AMD Bundled Coolers: Blessing Or Curse?
Before the Athlon XPs with Barton cores were even launched, we started getting a deluge of e-mails from readers wanting to know how effective the coolers that ship with boxed Athlon XPs actually are. And yet another outpouring of e-mail basically read: "I've got an Athlon XP 2400+ and want to upgrade to an Athlon XP 2700+. Do I need a new, more powerful cooler?"
Let's first take a look at the maximum thermal-power readings of high-end Athlon XPs with Thoroughbred A, B and Barton cores (source: AMD Data Sheets Processor Model 8 and Model 10):
| Model | Core Frequency | FSB | L2 Cache | Core | Max Thermal Power | DIE Size | Max specific Thermal Power | Max DIE Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2200+ | 1800 MHz | 266 MHz | 256 kB | TB-A | 67.9 W | 0.80cm² | 84.88W/cm² | 85 °C |
| 2600+ | 2133 MHz | 266 MHz | 256 kB | TB-B | 68.3 W | 0.84cm² | 81.31W/cm² | 85 °C |
| 2700+ | 2167 MHz | 333 MHz | 256 kB | TB-B | 68.3 W | 0.84cm² | 81.31W/cm² | 85 °C |
| 3000+ | 2167 MHz | 333 MHz | 512 kB | Barton | 74.3 W | 1.01cm² | 73.56W/cm² | 85 °C |
| 2400+ | 2000 MHz | 266 MHz | 256 kB | TB-B | 68.3 W | 0.84cm² | 81.31W/cm² | 85 °C |
The Athlon XP 3000+ with a Barton core has the highest maximum thermal power: 74.3 watts. But since its die is 20 percent larger than high-end models with Thoroughbred B cores, such as those you'll find in the Athlon XP 2600+ and 2700+, its maximum specific thermal power is almost eight watts (or some ten percent) less at 73.56 watts/cm².
