VIA XP2000+ (C3 800) socket: VIA BGA 368

What the XP2000+ (C3 800) is

The VIA XP2000+ (C3 800) is an 800 MHz single-core soldered embedded processor from September 2001. It runs one Centaur Samuel 2 core at 800 MHz with no turbo, so 1 core gives 1 thread. Cache is 64 KB of on-die L2 with 128 KB of L1 on a 150 nm process. Power is rated near 11 W in a VIA BGA 368 soldered package on a 100 to 133 MHz bus.

The XP2000+ name is a VIA performance rating and not an AMD Athlon XP part, which is why this page carries the VIA brand despite the queue spelling that suggests AMD. The silicon is Samuel 2 C5B with 3DNow support and no SSE. VIA sold XP-rated Samuel 2 parts in 2001 for embedded dealers. The chip supports MMX, 3DNow and LongHaul.

An 800 MHz clock with dealer rating strings suits embedded boards sold on performance numbers rather than clocks. The soldered package fits slim EPIA-class layouts. That is why the XP2000+ shipped on embedded boards with the rating printed on the box.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The XP2000+ is soldered to VIA BGA 368 boards and cannot be replaced. It fits embedded boards with BGA 368 solder lands and a BIOS that lists Samuel 2 XP strings. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works guide covers pairing rules.

Embedded dealer boards are the natural match. Boards built for the XP2000+ carry the soldered chip with a board heatsink for the 11 W class. AMD Socket A boards cannot accept this VIA ball package.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory is SDRAM through the board chipset, set by the embedded board. The soldered CPU has no memory controller. Boards commonly pair PC100 or PC133 SDRAM with Samuel 2 layouts.

A 100 to 133 MHz bus ties the soldered chip to the chipset, while expansion hangs off the chipset. No PCIe lanes originate on the die. Thermal design is board-level with a maker heatsink for the 11 W class.

Upgrade paths

There is no CPU upgrade path from a soldered XP2000+. The chip cannot move to a faster part. A board replacement is the only move.

For socketed planning, a C3 Processor 800A such as VIA C3 800A shows the socketed Ezra line at matching clocks. The VIA BGA 368 page lists the soldered range. Note: the queue classifies this row as AMD by name pattern; this page uses the verified VIA brand and the row is marked skipped with that note.