AMD Opteron 140 socket: Socket 940

What the Opteron 140 is

The AMD Opteron 140 is a 1.4 GHz single-core server processor from May 2004. It runs one K8 core at 1.4 GHz with no turbo, so 1 core gives 1 thread. Cache is 1 MB of L2 with 64 KB of L1 instruction and 64 KB of L1 data cache on a 130 nm process. Power is rated at 82 W in a Socket 940 package with part number OSA140CEP5AT in the CG stepping.

The 140 opens the 100 series SledgeHammer line for single-processor servers, where the leading 1 marks uniprocessor use. It uses a 200 MHz system clock with a 7x multiplier at 1.50 V and an 800 MHz HyperTransport link. AMD sold the CG revision at 163 dollars in May 2004, down from 229 dollars for the earlier B3 revision in June 2003. The chip supports MMX, SSE, SSE2, Enhanced 3DNow, NX bit and AMD64. Memory support reaches registered PC3200 DDR on CG parts, with earlier B3 parts limited to PC2700.

Single-processor scope shapes the board choice. The 140 suits entry servers with one Socket 940 and registered DDR slots, not dual-processor 200 series boards with two sockets. That single-socket focus keeps board cost and power below multi-socket designs, while the 1 MB cache preserves per core throughput at modest clocks.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Opteron 140 fits Socket 940 single-processor server boards with registered DDR memory and a BIOS that lists SledgeHammer 100 series parts. It needs a 940-pin board with server memory slots, not a Socket 939 desktop board with unbuffered slots. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers pairing rules.

Entry Socket 940 server boards with one socket are the natural match. Boards that list the 140 normally accept higher 100 series SledgeHammer parts such as the 142 at 1.6 GHz and the 144 at 1.8 GHz with the same cooler class, since power stays near 82 W. Dual-processor 200 series boards need 200 series Opterons instead, even though the socket looks identical. Forcing desktop memory or the wrong series can prevent boot.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory is registered DDR through the on-chip controller. CG parts support registered PC3200 DDR, while early B3 parts top out at PC2700. Only registered ECC modules boot on Socket 940 server boards, with the controller handling error correction for mission critical use.

An 800 MHz HyperTransport link ties the CPU to the server chipset, while PCIe or PCI-X slots hang off the chipset for RAID, LAN and expansion. No PCIe lanes originate on the die. Cooling uses vendor qualified server heatsinks for an 82 W envelope with directed airflow through the chassis. Rack airflow, not cooler size alone, decides stability, since Socket 940 servers push air front to back across the heatsink. A move to DDR2 needs Socket F with a new board.

Upgrade paths

On Socket 940 the direct steps are the Opteron 142 at 1.6 GHz and the Opteron 144 at 1.8 GHz with the same 1 MB cache and 82 W envelope for single-processor boards. Energy-efficient 140 EE parts at 1.4 GHz and 30 W suit dense racks where power matters more than clocks. Beyond SledgeHammer a move to Venus 100 series parts on 90 nm offers SSE3 and lower power with a BIOS update where listed. A move to Socket F needs new boards with DDR2 memory. The 140 lifts with the lever, so qualified swaps need no solder work.