AMD Sempron 3850 socket: Socket AM1

What the Sempron 3850 is

The Sempron 3850 brings four Kabini cores to value AM1 desktops on Socket AM1. It runs 4 Jaguar cores and 4 threads at a fixed 1.3 GHz with 2 MB of L2 cache. Power is 25 W on 28 nm from April 2014. The socketed package swaps across AM1 boards.

Four cores cover home multitasking better than dual core Sempron parts at similar clocks. Fixed 1.3 GHz suits steady family use with video calls. The 25 W envelope fits slim cases with quiet cooling. School labs value the low price with a later Athlon path.

Radeon R3 graphics at 450 MHz drive desktop monitors for video. DDR3-1600 over one channel feeds cores and graphics. Buyers pick the 3850 where four threads must fit the Sempron budget on a socketed board.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The 3850 fits Socket AM1 on any AM1 board with a current BIOS. The 25 W rating suits every AM1 VRM design. DDR3-1600 DIMMs are the standard population. Check OEM BIOS lists before moving chips between brands.

One 64 bit memory channel serves the whole SoC. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers SoC sockets. FM2+ Kaveri boards never accept Kabini chips.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

DDR3-1600 over a single channel suits family desktops. One 8 GB DIMM covers browsing with homework apps. Single channel is fixed.

PCIe 2.0 with 4 lanes from the SoC feeds one x4 graphics slot. A low profile card helps older games. SATA SSDs lift fixed clock feel the most.

Cooling uses the boxed 25 W stock cooler. AM1 towers stay quiet. Small cases need intake clearance.

Upgrade paths

On the same socket, the AMD Sempron 2650 at 1.45 GHz dual core below saves money, while the AMD Athlon 5150 at 1.6 GHz above adds Athlon clocks. All share AM1 boards.

AM4 succeeded the platform with DDR4. The 3850 holds quad thread value on AM1 where price decides.