Having 462 pins (and hence also known as socket 462), this is AMD's socket for Duron, Athlon and Athlon XP flipchip processors. Since its release (to support the cheaper socketed duron), it has undergone a number of refinements:

- Additional heatsink mounting tabs (on either side of the existing ones), to support the weight of larger heatsinks. Most heavy heatsinks will have a three-hole clip nowadays.
- Requirement of motherboards and cases to have holes (two on either side) to enable heatsinks to be mounted on the motherboard tray. This allows for heavier heatsinks to be used than the socket clips could support, and the wider base reduces rocking, and therefore damage to the die.
- Increased front-side bus speed (100 Mhz DDR - 133 Mhz DDR)

Most socket A motherboards can take an athlon with no modification, but a new-ish motherboard is required for 133Mhz FSB Athlons, and Athlon XPs. There's nothing stopping you running the chips at 100 Mhz, though.

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