AMD Athlon
AMD Athlon logo
Developer	AMD
Manufacturer	AMD
Type	Microprocessors
Introduction	June 23, 1999 (announced) August, 1999 (launch)
Production	1999-2004
ISA	x86
Word size	32 bit 4 octets 8 nibbles
Process	250 nm 0.25 μm 2.5e-4 mm , 180 nm 0.18 μm 1.8e-4 mm
Technology	CMOS
Clock	500 MHz-1400 MHz
Socket	Slot A, Socket A
Succession
←	→
K6-III	Athlon 4 Athlon MP Athlon XP Geode NX

Athlon was a family of high-performance 32-bit microprocessors developed by AMD based on AMD's K7 microarchitecture. Athlon was introduce on June 23, 1999.

Overview

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Architecture

Main article: K7 Microarchitecture

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Packaging

Original Athlon Processor, Argon core, in a cartridge with a heat sink.

Early Athlon microprocessors were packaged with a separate L2$ into a single cartridge. The cartridge connected into AMD's Slot A (similar to Intel's Slot 1). Those processors included Argon, Pluto, and Orion-core based processors. Later microprocessors (starting with Thunderbird core-based) introduced on-die L2$ simplifying the packing complexity, allowing it to use a standard PGA (Socket A).

Members

Athlon had 4 iterations of cores: Argon, Pluto, Orion, Thunderbird.

Argon core

The Argon, released in 1999, uses Slot A, has a double data rate front side bus operating at 100 MHz (having an effective bus speed of 200 MHz). Argon microprocessors were manufactured in 250 nm process.

Model	Frequency	L2$	TDP
Athlon 500	500 MHz	512 kB	42 W
Athlon 550	550 MHz	512 kB	46 W
Athlon 600	600 MHz	512 kB	50 W
Athlon 650	650 MHz	512 kB	54 W
Athlon 700	700 MHz	512 kB	50 W

Pluto core

The Pluto core-based microprocessors were released in late 1999 and early 2000 and use Slot A. They have a double data rate front side bus operating at 100 MHz (having an effective bus speed of 200 MHz). Pluto microprocessors were manufactured in 180 nm process.

Model	Frequency	L2$	TDP
Athlon 550	550 MHz	512 kB	31 W
Athlon 600	600 MHz	512 kB	34 W
Athlon 650	650 MHz	512 kB	36 W
Athlon 700	700 MHz	512 kB	39 W
Athlon 750	750 MHz	512 kB	40 W
Athlon 800	800 MHz	512 kB	48 W
Athlon 850	850 MHz	512 kB	50 W
Athlon 900	900 MHz	512 kB	60 W
Athlon 950	950 MHz	512 kB	62 W

Orion core

Like Pluto core, Orion microprocessors used Slot A.

Model	Frequency	L2$	TDP
Athlon 1000	1000 MHz	512 kB	65 W

Thunderbird core

Thunderbird-based microprocessors were manufactured in both cartridge form (Slot A) and as PGA (Socket A).

Model	Frequency	L2$	TDP	Socket
Athlon 650	650 MHz	256 kB	36 W	Slot A
Athlon 700	700 MHz	256 kB	38 W	Slot A
Athlon 750	750 MHz	256 kB	40 W	Slot A
Athlon 800	800 MHz	256 kB	42 W	Slot A
Athlon 850	850 MHz	256 kB	44 W	Slot A
Athlon 900	900 MHz	256 kB	49 W	Slot A
Athlon 950	950 MHz	256 kB	52 W	Slot A
Athlon 1000	1000 MHz	256 kB	54 W	Slot A
Athlon 650	600 MHz	256 kB		Socket A
Athlon 650	650 MHz	256 kB	36 W	Socket A
Athlon 650	650 MHz	256 kB	38 W	Socket A
Athlon 700	700 MHz	256 kB	38 W	Socket A
Athlon 700	700 MHz	256 kB	40 W	Socket A
Athlon 700	750 MHz	256 kB	40 W	Socket A
Athlon 700	750 MHz	256 kB	43 W	Socket A
Athlon 800	800 MHz	256 kB	42 W	Socket A
Athlon 800	800 MHz	256 kB	45 W	Socket A
Athlon 850	850 MHz	256 kB	42 W	Socket A
Athlon 850	850 MHz	256 kB	45 W	Socket A
Athlon 900	900 MHz	256 kB	50 W	Socket A
Athlon 900	900 MHz	256 kB	50 W	Socket A
Athlon 950	950 MHz	256 kB	52 W	Socket A
Athlon 950	950 MHz	256 kB	52 W	Socket A
Athlon 1000	1000 MHz	256 kB	54 W	Socket A
Athlon 1000	1000 MHz	256 kB	54 W	Socket A
Athlon 1100	1100 MHz	256 kB	60 W	Socket A
Athlon 1200	1200 MHz	256 kB	66 W	Socket A
Athlon 1300	1300 MHz	256 kB	68 W	Socket A
Athlon 1400	1400 MHz	256 kB	72 W	Socket A

Documents

Datasheet

• AMD Athlon Processor Module Data Sheet; Publication # 21016; Rev: M ;Issue Date: June 2000.
• AMD Athlon Processor Model 1 and Model 2 Revision Guide; Publication # 22557; Rev: D; August 2000.
• AMD Athlon Processor Model 4 Data Sheet; Publication # 23792; Rev: K; November 2001.

Software

• AMD Athlon Processor x86 Code Optimization Guide; Publication No. 22007; Revision K; Date February 2002.
• Methodologies for Measuring Temperature on AMD Athlon and AMD Duron Processors Application Note; Publication # 24228; Revision: E; Issue Date: January 2003.
• Microsoft Windows 2000 Patch for AGP Applications on AMD Athlon and AMD Duron Processors; September 21, 2000.

Notes

The routines for 64-bit integer arithmetic on 32-bit processors presented in AMD Athlon Processor x86 Code Optimization Guide have serious bugs and return wrong results!

Other

• AMD Athlon Processor Technical Brief; Publication # 22054; Rev: D; Issue Date: December 1999.
• AMD Athlon Processor Model 4 Revision Guide; Publication # 23614; Rev: I; December 2002.
• AMD Athlon Processor Module Signal and Power-Up Requirements Application Note; Publication # 23811; Rev: B; Issue Date: June 2000.
• AMD Athlon Processor Voltage Regulation Design Application Note; Publication # 22651; Rev: E-1; Issue Date: February 2000.
• AMD Athlon System Cooling Guidelines; 04/03/00.
• Recommendations for An AMD Athlon Processor-Based Computer; February 3, 2000.
• AMD Athlon and AMD Duron Processor-Based System Build Checklist; Publication # 24387; Rev A; October 2000.

Serious bug in widely used AMD publication, accessed on November 9, 2018

AMD's buddies for Intel's FDIV bug: _llrem and _ullrem yield wrong remainders!, accessed on November 9, 2018