Gecko's CPU Library

AMD Turion 64 (Lancaster, Richmond) processors

Introduction: March 2005 (Lancaster), September 2006 (Richmond)

Overview

Turion 64 was the brand name AMD applied to its 64-bit low-power (mobile) processors codenamed K8L. The Turion 64 and Turion 64 X2 processors competed with Intel's mobile processors, initially the Pentium M and then the Intel Core and Intel Core 2 processors.

The Lancaster and Richmond cores

Earlier Turion 64 processors were compatible with AMD's Socket 754. The newer "Richmond" models were designed for AMD's Socket S1. They were equipped with 512 or 1024KB of L2 cache, a 64-bit single channel on-die memory controller, and an 800MHz HyperTransport bus. Battery saving features, like PowerNow!, were central to the marketing and usefulness of these CPUs.

The model naming scheme did not make it obvious how to compare one Turion with another, or even an Athlon 64. The model name was two letters, a dash, and a two digit number (for example, ML-34). The two letters together designated a processor class, while the number represented a PR rating. The first letter was M for single core processors and T for dual core Turion 64 X2 processors. The later in the alphabet that the second letter appears, the more the model had been designed for mobility (frugal power consumption). Took for instance, an MT-30 and an ML-34. Since the T in the MT-30 was later in the alphabet than the L in ML-34, the MT-30 consumed less power than the ML-34. But since 34 was greater than 30, the ML-34 was faster than the MT-30.

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.