AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+, 2.7 GHz (ADO5200DOBOX) Boxed Processor
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Similar in Processors
- Architecture: 65 nanometers
- Clock Speed: 2.6 GHz
- Package Type: AMD Processor in a Box (PIB)
- Socket Type: Socket AM2
- Product Type: Processor
- Bus Speed: 1000 MHz
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AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ Processor ADO5200DOBOX
Pros
Cheap price, easily compatible, increased speed with dual cores
Cons
Slightly outdated, limited memory upgrade options
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
If you're in the market for a cheap dual core AM2 socket processor, this is a great choice.
When a single core processor no longer handles the work load then clearly a dual core processor is the next step. What about price? Compatibility? Reliability? That's why the AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ 2.7Ghz Dual Core Processor is the perfect choice. The price is lower than Intel, it works with any AM2/AM2+/AM3 socket motherboard, and is well known for being more reliable than Intel.
I've been an AMD fan since they went mainstream and started to outperform Intel. AMD has always been cheaper in price while the technology was the same and sometimes better than the Intel counterpart. Recently, I upgraded a computer and needed a dual core processor and naturally AMD was my first choice. This computer didn't need all the latest technology that 2009 had to offer. So this slightly older AM2 socket processor with heatsink and fan was just right for $65 with free shipping. The OEM version (without heatsink/fan) was only slightly less at $60 but it made sense to go with the retail version and use stock cooling.
The Box
The box itself is rather small but big enough to hold the stock heatsink and fan with the processor on the side. The processor is shipped in a plastic clam with padding on the pins. The heatsink also has a plastic cup base to protect the pre-applied thermal compound. A foldout manual with multiple languages and authenticity sticker are also inside. The box is very clean and minimal in regards to extra junk you don't need. Even though this is a retail box, there isn't much information or instruction on what to do with a processor or how it works. So if you are a novice at hardware installation and setup, beware you won't get much help out of the box.
Installation
Installing the processor is simple and requires no knowledge of hardware. Like most processors, there are corner arrows that display the proper alignment of the processor. Depending on your motherboard, there's usually a lever that flips down and locks everything into place.
Stock Fan & Heatsink
This retail box comes with a stock 80mm fan with an AMD label. The wires use a 4-pin header connection to the motherboard which supports power and fan speed controls. The stock fan at full speed runs about 3000rpm. With coolnquiet enabled it can throttle back to about 2000rpm, depending on ambient temperatures. Even at 3000rpm the fan isn't all that noisy and would most likely be cancelled out by a video card fan. Although at 2000rpm the fan is barely even noticeable.
The retail box also comes with a stock 80mm heatsink. The heatsink is standard issue aluminum which isn't the best metal type but it gets the job done. Applied to the base of the heatsink is a thin layer of generic thermal compound. Again, this isn't the best thermal solution, but for a basic setup it will do just fine. A typical stock installation will keep the processor under 40*C under normal operating conditions. The heatsink is equipped with "old style" metal locking clips. These clips can be extremely difficult to attach depending on the motherboard. Sometimes you have to pry them open with a screwdriver and smear the thermal compound so much it needs reapplied. As usual anyone looking to overclock this processor should get a better heatsink and fan.
32bit & 64bit
Operating systems and software developers still use 32bit technology but 64bit is slowly starting to appear. Most processors being made by AMD are now supporting 64bit with backwards compatibility for 32bit. The great thing about these processors is that they work on all operating systems, whether they are 32bit or 64bit. If you are still using Windows XP 32bit or upgrading to Windows 7 64bit, this processor will be able to handle all your needs.
Specifications
I'm not computer savy so I won't go into detail about how this processor works. But for you average readers my comments should be suffice.
Processor Interface: Socket AM2 -- This socket type is slightly outdated now by AM2+ and AM3 but even motherboards with the newest AM3 will still support this processor. It should also be noted that the best memory you can bundle with this processor is DDR2-800 PC6400.
Processor Class: Athlon 64 X2 -- Athlon is a mainstream processor. Sempron is a lower class while Phenom is the latest upper class. X2 denotes that this processor is dual core.
Processor Speed: X2 5200 / 2.70GHz -- Again this is a dual core processor with a model number of 5200+. The operating frequency is 2.7GHz which is a fast speed for most dual core processors even today.
Cache Size: 1MB L2 (2 x 512KB) -- This L2 cache has been standard for awhile now so nothing super fast but with dual cores it adds up.
Bus Speed: 1000MHz (2000 MT/s) -- Slightly faster than the Intel counterparts which are only 800Mhz. The newest Phenom processors are 2 times faster at 4000 MT/s.
Wattage: 65W -- The newest Phenom processors are running at 125W but this processor still runs fast even with the lower 65W power consumption.
Additional Technologies: HyperTransport , MMX, Enhanced Virus Protection, Enhanced 3DNow!, NX bit, AMD64, Cool'n'Quiet, AMD Virtualization.
Conclusion
Overall this is a quality AMD brand processor with a good bang for the buck. If you're on the lookout for a cheap processor that uses slightly older technology then I recommend the AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ model. There are other models in the same class such as 5000+ and 5600+ with the same specifications just at different operating frequencies. These models are slowly disappearing from retail merchants but the 5200+ is still out there as of this review. The 6000+ model breaks the barrier of 3.0Ghz but it also uses 125W which may not be compatible with those older motherboards. This thing is better than any single core processor and the price is cheap. As of this review, this processor is being fazed out and probably considered outdated. But if all you need is a dual core to keep up with new games and applications, it's a fine choice. There's not much else to say about a processor, if you need one, then this works for a wide variety of setups.
I've been an AMD fan since they went mainstream and started to outperform Intel. AMD has always been cheaper in price while the technology was the same and sometimes better than the Intel counterpart. Recently, I upgraded a computer and needed a dual core processor and naturally AMD was my first choice. This computer didn't need all the latest technology that 2009 had to offer. So this slightly older AM2 socket processor with heatsink and fan was just right for $65 with free shipping. The OEM version (without heatsink/fan) was only slightly less at $60 but it made sense to go with the retail version and use stock cooling.
The Box
The box itself is rather small but big enough to hold the stock heatsink and fan with the processor on the side. The processor is shipped in a plastic clam with padding on the pins. The heatsink also has a plastic cup base to protect the pre-applied thermal compound. A foldout manual with multiple languages and authenticity sticker are also inside. The box is very clean and minimal in regards to extra junk you don't need. Even though this is a retail box, there isn't much information or instruction on what to do with a processor or how it works. So if you are a novice at hardware installation and setup, beware you won't get much help out of the box.
Installation
Installing the processor is simple and requires no knowledge of hardware. Like most processors, there are corner arrows that display the proper alignment of the processor. Depending on your motherboard, there's usually a lever that flips down and locks everything into place.
Stock Fan & Heatsink
This retail box comes with a stock 80mm fan with an AMD label. The wires use a 4-pin header connection to the motherboard which supports power and fan speed controls. The stock fan at full speed runs about 3000rpm. With coolnquiet enabled it can throttle back to about 2000rpm, depending on ambient temperatures. Even at 3000rpm the fan isn't all that noisy and would most likely be cancelled out by a video card fan. Although at 2000rpm the fan is barely even noticeable.
The retail box also comes with a stock 80mm heatsink. The heatsink is standard issue aluminum which isn't the best metal type but it gets the job done. Applied to the base of the heatsink is a thin layer of generic thermal compound. Again, this isn't the best thermal solution, but for a basic setup it will do just fine. A typical stock installation will keep the processor under 40*C under normal operating conditions. The heatsink is equipped with "old style" metal locking clips. These clips can be extremely difficult to attach depending on the motherboard. Sometimes you have to pry them open with a screwdriver and smear the thermal compound so much it needs reapplied. As usual anyone looking to overclock this processor should get a better heatsink and fan.
32bit & 64bit
Operating systems and software developers still use 32bit technology but 64bit is slowly starting to appear. Most processors being made by AMD are now supporting 64bit with backwards compatibility for 32bit. The great thing about these processors is that they work on all operating systems, whether they are 32bit or 64bit. If you are still using Windows XP 32bit or upgrading to Windows 7 64bit, this processor will be able to handle all your needs.
Specifications
I'm not computer savy so I won't go into detail about how this processor works. But for you average readers my comments should be suffice.
Processor Interface: Socket AM2 -- This socket type is slightly outdated now by AM2+ and AM3 but even motherboards with the newest AM3 will still support this processor. It should also be noted that the best memory you can bundle with this processor is DDR2-800 PC6400.
Processor Class: Athlon 64 X2 -- Athlon is a mainstream processor. Sempron is a lower class while Phenom is the latest upper class. X2 denotes that this processor is dual core.
Processor Speed: X2 5200 / 2.70GHz -- Again this is a dual core processor with a model number of 5200+. The operating frequency is 2.7GHz which is a fast speed for most dual core processors even today.
Cache Size: 1MB L2 (2 x 512KB) -- This L2 cache has been standard for awhile now so nothing super fast but with dual cores it adds up.
Bus Speed: 1000MHz (2000 MT/s) -- Slightly faster than the Intel counterparts which are only 800Mhz. The newest Phenom processors are 2 times faster at 4000 MT/s.
Wattage: 65W -- The newest Phenom processors are running at 125W but this processor still runs fast even with the lower 65W power consumption.
Additional Technologies: HyperTransport , MMX, Enhanced Virus Protection, Enhanced 3DNow!, NX bit, AMD64, Cool'n'Quiet, AMD Virtualization.
Conclusion
Overall this is a quality AMD brand processor with a good bang for the buck. If you're on the lookout for a cheap processor that uses slightly older technology then I recommend the AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200+ model. There are other models in the same class such as 5000+ and 5600+ with the same specifications just at different operating frequencies. These models are slowly disappearing from retail merchants but the 5200+ is still out there as of this review. The 6000+ model breaks the barrier of 3.0Ghz but it also uses 125W which may not be compatible with those older motherboards. This thing is better than any single core processor and the price is cheap. As of this review, this processor is being fazed out and probably considered outdated. But if all you need is a dual core to keep up with new games and applications, it's a fine choice. There's not much else to say about a processor, if you need one, then this works for a wide variety of setups.
