Posted on 02/10/2009 7:02:03 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Last month, AMD launched the Phenom II X4 processor line-up, and with it ushered in the first desktop processors built using the company's 45nm process node. While the first two Phenom II processors to arrive, the 3.0GHz X4 940 and 2.8GHz 920, were clearly superior to previous Phenoms in terms of performance and power efficiency, and they remain the two most powerful processors in AMD's product stack today, they did not exploit all of the capabilities offered by their newly tweaked, and redesigned cores.
You see, the AMD Phenom II X4 940 and X4 920 were designed for the socket AM2+ platform, and as such, they support only DDR2 memory. The latest additions to the Phenom II line-up, the Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition and X4 810, however, are designed for the AM3 platform. That means, these new chips can work not only in existing AM2+ motherboards with DDR2 memory, but in new AM3-based motherboards with DDR3 memory as well. The flexibility of these new socket AM3 based Phenom II processors should appeal to existing AMD system owners who may be thinking about a CPU upgrade, or potential new AMD-based system buyers who want the freedom to choose from a wide array of motherboards at multiple price points.
We've taken the new triple-core Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition and quad-core X4 810 for a spin through the lab using both socket AM2+ and socket AM3 motherboard platforms, to give you all an idea as to how each configuration performs. Read on for the full scoop...
(Excerpt) Read more at hothardware.com ...
ping.
Ohhh.... I hate to have to say this, since i have been an AMD fanboi since early 1996.
I was recently forced to do a newbuild for my home system since my 939 motherboard puked out and since it is discontinued, parts are not to be found.
I looked at all the AMD cpus for my new build and to be honest was left quite cold. Sad, sad, sad! I ended up getting an Intel i7. The top AMD chip did not come close to the mid range Intel dollar for dollar, imho.
I hope that AMD makes a come back. I honestly hope so. I would love to give them another go, if they can get back in the running for decent competition.
Good Luck to them.
:)
I would like to see AMD pull back ahead of Intel.
From all the research I did at the time, The Phenom could not really even compete with the Intel E series. By the time the i7 came out, AMD was left in the dust.
But to be fair to AMD... again, this is just opinion... The Phenom II was not supposed to be a WOW chip. It was just supposed to give buyers an alternative to the higher priced E series. But one the i7 arrived, the E series prices fell.
I bought the i7 920 for $230. Sooooo hard to walk away from that.
I think that AMD makes fantastic video cards, but without some major restructuring, I don’t think they will recover in the CPU wars.
Shame... I have been loyal for more than a dozen years. (My first self build was a 133mhz chip, 8mb ram and a full 1gb hard drive. Blazing fast at the time haha!)
I think AMD and Intel are much closer in the server area...Intel seems miles ahead in the Gaming arena.
These new chips can work not only in existing AM2+ motherboards with DDR2 memory, but in new AM3-based motherboards with DDR3 memory as well. The flexibility of these new socket AM3 based Phenom II processors should appeal to existing AMD system owners who may be thinking about a CPU upgrade, or potential new AMD-based system buyers who want the freedom to choose from a wide array of motherboards at multiple price points.Smart!
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