Computers AMD Athlon Barton Core

Now I know they been out for quite sometime, but what I don't understand is what so great about them. Yeah it's L1 Cache is at 128KB and the L2 cache is at 512KB, compared to the thoroughbred's L2 cache of only 256KB, but the processor speed drops greatly.

Athlon XP 2800+ Barton Core --> 2.083Ghz
Athlon XP 2700+ Thoroughbred --> 2.17Ghz

Now tested with a thoroughbred with identical or close processor speed, the barton core beats it by several frames

Athlon XP 2400+ Thoroughbred --> 2.00Ghz

but compared with a thoroughbred model below the barton (ie 2700+ thoroughbred vs 2800+ barton core) the thoroughbred clearly wins in both speed and in pricing. But is there something I missed about the barton core that makes it special? Or is AMD just trying to fill their pockets with greens by using the ignorant public masses?