Conclusion and thoughts
The idea of getting something for nothing is the enthusiasts' motto. The something, in this case, is an extra 800Hz+ with minimal voltage increase on all fronts. There's no denying the satisfaction one feels by running a sub-£50 CPU at speeds faster than any officially released AMD Athlon XP. Further, pairing it up with select nForce2 motherboards allows you to fully exploit the performance potential of any XP1700 JIUHB, as you can choose the multiplier and FSB that best suits your needs. Running flawlessly at 2.3GHz+ at 1.65v load voltage seems too good to be true, but in this case it's perfectly achievable.
This XP1700 JIUHB isn't an isolated, hand-picked case. Looking a a number of overclocking databases, these JIUHBs seem to do anything between 2.2GHz - 2.5GHz with moderate cooling. Our benchmarks have shown, in graphic terms, just what a meaningful increase one can expect with respect to overall performance. In view of all that's been discussed in this review, it's imperative to look closely at not just the processor's default speed, but also to the codes contained on the CPU's packaging.
The difficulty, therefore, is ensuring that you receive either a JIUHB or AIUHB XP1700 (or above) if overclocking on the cheap is your main aim. The ability to specify the code becomes the all-important factor. CPU City seem to be one of the very few U.K-based websites that allow you to do this.
Are the JIUHB XP1700s the new AXIAs ? (remember them ?). No, they're probably just little bit better in terms of overclockability. We managed a default voltage overclock of close to 50%, and a 55%+ overclock with a minimal voltage increase and basic, quiet air cooling. It's kind of hard to pass that kind of CPU up, especially with XP1700s retailing below the £50 barrier. Recommended without reservation.
Highs
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Amazing potential
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Seem to run at high speeds with minimal voltage increases
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Cheap
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Fantastic price-to-performance ratio
Lows
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None at this price
