I still remember the times when Duron 600 and 650MHz processors managed to reach the edge of heaven at 1000MHz and sometimes even outperform considerably more expensive Intel Pentium III 1.0GHz chips. Nowadays, when overclockers push AMD Athlon XP 1700+ and Intel Pentium 4 2.40C to the very limits, AMD Duron is back, our friends from OverClockers.ru web-site proclaimed!
Our colleagues managed to grab an AMD Duron processor at 1.60GHz and test it both at default speed as well as at 2.30GHz against AMD Athlon XP 1900+ (1.60GHz). Even though not all Duron chips are able to function at 2.30GHz, those, who are able, offer very nice performance level at the price of lower than $50.

With unlocked multiplier the Duron processors made using 0.13 micron technology may become a nice choice for users in budget who even plan some overclocking actions. However, the new Duron chips may be quite fast even without overclocking. Take a look at what the guys from OverClockers.ru managed to achieve with AMD Duron at 2.30GHz using system based on ABIT NF7 (revision 2.0), 512MB of PC3500 memory, ATI RADEON 9700 PRO and Thermaltake Volvcano 7 cooler.
Futuremark 3DMark03, 1024x768 |
AMD Duron 1.60GHz (266MHz FSB) | 4723 |
AMD Duron 2.30GHz (400MHz FSB) | 5022 |
AMD Athlon XP 1.60GHz | 4763 |
Futuremark 3DMark 2001SE, 1024x768 |
AMD Duron 1.60GHz (266MHz FSB) | 12185 |
AMD Duron 2.30GHz (400MHz FSB) | 15746 |
AMD Athlon XP 1.60GHz | 12952 |
UT2003, flyby-inferno, 1024x768 |
AMD Duron 1.60GHz (266MHz FSB) | 170.5 |
AMD Duron 2.30GHz (400MHz FSB) | 177.8 |
AMD Athlon XP 1.60GHz | 173.2 |
UT2003, botmatch-anubis, 1024x768 |
AMD Duron 1.60GHz (266MHz FSB) | 58.8 |
AMD Duron 2.30GHz (400MHz FSB) | 82.7 |
AMD Athlon XP 1.60GHz | 67.5 |
3DMark03, CPU Test |
AMD Duron 1.60GHz (266MHz FSB) | 414 |
AMD Duron 2.30GHz (400MHz FSB) | 602 |
AMD Athlon XP 1.60GHz | 437 |
Quake III Arena, demo-four, 1024x768 |
AMD Duron 1.60GHz (266MHz FSB) | 231.4 |
AMD Duron 2.30GHz (400MHz FSB) | 324.2 |
AMD Athlon XP 1.60GHz | 247.4 |
As you see, even AMD Duron 1.60GHz with 128KB of L1 and 64KB of L2 cache is a nice performer. In case you are lucky and will manage to overclock it at 2.30GHz with 400MHz EV-6 bus, it will show you amazing speed. Remember that its price is less than $50!
PS. Remember that not all new Duron CPUs are nice overclockers!
Comments currently:
11
Discussion started: 08/26/03 12:13:54 PM
Latest comment: 06/07/07 05:55:43 AM
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[1-9]
1.
This is to say that AMD cares for high performance as low as the least budget processor. this is to say that AMD is not prepared to negitiate the second place position in competing with intel celeron at all levels one could imagine. This will pose serious peoblems for intel very soon as people will begine to realise that there is more to performance than just clock speed.
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Posted by: Tunde Adeolu

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Date: 08/26/03 12:13:54 PM]
2.
Is this processor going to be available in Australia?
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Posted by: Dar

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Date: 08/27/03 02:17:52 AM]
3.
Does anyone know if these will run on current Athlon XP/Athlon/Duron motherboards, or will we have to get new mobos to run these suckers? If everyone has to get a new motherboard it hardly seems like a budget thing...
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Posted by: unisteve

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Date: 08/27/03 12:35:25 PM]
+ expand thread (2 answers)
- collapse thread
No - you can use your SoketA_Motherboard.. :-D.
Maybe you need a BIOS_update!
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Posted by: Bbig

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Date: 08/27/03 01:09:55 PM]
Awesome! I am getting one of these if they come to Canada!
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Posted by: unisteve

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Date: 08/28/03 01:56:56 PM]
4.
yeah, i remember hearing about a cutdown thoroughbred (correct me if i'm wrong) with less cache being called an athlon FX to replace the duron.. this looks like it, except without the athlon FX name (which was wise IMO)
mmm.. duron @ 2.30ghz w/ 400Mhz FSB
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Posted by: dose

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Date: 08/27/03 06:28:20 PM]
5.
I sent this in an email to Anton but have yet to get a reply, so I thought I'd post it here as well. It looks in the pictures as if the last L2 bridge is cut. As the L2 bridges control the size of the L2 cache that is used (appropritely enough:p) I reckon that if you join the last L2 bridge again with a conductive pen you should be able to activate the "missing" 192Kb of cache. Anyone gets a Duron, please try this and report back.
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Posted by: Richard Galloway

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Date: 08/29/03 05:50:31 AM]
6.
are there more websites with duron oc results?
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Posted by: no_useforaname

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Date: 09/14/03 04:26:08 PM]
7.
that is sweet i just bought a duron 1800 wonder how fast i can get that then
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Posted by: peter watkins

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Date: 03/03/04 05:11:57 PM]
8.
This explains why my comp keeps recognizing the CPU as 2GHz... had to settle with a AMD Duron 1600 as all 1800s were sold out and it was the closest one without going way above my budget. When assembling, I read 'bout setting the FSB jumpers to either 200MHz, 266MHz, 333MHz or 400MHz in my mobo's manual and as I didn't know what it meant, but the numbers resembled those of Ram, I put them to match my DDR333MHz Ram (so on 333MHz) Temperature's staying normal, performance's said to be 2GHz, it definitely feels to be more than 1,6GHz, but I didn't know how come, yet thought it had something to do with those pins. Now you guys made me know it for sure =) I'll go put them to 400MHz tomorrow =D
Thanks for the article =)
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Posted by: Kon-Tiki

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Date: 09/18/04 05:09:25 PM]
9.
i can never seen fast as amd duron 1.60GHz x86
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Posted by: Ankur Bansal

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Date: 06/07/07 05:55:43 AM]
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