AMD Sempron 130 socket: Socket AM3

What the Sempron 130 is

AMD Sempron 130 is a single core Sargas processor that AMD released in the second quarter of 2011 for value desktops, with retail listings from August. It uses the K10 core design on a 45 nm process, running at 2.6 GHz with no turbo. The cache is 512 KB of L2 with no L3, which separates Sargas from Regor duals that carry 1 MB per core. Power is 45 W.

One core with one thread suits single task office loads that never scale with cores. The chip keeps the dual channel DDR2 and DDR3 memory controller of the K10 family, so old boards with DDR2 and newer boards with DDR3 both work. No integrated graphics exist on the CPU, so boards use chipset video or a basic card.

The retail box carries the part number SDX130HBK12GQ on a Sargas C2 stepping. The HyperTransport link runs at 2.0 GHz, which is the HT3.0 rate of 4000 MT/s on a 16-bit link to the 7 and 8 series chipset. The AM3 package seats 938 pins in the 941-hole socket, and the same chip fits 942-contact AM3+ sockets that accept AM3 parts by design.

At 45 W the Sempron 130 fits small towers with stock cooling. The fixed 2.6 GHz clock covers browsing, documents and media playback with an SSD. The How to find your CPU socket type guide shows how to confirm the socket before ordering parts.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The Sempron 130 drops into Socket AM3 on 7 and 8 series boards with Sargas support. AM3 processors also fit AM3+ boards, which accept 938-pin AM3 chips. Check the maker CPU list for the exact board BIOS, since late steppings need current firmware.

Power at 45 W suits every AM3 board, including slim office designs. Board choice turns on memory type and display outputs rather than delivery. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers AMD pairing rules.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory support is DDR2-1066 and DDR3-1333 over two channels. Boards commonly offer two or four DIMM slots, with DDR2 on early 7 series and DDR3 on later 7 and 8 series designs. Two matched modules give the rated bandwidth. Four 4 GB UDIMMs give the practical 16 GB ceiling on most AM3 boards. Common homes include 770, 785G, 880G and 890GX boards, with 785G and 880G adding chipset video for office monitors.

PCI Express slots come from the 7 and 8 series chipset for graphics and expansion. Most Sempron builds use chipset video or a basic card, since the CPU carries no graphics. A low profile card of the era pairs without waste.

Cooling follows the 45 W rating with a small stock heatsink. The 48 × 96 mm mount is shared with AM2, AM2+, AM3+ and FM2, so replacement coolers are easy to find.

Upgrade paths

Within Socket AM3 the Sempron 130 sits at the bottom of the stack, so almost any same socket move adds cores. Steps include Athlon II duals, triples and quads on the same board with a BIOS check. Memory and storage carry over. A dual core reference on the same socket is AMD Athlon II X2 280.

A platform move to AM3+ boards keeps DDR3 while adding FX parts, or a newer socket needs a new board and RAM. Keep the AM3 board for terminal duty where a single core still works.