Are all new athlons Tbred B's?

[Marshmallowman]

I am looking to do a CPU/mobo upgade and I want to get the cheapest GOOD thoroughbred B chip I can.

I have been hearing all chips under 2100 are TBred' A's and 2100 and over are Tbred B's.

Is this true?

[Tempest]

No. ChipGeek is where I usually go for this kind of stuff. There we find out that...

Palomino: XP1500+ to XP 2100+
Thoroughbred A: 1700+ to 2200+
Thoroughbred B: 2200+ to 2800+ (2700+ the first with 333 MHz FSB)
Barton: 2500+ and up (?)

So, if we trust those numbers then 2400+ would be the first proc to definitively have a TB-B core (2200+'s include both TB-A's and TB-B's). But since the list isn't complete (for example, it doesn't list that there are XP "2600+'s" with both 266 and 333 MHz FSB's, @2133 and @2080 MHz respectively), I wouldn't trust them 100% this time.

At Overclockers.com you can actually read about the confused situation. I'm not sure if all processor codes that they use as examples even exist, but the point is that unless you can see the processor for yourself, you really can't tell what you're buying. Someone who sells a lot of these things could probably tell you what your odds are, though...

[Marshmallowman]

thanks for the info, I'll check those links out.

[Wombat]

A lot of companies will specify the lot the processor came from. I don't know any Aussie dealers though.

[Marshmallowman]

some do on occasion, but right now they are only pointing out Thoroughbreds (no distinction between A and B)

The most defintive test I can find is to look at the stepping, 0 is A and 1 is B, but the only way to see that is to put it in a computer and run CPUID.

I guess I will have to go to a few shops and ask to see one running from the same batch...

[rylan]

I thought that all of the 333FSB based multiplier chips were off the B core. Could be wrong though, keeping track of the cores gets confusing :P

[Nuno]

2400+ and 2600+ did inaugurate the T-Bred B core. AMD start remarking T-breds as lower speed parts later.
The only way to be sure you´re getting a T-bred B is to buy a 2400+. I did. It´s the sweet spot for price/performance IMHO. Anything lower than this, you must take a look at the cpu first (don´t know the code for T-bred, do a search around)

[Marshmallowman]

here a link for checking athlons

http://mp3.zonebg.com/cpu/cpu.php

it may not be 100% accurate as they are still working on it, but handy all the same.

[Goc]

Friend of mine just bought two XP1700+'s... Both T-bred B...
He fiddled with bridges a bit, and now they're running on his Gigabyte dual mobo at 2050Mhz... Default voltage...

In fact, here in Croatia almost every XP1700+ I've seen or heard that someone bought it, turned out to be a T-bred B... So there you have it...

[K6-III]

All my local vendors are out of TBred 1700+'s. Will check again next week and hopefully pick up one of these magical 0309 chips...