The AMD Athlon II X2 260 microprocessor, by the standards of 2011, provided a fairly high level of performance and even allowed the creation of mid-range gaming computers. It is the review of the technical specifications of this semiconductor chip that this material will be devoted to. Test results and overclocking will also be provided. In addition, the possibility of unlocking computing cores on this silicon crystal will be considered.
Positioning
As previously noted, mid-range microprocessors belonged to the AMD Athlon II X2 260 at the time of its release. A review of AMD's computer platform AM3, within which this CPU was released, indicates its similar positioning.
The flagships were the Phenom II series chips, which initially had higher clock speeds, an increased number of computing modules and a three-level cache. That is, in terms of performance, such CPUs could compete on equal terms with the first generation of Intel Core i3 and Core i5 microprocessors.
A notch in the model range were Athlon II. In it, the number of cores could be 2, 3, and 4. The clock frequencies also decreased and there was no third level of cache memory. As a result, performance decreased, as did the cost of the microprocessor. Such chips are best used in mid-level personal computers. Additionally, it is also necessary to note their energy efficiency.
Well, the most budget processor devices were Septron solutions. Low clock frequencies and only one or two computing units allowed them to be used only in the most budget computers. Such microprocessors could solve only the simplest tasks. But their cost was appropriate.
Equipment
Processor AMD Athlon II X2 260 had two possible delivery options. One of them was called Trail. The manufacturer included a microprocessor in a transport plastic box, a certificate, a warranty card and a logo sticker for the front panel of the system unit. Most often, this processor in this configuration was bought by computer enthusiasts who purchased a separately advanced cooling system and overclocked a PC.
The second of them was called Box. In this case, the delivery list was supplemented by a cardboard box, a proprietary cooler and a tube of thermal paste. In this form, this chip was most often purchased by ordinary users who did not plan to overclock the computing system.
Types of Sockets The number of computing units and their specifications
AMD Athlon II X2 260 can be installed in a sufficiently large number of processor sockets. The characteristics of this chip indicate that its main socket is AM3. It was for him that this microprocessor was developed. But AMD products have a high degree of compatibility. Therefore, this CPU can also be installed in AM2 + and AM3 + sockets.
The code name for the compute modules in this chip is Regor. There are two physical cores on the semiconductor substrate of the microprocessor. Each of them operates at a frequency of 3200 MHz.
RAM. Cache
Compatible with two types of RAM is the AMD Athlon II X2 260. One of them is DDR2, and the second is DDR3. Moreover, it is preferable to use the second of them. The maximum amount of RAM for this microprocessor is limited to 16 GB. It should also be noted that the semiconductor chip CPU has an outdated layout at the moment. It contains only computing cores. But the integrated video card and RAM controller are part of the chipset chipset. This circumstance significantly reduces the performance of the PC. The RAM controller itself is a two-channel. The cache system of the processor device includes only two levels. The first of them can accommodate 256 kilobytes of information and data, and the second - 2 megabytes.
Technological features. Thermal pack
The semiconductor crystal of this microprocessor was manufactured with a tolerance of 45 nm. By the standards of 2011, it was an advanced technology. Now it is out of date. The transistor elements in this case were manufactured using SOI technology, which stands for Silicon On Insulator. In Russian, this phrase sounds like "silicon on a dielectric."
The thermal package of this CPU is 65 W, and the maximum operating temperature of the microprocessor is 74 ° C. That is, it is a fairly energy-efficient solution. In the nominal operating mode, the microprocessor temperature is 50 - 55 ° C. After acceleration, its value rises to 60 - 65 ° C. That is, the emergency temperature value can be achieved only if the cooling system breaks. In this case, a special protective system of the chip is activated and the PC just turns off.
Kernel unlock
As noted earlier, only two computing units are located on the silicon substrate of the AMD Athlon II X2 260. In this case, unlocking the cores is impossible because there are no deactivated modules in this chip. That is, due to such manipulations, it does not work out to increase PC performance. Deactivated modules are in the Athlon II X2 series 21X and 22X CPUs. And there are two of them. That is, such a microprocessor, with a happy set of circumstances, can be turned into a quad-core one. You can also use three nuclear chips of this series to unlock the modules. They can also be converted to quad-core CPUs.
Testbed configuration
As opponents of the hero of this review, we choose the microprocessors of the Athlon X2 II 265 models from AMD, Pentium E6600 and Pentium E6500. All the previously listed chips belonged to the same price category and provided approximately the same level of performance.
The test bench included the following computer components:
- The motherboard of AMD processors was based on the system logic set 790FX (socket 2 +), and Intel - 45 (socket 775).
- RAM DDR2 two modules of 1 GB with a nominal frequency of 1200 MHz.
- Video card GeForce 9800 with one gigabyte of memory standard GDDR3.
- Improved cooler Noctua NH-U12P.
- A 500 GB Baracuda Seagate hard drive with SATA connectivity.
- A 650W Seasonic power supply with an improved voltage stabilization system and a diameter of 80mm cooling cooler.
It should be noted that the chipset for AMD processors is a bit outdated. Therefore, the performance by 5 - 12 percent of this computer platform can be improved by installing a more "fresh" motherboard based on AM3 + and faster RAM.
Results in synthetic bags
In the test utility PC Mark 05, the previously mentioned microprocessor models scored the following points:
- Athlon X2II 265 - 7910.
- Pentium E6600 - 7744.
- Athlon X2II 260 - 7671.
- Pentium E6500 - 7409.
The first three CPU models show approximately the same results. The Athlon X2II 265 chip provides higher performance due to the increased clock frequency. But the Pentium E6500, albeit slightly, but inferior to other microprocessors.
In the WinRAR archiver, the situation changes as follows:
- Athlon X2II 265 - 1358.
- Athlon X2II 260 - 1333.
- Pentium E6600 - 1124.
- Pentium E6500 - 1108.
Intel chips are poorly optimized for this task and, as a result, they have lower performance in this case. But the AMD CPUs show almost the same results. A chip with an index of 265 shows a slightly higher result for the reason that it has a higher clock speed.
Performance in games. The number of frames per second
To begin with, it should be noted that the AMD Athlon II X2 260 does not allow you to run modern demanding applications and games. But with outdated software it can work. In the game Far Cry 2, the following results were obtained in fps:
- Athlon X2II 265 - 58.
- Athlon X2II 260 - 56.
- Pentium E6600 - 52.
- Pentium E6500 - 50.
AMD CPUs have a slight advantage in this case, but the number of frames is enough for a comfortable game.
In Race Driver, the following results were obtained:
- Athlon X2II 265 - 70.
- Athlon X2II 260 - 70.
- Pentium E6600 - 64.
- Pentium E6500 - 63.
The hero of this review comes close to a more expensive model, but this is the exception rather than the rule. Intel chips are also lagging behind. But at the same time, all microprocessors show a sufficient level of performance and the number of fps they have is significantly higher than the minimum allowable 30.
Overclocking the CPU. PC requirements
The Dualcore AMD Athlon II X2 260 chip boasts excellent overclocking potential. Its base frequency is 3.2 GHz. And this is a fixed value in nominal mode. By increasing the system bus frequency from 200 MHz to 235 MHz, 3.7-3.8 GHz can already be achieved. This will improve PC performance by 15%.
Before overclocking, the system unit must be equipped with a high-quality power supply, an advanced system chamber and high-speed RAM. If these conditions are not met, then the computer during the overclocking process may fail.
The relevance of the computing platform
Currently, of course, the AMD Athlon II X2 260 is certainly an outdated microprocessor model. AM3 has not been used for a long time as the main socket. And this is not surprising. This processor socket was introduced in 2011. Since then, both semiconductor chips and motherboards for them have been updated twice by AMD. In the first case, AM3 + replaced AM3, which was completely compatible with it. Then, at the beginning of 2017, the AM4 platform was introduced. It is she who is currently relevant.
This microprocessor by today's standards has a low level of performance. Therefore, it is advisable to use it only for the implementation of the most simple calculations. But resource-intensive programs on such hardware will not start.
Cost
In the new state, it is very problematic to purchase an AMD Athlon II X2 260 processor now. Only on Chinese trading floors can it be found in this form. Its estimated cost in this case is 700 rubles. In supported form, this chip can be bought for 400 - 500 rubles. It is preferable to buy the CPU in the new state.
Strengths and weaknesses of the CPU
By the standards of 2011, the AMD Athlon TM II X2 260 microprocessor was perfect for assembling a mid-range personal computer. At that time, software that could use more than 2 cores was extremely rare. Also, the cost of this CPU was quite affordable. At the same time, the presence of a cache of the third level did not significantly increase the performance of the PC. Therefore, such a chip was perfect for assembling middle-class system units and this is exactly what the owners described in the reviews. He really did not have any disadvantages, but there were a lot of advantages. Therefore, this family of CPUs in 2011 was in high demand among computer specialists.
Conclusion
In 2011, the AMD Athlon II X2 260 was an excellent mid-range processor. Now its main scope is low-cost office computers with a low level of performance. It is no longer suitable for processing more complex program code. Therefore, buying such a microprocessor to build a budget PC is quite acceptable. It is perfect for office use.