The Socket A motherboard, created by AMD in 2000, contains the CPU socket and all computer connectors. It supports AMD Athlon, Duron, Sempron, and Geode NX processors with specific data rates and voltage ranges. The motherboard is a PGA subcategory called OPGA and adheres to the ZIF standard. It has been replaced by Sockets 754 and 939 but is still produced by manufacturers.
A Socket A motherboard contains virtually all of the computer’s connectors or interfaces, as well as a type of central processing unit (CPU) socket called Socket A. Created by the semiconductor company Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and debuted in 2000, Socket A is also known as Socket 462 because it has 462 pin holes, which serve as part of the support system for the personal computer (PC) processor. The socket is one of the many features of the Socket A motherboard, which functions as the “heart” of the PC.
Like other similarly designed components, the Socket A motherboard includes slots for system memory and video/graphics cards, audio/video inputs, USB ports, and connectors for hard disk storage and CD/DVD drives. Socket A serves as a connector between the processor and the motherboard so that data transmission can take place. It also provides protection to the CPU, preventing it from possible damage when the user inserts or removes it.
The motherboard socket has a length of approximately 2.2 inches (5.59 cm) and a width of approximately 2.6 inches (6.55 cm). The pin holes are arranged neatly along its square-shaped frame; this is called a pin grid array (PGA). The Socket A motherboard falls into a PGA subcategory called organic pin grid array (OPGA), which means it’s made from organic plastic. Most Socket A motherboards adhere to the ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) standard. This means that the user does not have to apply any force when placing the processor on the socket or removing it.
Socket A motherboards are most commonly associated with support for the XP/MP generation of AMD’s Athlon chips. However, they are also compatible with the Duron brand, which was AMD’s low-end line and introduced in the same year as the Socket A. Compatibility was extended to the Sempron brand when it replaced Duron in 2004. The Socket A motherboard also supports the AMD Geode NX, which is AMD’s brand of system-on-a-chip CPUs for embedded computer systems.
There are a few specifications regarding the Socket A motherboard. The AMD processor it hosts must have a data rate of 200, 266, 333, or 400 megahertz (MHz), which means it must be able to conduct 200, 266, 333 and 400 million transfers per second (MT/s), respectively. Additionally, the outlet operates with an operating range of 1 to 2.05 volts (V).
By the end of 2004, AMD began moving away from Socket A motherboards when it began using Sockets 754 and 939 for Athlon and Sempron chips. Computer component manufacturers, however, continue to produce the component. The Socket A motherboard also holds its lead with the Geode NX.
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