Athlon 64 x2 are dual-core microprocessors best suited for running multiple applications on one computer. "X2" part in name is easy to explain - these processors incorporate two Athlon 64 cores on one die, hence it's an Athlon 64 x2. Having two-cores on one die comes at a price, though:
- X2 processors have much bigger die size - 218 mm2 for 0.09 micron processors with 1 MB L2 cache. For comparison, Athlon 64 with 1 MB L2 cache has almost two times smaller die size (112.9 mm2).
- Power consumption of two-core CPU is higher. For example, socket AM2 Athlon 64 X2 3800+ has Thermal Design Power 89 Watt, which is 27 Watt more than TDP of Athlon 64 3800+.
