AMD K6-2+ 500ACZM socket: Super Socket 7

What the K6-2+ 500ACZM is

The AMD K6-2+ 500ACZM is a 500 MHz single-core desktop processor from April 2000. It runs one K6 Sharptooth core at 500 MHz with no turbo, so 1 core gives 1 thread. Cache is 128 KB of full-speed on-chip L2 with 64 KB of L1 on a 180 nm process. Power is rated at 13 W in a Super Socket 7 CPGA package on a 100 MHz front side bus with a 5x multiplier.

The M suffix marks a mobile-tuned bin that still ships in socketed form, which is why the 500ACZM at 500 MHz shares power with desktop ACZ strings at matching clocks. AMD sold ACZM Sharptooth parts in April 2000 for boards with mobile-aware BIOS tables. The chip supports MMX, 3DNow+ and PowerNow.

A 500 MHz clock with PowerNow suits late Super Socket 7 towers that throttle by multiplier. The 5x ratio is standard for 100 MHz boards. That is why the 500ACZM shipped in quiet office desktops.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The 500ACZM fits Super Socket 7 late desktops with Sharptooth and mobile-bin support. It needs a 321-pin board with a 100 MHz bus and a BIOS that lists K6-2+ ACZM strings. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers pairing rules.

Late office towers are the natural match. Boards listing K6-2+ 500ACZM accept the chip with a 13 W cooler. Boards with no M-suffix strings may still boot it as a plain 500, but the support list decides.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory is EDO DRAM and SDRAM through the board chipset, matched to the board sockets. The CPU has no memory controller. Late boards commonly run PC100 pairs.

A 100 MHz front side 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 13 W cooler.

Upgrade paths

On the same socket, a move to a K6-2+ 533ACZ keeps the board for 33 MHz more at 14 W when the support list names it. A K6-III+ 500ACZ such as AMD K6-III+ 500ACZ doubles cache to 256 KB at 12 W. A K6-2+ 475ACZ such as AMD K6-2+ 475ACZ drops 25 MHz.

A move to Slot A Athlon needs a new board. The Super Socket 7 page lists the range for planning.