Specs and thoughts
Let's see how it lines up against the current crop of high-end AM2 processors.
| Specification | AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ | AMD Athlon 64 FX-62 | AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| L1 cache per core | 64KiB data, 64KiB instruction | 64KiB data, 64KiB instruction | 64KiB data, 64KiB instruction |
| Clock frequency and Socket | 3000MHz, Socket AM2 | 2800MHz, Socket AM2 | 2800MHz, Socket AM2 |
| L2 cache per core | 1MiB | 1MiB | 1MiB |
| System Link | HyperTransport, 1 link, 2000MTs/sec, 1000MHz | HyperTransport, 1 link, 2000MTs/sec, 1000MHz | HyperTransport, 1 link, 2000MTs/sec, 1000MHz |
| Memory Controller | Dual-channel, DDR2-800, 128-bit | Dual-channel, DDR2-800, 128-bit | Dual-channel, DDR2-800, 128-bit |
| Core codename/stepping | Windsor, F3 | Windsor, F2 | Windsor, F3 |
| Process technology and fab | 90nm SOI, Fab30/36 Dresden | 90nm SOI, Fab30 Dresden | 90nm SOI, Fab30/36 Dresden |
| Transistor count and die size | 227.4M, 230mm², 1MiB per core | 227.4M, 230mm², 1MiB per core | 227.4M, 230mm², 1MiB per core |
| TDPmax, ICCmax, Voltage range | 125W, 90A, 1.35V-1.40V | 125W, 90A, 1.40V | 89W, 65A, 1.35V |
The X2 6000+, then, is simply a faster-clocked version of the present X2 5600+ and is, essentially, a repackaged FX-74 that will fit into most current AMD-based motherboards.
You'll also note that the FX-62 and 5600+'s specifications are, for all intents and purposes, identical. AMD's stated that the FX-62 has been officially withdrawn from sale; there are no more current FX-series processors for its AM2 form factor.
The range-topping 6000+ AM2 model is simple enough to understand. It serves as a stopgap until quad-core Barcelona hits the shelves, and its attractive street price, around £300, puts it in direct competition with Intel's Core 2 Duo E6700 and not X6800/QX6700, as you might suspect.
If you want to know more about what makes AMD's dual-core processors tick, head on over to our FX evaluation.
Pictures!
Yup, 940 pins that will slip right into an AM2 board without needing a BIOS update.
It's a shame that it wasn't debuted on a 65nm manufacturing process, though.
