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Maybe I just can't google very well, but I am having a hard time trying to figure out which chipsets are compatible with an Athlon 2600 XP, let alone which one would be best?

Any info would be appreciated.

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Short answer for : pick a Socket A (462) board that explicitly lists the exact Athlon XP 2600+ you plan to buy, and make sure the board’s BIOS supports that core and FSB before you swap CPUs. The phrase “chipset‑and‑a‑half” that used comes from how NVIDIA split the job: a proven northbridge (SPP) plus an MCP southbridge that bundled extra features (RAID, GigE, audio options, etc.), so some nForce2 boards offered more integrated features than a typical north/south pair. AnandTech: nForce2 Ultra 400Gb nForce2 (Wikipedia). (anandtech.com)

About Thoroughbred vs. Barton: 2600+ parts were shipped with different cores/steppings (Thoroughbred, Thorton, Barton). Barton doubled the L2 cache (512 KB) versus Thoroughbred (256 KB), which helps cache‑sensitive tasks — but it isn’t a blanket, order‑of‑magnitude improvement. Thorton is essentially a Barton with half the L2 disabled. Which core is “better” depends on workload and whether the chosen board supports the required FSB/BIOS for that revision. AnandTech: What’s a Barton? Athlon (Wikipedia). (anandtech.com)

Quick practical checklist (do these before buying or installing):

  • Confirm the motherboard is Socket A and supports the CPU’s FSB (266/333/400 MT/s) and core.
  • Find the board’s “CPU support” or “Processor compatibility” list on the vendor site and note the minimum BIOS required.
  • If the board needs a BIOS update to accept a Barton/Thorton part, update the BIOS first (some older Socket‑A boards require a known‑working CPU to flash).
  • If buying used, check the CPU OPN/printing (or seller photos) so the core/FSB is known; don’t assume every “2600+” is the same.

Example vendor CPU lists show exactly this sort of support info for nForce2 Socket‑A boards. Leadtek WinFast K7nCR18G PRO — CPU support example. (leadtek.com)

Bottom line: the chipset name matters less than the board vendor’s BIOS support and VRM quality. nForce2 was (and usually is) a strong match for Athlon XP parts because of mature drivers and feature sets, but always cross‑check the exact 2600+ stepping/FSB against the motherboard’s support list before buying. (anandtech.com)

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Member Avatar for caperjack

The million dollar ? Is it a athlon2600 xp you have or are you thinking of getting one .

Member Avatar for I_Know_Nothing

I don't have an Athlon XP 2600 yet, but unless I hear any advice otherwise, I'm pretty sure that's what I'm going to have in my posission whenever I figure out all this compatability stuff.

Member Avatar for TallCool1

I don't have an Athlon XP 2600 yet, but unless I hear any advice otherwise, I'm pretty sure that's what I'm going to have in my posission whenever I figure out all this compatibility stuff.

Personally, I prefer AMD over Intel, so I'll stick to that aspect.

It mostly depends on what you want to do with it and your preference in motherboard manufacturers. Overall, the best chipset for that series of AMD processors (pre-Barton high end) is the nVidia nForce2 chipset (or chipset-and-a-half, depending on how you look at it). With the nForce2, there are a broad range of options; you can get boards with or without integrated graphics support, with or without on-board real-time Dolby encoding, with single-channel or dual-channel RAM busses, and with one or two network interface ports.

The other alternative is the VIA KT400 chipset, but unless you are strongly opposed to nVidia it comes out a poor second.

The best-known brands for nForce2 are MSI, ASUS, Abit, and Gigabye (in no particular order).

Hope this helps!

Member Avatar for I_Know_Nothing

Personally, I prefer AMD over Intel, so I'll stick to that aspect.

It mostly depends on what you want to do with it and your preference in motherboard manufacturers. Overall, the best chipset for that series of AMD processors (pre-Barton high end) is the nVidia nForce2 chipset

Since you mentioned it, I believe some Athlon XP 2600's are made with the Thoroughbred core. If so, which one should I go with. Are Barton cores hands down, 100% always better than Thoroughbreds or are there different benefits for each? If I find one with a Barton core would that change your chipset recommendation?

(or chipset-and-a-half, depending on how you look at it).

How is the nVidia nForce2 a 'chipset and a half'?

The other alternative is the VIA KT400 chipset, but unless you are strongly opposed to nVidia it comes out a poor second.

I don't know enough about the chipsets to really have a bias, but since you mention it, is there any reason one would be opposed to the nVida nForce2?

Also, I am assuming 'nVidia nForce2' is the name of the chipset and not a brand name. Is that right?

Hope this helps!

Definitely. Thanks alot!

If you know of any website off the top of your head that explains chipsets and their CPU compatability I'd also appreciate it. I can't seem to find much.

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