22-Year-Old AMD Athlon XP 2000+ CPU Stays Sealed and Untouched

The AMD Athlon XP 2000+, launched in 2002, is a relic of the past that has stood the test of time. This single-core processor features a slow base clock of 133 MHz, which was significantly faster than Intel’s Pentium 4 Northwood-based chips at the time. However, its performance was hindered by its limited die size and lack of support for SSE2 instructions.

The Athlon XP 2000+ was designed to run at high voltages (1.65V) with a base TDP of 60W, but it notoriously ran hotter than its competitors. In terms of pricing, AMD launched the processor at $339 or $588 when adjusted for inflation in 2024.

Today, collectors and enthusiasts would pay a premium to get their hands on this CPU. However, the owner of the CPU has chosen to store it in an “old hardware” museum, rather than selling it. The CPU was never turned on outside of the factory during production, as required for quality assurance and binning purposes.

The packaging department has come a long way since 2002, with the current box featuring more modern designs and reassurance. In contrast, the Athlon XP 2000+’s packaging appears simple by today’s standards.

Source: https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/cpus/sealed-amd-athlon-xp-2000-cpu-stands-the-test-of-time-22-year-old-single-core-thoroughbred-relic-has-never-been-turned-on