the Sempron yet.

  11. Mistake in post by Guerrillero · · Score: 5, Informative

    a Mobile Athlon, based on the Barton SOI

    The AXP-M is not SOI. Read here: http://www.nforcershq.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=51 624&highlight=soi

  12. fanless? by davegaramond · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Is there a desktop processor (at least 1700+ or better, AMD preferrably, x86 or amd64) that can run without a fan? I am quite annoyed with CPU fans nowadays. They tend to make more annoying noise compared to power supply fans. I am considering a Thermaltek liquid-cooling solution (around $150-$200) but really what I'd love is to have something that can run without a fan. I don't mind underclocking or buying a slightly more expensive processor. Remember the good old 486/Pentium days?