Slot A socket: CPUs, chipsets and cooler fit
Slot A is the AMD 242-lead single-edge slot that carried the first Athlon cartridges. It uses the EV6 bus protocol at 200 MT/s with 512 KB of external L2 cache on the cartridge at a fraction of CPU speed.
Quick facts
| Maker | AMD |
|---|---|
| Package type | Slot |
| Contacts | 242 |
| Package size | n/a |
| Introduced | June 1999 |
| Status | Legacy |
| Memory | SDRAM through the board chipset |
| PCIe from the CPU | Front side bus 200 MT/s to the chipset; AGP and PCI hang off the chipset |
| Cooler mounting holes | Cartridge and retention cage |
| Replaces | Super Socket 7 |
| Replaced by | Socket 462 |
Overview
The slot served desktops from June 1999 with Argon, Pluto and Orion parts from 500 MHz to 1000 MHz, plus late Thunderbird-B cartridges with on-die cache. Socket A superseded it from June 2000.
Processor generations
| Codename | Marketing name | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argon | Athlon Argon K7 | 1999 | 250 nm cartridges with 512 KB of external L2 cache at half CPU speed, including the 500 MHz part at 42 W and the 550 MHz part at 46 W from June 1999. |
| Pluto | Athlon Pluto Model 2 | 1999 to 2000 | 180 nm cartridges with 512 KB of external L2 cache at up to 40 percent of CPU speed, including the 850 MHz part at 50 W from February 2000. |
| Orion | Athlon Orion Model 2 | 2000 | 180 nm cartridges with 512 KB of external L2 cache at 33 percent of CPU speed, including the 900 MHz part at 60 W and the 950 MHz part at 62 W from March 2000. |
| Magnolia | Athlon Magnolia Model 2 | 2000 | 180 nm cartridges with 512 KB of external L2 cache, including the 1000 MHz part at 65 W from March 2000. |
| Thunderbird B | Athlon Thunderbird-B Slot A | 2000 | 180 nm cartridges with 256 KB of full-speed on-die L2 cache on a 200 MT/s bus, including the 1000 MHz BA part at 54 W from June 2000. |
Who Slot A serves
Slot A targets first-generation Athlon towers with cartridge cooling and SDRAM. Boards with AMD 750 and VIA KX133 chipsets pair the slot with PC100 memory and AGP 2X slots. Cartridge guides carry the heavy SECC package.
Memory and cooling
Memory is SDRAM through the board chipset at the 200 MT/s bus rate. Cooling uses cartridge heatsinks locked to the retention cage with case airflow. Late Thunderbird-B cartridges share the slot with their own BIOS strings.
CPUs on Slot A
4 processor pages in the database, newest first.
| Processor | Cores / threads | Base / boost | TDP | Launched |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMD Athlon 1000 (BA) | 1 / 1 | 1.0 GHz | 54 W | Jun 2000 |
| AMD Athlon 1000 | 1 / 1 | 1.0 GHz | 65 W | Mar 2000 |
| AMD Athlon 550 | 1 / 1 | 0.55 GHz | 31 W | Nov 1999 |
| AMD Athlon 500 | 1 / 1 | 0.5 GHz | 42 W | Jun 1999 |
Frequently asked questions
Which processors fit Slot A?
Classic Athlon cartridges with 512 KB of external L2 cache, including the 850 MHz Pluto part at 50 W from February 2000, the Orion 900 and 950 MHz parts at 60 W and 62 W from March 2000, the 1000 MHz Magnolia part at 65 W and Thunderbird-B Slot A cartridges such as the 1000 MHz BA part at 54 W from June 2000 covered here.
Is Slot A the same as Slot 1?
No. Slot A is a 242-lead EV6 slot for AMD Athlon cartridges, mechanically similar to Slot 1 but rotated 180 degrees and electrically incompatible. Forcing an Intel cartridge can damage the board.
What memory does Slot A use?
SDRAM through the board chipset, commonly PC100 pairs on AMD 750 and KX133 boards. The board sets the exact type.
How many PCIe lanes does Slot A provide?
No lanes come from these CPUs. A 200 MT/s EV6 bus ties the cartridge to the board chipset, while AGP and PCI hang off the chipset.
Sources and verification
- Slot A 242-lead EV6 (Wikipedia)
- List of AMD Athlon microprocessors Pluto Orion (Encyclopedia)
- Athlon Slot A cartridge 242-pin rotated (Pieter)
Facts last checked against these sources on . Page last edited on .