AMD Opteron X2 290

The AMD Opteron X2 290 is a dual-core server/workstation processor from the Opteron X2 (Italy) generation. The fact pack records a 2.80 GHz base clock, no boost clock, 2 cores, and 2 threads. The processor uses AMD Socket 940, belongs to the K8 architecture, and is marked as end-of-life. Its thermal design point is listed as 95 W. The database places it at the 50th percentile across all CPUs, but the nearestRivals array is empty and the average benchmark score is 0. Consequently, the analysis here draws on the recorded architectural, cache, memory, and platform fields rather than on comparative benchmark results.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals field contains no entries, so there are no named rival processors to compare against. This lack of rivals is a meaningful constraint: the database record offers no direct score, rank, or percentage delta between the Opteron X2 290 and any other CPU. The only positional information is percentileVsAllCpus: 50, which places the part at the midpoint of all CPUs tracked in the database. A median percentile indicates the processor is neither near the top nor near the bottom of the overall distribution, but without rival listings it cannot be positioned against a specific SKU. The market segment field says Server/Workstation, which gives an intended use context, but the comparison data does not include any workstation or server rivals. The empty benchmarks array further means there are no submitted results to use in a ranking. Thus the comparison section can report a 50th percentile placement, but it cannot express a margin over or deficit against any listed competitor.

Power and Thermals

The TDP is recorded as 95 W. This is the processor’s thermal design point and the primary quantitative power figure in the fact pack. A 95 W TDP implies a cooling solution designed for that heat envelope, although the record does not list a cooler model, size, or type. The cooling tier is therefore defined by the TDP class rather than by any measured cooling test. The manufacturing process is 90 nm, and the die contains 233 million transistors; both figures are part of the power and thermal context. No other power measurements, such as idle draw, peak draw, or temperature readings, are present. Without those measurements, thermal behavior can only be described in terms of the 95 W TDP class. The absence of a boost clock means there is no additional turbo power mode in the data. In the power and thermal hierarchy, a 95 W part is a distinct category from lower-TDP mobile or low-power parts, though the fact pack does not provide a rival TDP table.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The core and thread counts are both 2. Because cores equal threads, the Opteron X2 290 does not offer simultaneous multithreading: each core has a single thread. Single-threaded performance is anchored by the 2.80 GHz base clock, since no boost clock is listed. That means the processor cannot raise clock speed for a lightly loaded core. Multi-threaded workloads can use both cores at the same 2.80 GHz, but the total thread ceiling is 2. The cache layout supports this per-core design: each core has 128 KB of L1 cache and 1 MB of L2 cache. No third-level cache is listed, so there is no pooled cache between cores. The 128 KB and 1 MB cache levels are both per-core resources; they do not change between single- and multi-threaded execution. For real server/workstation loads, the practical split is a dual-thread parallel limit plus a fixed single-core clock. Workloads that are optimized for 2 threads may perform in line with the 2.80 GHz per-core clock and per-core cache, while workloads expecting more than 2 threads will encounter the thread cap. The dual-channel DDR1 memory bus with 6400 MB/s of bandwidth is the memory-side limit for both single- and multi-threaded code paths.

FAQ

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The Opteron X2 290 has 2 cores and 2 threads.

Q: What socket does the processor use?

A: It uses AMD Socket 940.

Q: Does it support ECC memory?

A: Yes, ECC memory support is listed as true.

Q: What memory bus and bandwidth are listed?

A: The memory bus is dual-channel DDR1 with a listed bandwidth of 6400 MB/s.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked?

A: No, multiplier unlocked is false, so the multiplier is locked.

Q: What is the production status?

A: The production status is end-of-life.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark section of the fact pack is minimal. The benchmarks array is empty, the average benchmark score is 0, and the nearestRivals array is empty. The only numeric performance-adjacent field is percentileVsAllCpus with a value of 50. This creates an unusual situation: the processor has a defined percentile position but no recorded score. A 0 average benchmark score may indicate that no benchmark samples contribute to the average; the fact pack does not explain the origin of the zero. The 50th percentile places the part in the middle of the database distribution, but because there are no nearestRivals entries, there are no deltaPct values and no exact percentage deltas to report. It is not possible to say that the Opteron X2 290 is a certain percentage faster or slower than any specific processor. The absence of rival scores is a data limitation, not an indication of performance. The median percentile is the only comparative statement supported by the record. Therefore, benchmark performance cannot be quantified relative to named competitors; it can only be summarized as a mid-database rank with an empty score history.

Platform and Compatibility

The Opteron X2 290 is designed for AMD Socket 940. The memory support is DDR1, with a dual-channel bus and a listed bandwidth of 6400 MB/s; ECC memory is supported. The platform is recorded with PCIe Gen 2 connectivity. The architecture is K8, the codename is Italy, and the process node is 90 nm with 233 million transistors. The part number is OSA290FAA6CB. The release date field records 2005, placing the product in the 2005 server/workstation generation. The production status is end-of-life, so current availability in new systems is not indicated by the data. The multiplier is locked, since multiplierUnlocked is false. No integrated graphics are listed. For upgrade path analysis, the record shows a fixed platform: Socket 940, DDR1 memory, and a locked multiplier. The fact pack does not list newer processors that share this socket, so no upgrade path beyond the recorded part can be established. Compatibility depends on matching Socket 940, DDR1 memory support, and the server/workstation market segment. The locked multiplier also rules out overclocking-based flexibility. In short, the platform is clearly defined by the socket, memory type, PCIe generation, and end-of-life status, but no expansion or upgrade route is documented.