AMD Athlon XP 1600+ socket: Socket 462

What the Athlon XP 1600+ is

The AMD Athlon XP 1600+ is a 1400 MHz single-core desktop processor from October 2001. It runs one K7 Palomino core at 1400 MHz with no turbo, so 1 core gives 1 thread. Cache is 256 KB of L2 on a 180 nm process. Power is rated at 62.8 W in a Socket 462 package with part number AX1600DMT3C on a 266 MT/s front side bus with a 10.5x multiplier at 1.75 V. The cpu_list October 2001 date matches the table October 9, 2001, and the monthly value is used here.

Palomino Athlon XP parts run hotter than Thoroughbred parts at the same 1400 MHz rating, since 180 nm operation at 1.75 V needs more current than 130 nm operation at 1.60 V. AMD placed the 1600+ in October 2001 with the 1500+ to 1900+ Palomino parts. The chip supports MMX, SSE and Enhanced 3DNow.

Model numbers again exceed megahertz. The 1600+ at 1400 MHz shares clocks with standard Athlon 1400 parts, yet the XP rating compares performance to Thunderbird baselines. That is why board lists name Palomino XP explicitly despite matching frequency.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Athlon XP 1600+ Palomino fits Socket 462 DDR boards with a 266 MT/s bus and Palomino support. It needs Model 6 microcode. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers pairing rules.

Early DDR towers are the natural match. Boards listing Palomino 1600+ accept the chip with a 62.8 W cooler.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory is DDR through the board chipset in a single channel, matched to the 266 MT/s bus. The CPU has no controller.

A 266 MT/s bus ties the CPU to the chipset, while AGP and PCI hang off the chipset. No PCIe lanes originate on the die. Cooling uses the socket lug clip with a 62.8 W heatsink.

Upgrade paths

On Socket 462 the steps are Palomino 1700+ and 1800+ parts. Thoroughbred 1600+? No Thoroughbred 1600+ exists at the same rating with lower power, so the Palomino 1600+ stands alone before Thoroughbred 1700+ parts. Beyond Socket 462 a move to Socket 754 needs a new board. The 1600+ lifts with the lever, so swaps need no solder work.