All processors have two types of memory they use: Primary Cache and Secondary Cache.
The Primary Cache is always located within the processor core and can be considered a direct part of it.
Secondary Cache comes in two flavors, Internal and External. The External Secondary Cache is usually located on the motherboard or about an inch or more from the processor core. It runs at about half or less of the speed of the processor. The Internal Secondary Cache is built onto or directly attached to the processor core and runs at the same speed as the processor.
Chip makers usually put half as much Internal Secondary Cache into a processor as they put External Secondary Cache into it. Even with less cache the Internal Secondary Cache processor will give better performance. It is also cheaper to make a chip with Internal Secondary Cache than to make it with External Secondary Cache.
The Secondary Cache is usually used to store often used instructions that Windows and many programs use. Most games do not behave in this way and have no need for the storage of often used instruction.
Now to answer the question: the Athlon processor has External Secondary Cache and the Athlon T'Bird has internal Secondary Cache.
The Athlon 750mhz had an External Secondary Cache that ran at half the speed of the processor (375mhz). The Athlon 800mhz and above had problems with the External Secondary Cache running at half the speed of the processor (400mhz and higher) probably due to heat so AMD reduced the speed of the External Secondary Cache to one-third the speed of the processor (266mhz). This meant the Athlon 750 could outperform the 800mhz in some applications. I do not know if this issue has been fixed with improved External Secondary Cache. AMD is no longer making the Slot-A processors and is now only making the Socket-A processors. I believe all of these new processors are Athlon T'Birds.
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SuperD
Dickweed Heavy Bomber GroupG8N."Renzan"(Rita)IJNHeavy Ground Attack Bomber "Renzan"
G5N."Shinzan"(Litz)IJNHeavy Ground Attack Bomber "Shinzan"
Imperial Japanese Naval Airplanes
