AMD Athlon XP2600 Reviews

[Ioman]

Plenty of Athlon XP 2600 Reviews out today.

Here is a quote from AMDMB.com

"What is most amazing though is what this fairly minor change to the core has allowed AMD to accomplish since the release of the Athlon XP 2200+ processor in June. The just announced Athlon XP 2400+ processor runs at a 2.0 GHz clock speed and the Athlon XP 2600+ processor runs at 2.13 GHz, a startling increase in clock speed compared to results we were having with most of the original Thoroughbred cores. Also, while attending Quakecon 2002, I can finally say with 100% assuredness that AMD will be migrating their next processor to a 166/333 MHz front-side bus. This fact is again showing how much more the latest core revision was able to do for AMD and their confidence. The Athlon XP 2800+ processors will be the first to debut this new FSB speeds, probably in the 2.24 GHz range."

URL: http://www.amdmb.com/article-display.php?ArticleID=202

URL: http://www.hexus.net/review.php?review=405

URL: http://www.overclockers.com.au/article.php?id=84360

[SponGeBoB]

what aboot the heat issues? :confused:

[Ioman]

Originally posted by SponGeBoB
what aboot the heat issues? :confused:

Can you elaborate on this more?

The new AMD uses a .13 micron die, which theoretically should make for a much cooler processor in itself. A normal heatsink/fan would be fine for cooling I think.

[SponGeBoB]

the AXP 2200+ had some serious cooling issues when overclocking even the slightest bit, even running it at stock it sometimes ran at a dangerously hot temp

[Ioman]

I did not read the reviews all the way through, but it looks like the processors should be ok in that regards.

[LinkDJ]

The 2400 and 2600 run much cooler than their brothers using the TbredA process. This TbredB process helps AMD scale to higher clock speeds, while keeping heat lower. HardOCP got their 2.13GHz to 2.485GHz on aircooling.

[Entropy]

Originally posted by SponGeBoB
the AXP 2200+ had some serious cooling issues when overclocking even the slightest bit, even running it at stock it sometimes ran at a dangerously hot temp

They added another metal layer onto the top of the core, and the die size grew by about 4x4 mm's (almost unnoticable).

Hella good on the cooling now man. ;)

[Ioman]

Did they incorporate a speed step technology similar to the Intel brand. Anyone remember seeing the Toms Hardware video where they showed an Athlon running Quake. When they took the fan and heatsink off the CPU burned up? The Intel CPUs do not do this. When they overheat, the automatically step down the speed (MHz) to an acceptable speed to prevent burning the core up.

I wonder if AMD incorporated this technology into their new CPUs.

[LinkDJ]

To combat this, they added the on-die thermal sensor, which AFAIK isn't supported by many mobo chipsets yet. I believe the KT333/400 have support for it, but it is up to the mobo manufacturer to get it working. All this would do is take more accurate readings of cpu temp, and allow your motherboard to shut off the computer before things got too hot to handle.

[Ioman]

Originally posted by LinkDJ
To combat this, they added the on-die thermal sensor, which AFAIK isn't supported by many mobo chipsets yet. I believe the KT333/400 have support for it, but it is up to the mobo manufacturer to get it working. All this would do is take more accurate readings of cpu temp, and allow your motherboard to shut off the computer before things got too hot to handle.

But why rely on the motherboard manufacturer and the end user to incorporate this feature or set it up? Very poor decision on AMDs part. Unless Intel has a patent on that technology (and I don't see why they would) AMD needs to spend a little more time and add this feature. AMD is geared towards do-it-yourselfers and there is a number of ways end users can ruin their systems when installing and overclocking on their own. I think they would find it in their best interest (and their pocketbooks interest) to make as stable of a processor as possible to make end users happy and to limit product returns. If anything, its just bad PR having videos of this floating on the net.

[Entropy]

AMD got pretty pissed off with that video when Tom's did it (as u might have already imagined).

Having a weakness like that broadcast on possibly the most viewed hardware review site in the world isnt good for your image in the least.

So AMD got together w/ THG and that new thermal sensor was put into AMD's new line of proc's to eventually be phased into new mobo's and chipsets in the near future. The reason they left the thermal shutdown to the mobo manufacuturer's is for the simple reason that they had already begun, and had test samples of, their new CPU core's. And to halt production, and revamp the core, would be a HUGE setback and a HUGE $ loss in the development department. And AMD cant afford to be set back when its already playin catch up w/ Intel as it is.


So long story short. To completely integrate thermal protection into their CPU's would be less cost effecient and worse for their company than simply puttin in a quick fix like theyve done so far.

That's my educated hypothesis on it at least. ;)