Socket A

Socket 462 (also known as Socket A, not to be confused with the socket of the same name used for the PPC G3 processors) is a zero insertion forcepin grid array (PGA) CPU socket used for AMDprocessors ranging from the Athlon Thunderbird to the Athlon XP/MP 3200+, and AMD budget processors including the Duron and Sempron. Socket A also supports AMD Geode NX embedded processors (derived from the Mobile Athlon XP). It compliments (and later supersedes) the prior Slot A CPU interface used in some Athlon Thunderbird processors. The front-side bus frequencies supported for the AMD Athlon XP and Sempron are 133 MHz, 166 MHz, and 200 MHz. Socket A supports 32-bit CPUs only.

The socket is a zero insertion forcepin grid array type with 462 pins, hence the name "Socket 462" printed on the CPU socket. About nine pins in the socket are blocked to discourage accidental insertion of Socket 370 CPUs on Socket A motherboards.

Socket A was replaced by Socket 754 and Socket 939 during 2003 and 2004 respectively, except for its use with Geode NX processors.