Thursday, August 13th 2009
AMD Raises the Performance Bar With Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition
AMD today announced the world's highest clocked quad-core processor for desktop PCs, the AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition processor. As an integral part of Dragon platform technology, this new processor features a stock frequency of 3.4 GHz, massive headroom, high-speed DDR3 memory support and AMD OverDrive 3.0 technology to deliver an enthusiast-class performance that fits into value-based budgets.
Since its initial launch in January 2009, Dragon platform technology has provided great performance at a great price. From the only company with unlocked CPUs and backwards compatibility for DDR2 memory, the AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition processor helps customers pay less for more, period. Available for a Suggested System Builder Price of $245, users opting for Intel may be paying more for less or equal performance.With this platform, AMD is combining its fastest processor ever with the massive graphics processing muscle of its most powerful GPUs to enable the following features:
Since its initial launch in January 2009, Dragon platform technology has provided great performance at a great price. From the only company with unlocked CPUs and backwards compatibility for DDR2 memory, the AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition processor helps customers pay less for more, period. Available for a Suggested System Builder Price of $245, users opting for Intel may be paying more for less or equal performance.With this platform, AMD is combining its fastest processor ever with the massive graphics processing muscle of its most powerful GPUs to enable the following features:
- Record-setting overclocking capabilities
- AMD OverDrive 3.0 tuning software
- High-speed DDR3 memory support
- Planned future DirectX 11 support for the latest games
- AMD Black Edition Memory Profiles for custom experiences
- Cool'n'Quiet 3.0 technology to enable improved efficiency and help keep your PC running cool and quiet
151 Comments on AMD Raises the Performance Bar With Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition
When both the 920 and 965 are clocked at the same speed of 3.4GHz, the 920 drastically outperforms the 965. What does that have to do with anything? How much power the processor uses at its max overclock doesn't matter here, that isn't what the discussion is about.
And while the Phenom IIs are definitely a good thing, I wouldn't call them great. Great would be able to match Intel. They've managed to match Intels previous generation, but not the current. The i7 is just a step higher, which is why the prices are still pretty outragous. There is a lot more to ask for: A chip that can compete with Intel's high-end would be nice for one... Something that doesn't take 3.4GHz to match the competitions 2.6GHz would also be nice. The Phenom II will probably never be able to compete with the high end i7's, 3.4GHz is pushing the limits of the architecture, we might see one at 3.6GHz released but that will definitely be pushing the limits. Something has to be done to allow AMD to continue to compete against Intel's high end, and Phenom II ain't it. Right now, I see AMD as being in the same position Intel was with the netburst processors. It is taking very high clock speeds to match the competition's relatively low clock speeds. Not accurate for several reasons:
1.) There are a lot, and I mean a lot, of early AM2 boards where the manufacturer simply didn't release the updates required to support Phenoms, so those users are force to change motherboards.
2.) The P965 chipset was released at amost the same time as the first AM2 boards, maybe even slightly earlier, and people with those boards have enjoys support for all the 775 processors ever released, all the way up to the 45nm quads. The i7 marks the first need to upgrade a 775 in more than 3 years. So the same argument can be made for Intel's side also. And really, with the Phenom II's only matching the 45nm 775 quads in performance, I think it is fair to compare the two. Anyone that wants more is going to have to go with i7 either way, and a new motherboard.
Anyway lot of am2 boards can handle processors up to 125w because there were athlon x2's with 125w tdp.
Also clock speed comparisons is none sense what does it matter what speed it is compared to another chip. If the chips are made differently they are going to be clocked differently. If intel wants to show that it can blow AMD away they need to up their CPU speeds and increase their yields. Because other than the 10 percent of us overclockers the general population will look at stock performance(bang for the buck) and right now purely on stock performance AMD is a better option as a upgrade and a cheaper option for a new build, and at stock it is very similar in performance to all the intel chips. If you are a performance enthusiast Intel is your route, but it is by no means blowing AMD away or truly outperforming it. The best deal out are the AMD 940's with cheap motherboards, good on board video and cheap DDR2.
And as I've already stated, the same argument can be made for the Intel side, if the user put some thought into the purchase in the first place. My budget P5B, which I believe I paid $100 new a week or two after it was released in 2006, works with every desktop 775 processor in existance, from the 90nm Celeron Ds all the way up to the 45nm Core 2 Quads. The i7s definitely are better stock for stock, no doubt about that. Does it matter to the average consumer? No. The average consumer is still buying 775 hardware because it is cheaper, and the 775 hardware still competes pretty well stock for stock with AMDs offerings.
The average consumer also never upgrades their processor either, so the argument about the longevity of AM2 is pretty moot if you want to talk about the general popularion.
I've used theses systems and maybe it just me but my last 4 upgrades (CPU/Ram/ Motherboard were a waste of money) My 295 gtx on the other hand is a beast and the only better option money wise was the 300.00 (new) 4870x2 mwave was selling.
And a 3.8GHz i7 isn't likely with the stock cooler, something else Intel has to engineer, or licence from another company...more cuts to profit margin...
If you think AMD doesn't want Intel gone just as much as Intel wants AMD gone, you're the crazy one.
However, Intel almost put AMD down last year, at least in the cpu market.
www.google.com/finance?chdnp=1&chdd=1&chds=1&chdv=1&chvs=maximized&chdeh=0&chdet=1250381172296&chddm=353263&chls=IntervalBasedLine&q=NYSE:AMD&ntsp=0
AMD is currently traded as a "penny stock."
Heres something for you guys to chew at.
Phenom II is busting through all records with Dragon setups. I dont see Intel doing this.
I personally watched AMD top the 06 world record in front of me and the chip sat at 6.8 with K|ngp|n behind the wheel. Overclocking is where im at and who sits behind the record.
AMDs plan is to target gamers who want good performance for a cheap price. Even though i sit behind Nvidia cards i dont think ATI/AMD are doing a bad job. This information btw, coming from the horses mouth.
service.futuremark.com/search/3dmark06.action?product=3dmark06.action&doSearch=true&page=&receiver=%2Fajax%2Fsearchresult3dmark06.action&cpuId=&cpuSpeedFrom=&cpuSpeedTo=&logicalProcessors=-100&physicalProcessors=-100&hyperthreading=-100&gpuId=&gpucorespeedFrom=&gpucorespeedTo=&gpumemoryspeedFrom=&gpumemoryspeedTo=&gpuMemory=-100&shadermodel=-100&cooperativeGpus=-100&graphicsdriver=3&operatingsystem=-100
I don't know how you figure Dragon is "busting through all records" when it can't manage to unseat the Core i7.
Have to go all the way to the 5th/6th page to find a Phenom on 3DMark Vantage:
service.futuremark.com/search/3dmarkvantage.action?product=3dmarkvantage.action&doSearch=true&page=first&receiver=%2Fajax%2Fsearchresult3dmarkvantage.action&preset=1&cpuId=&hasPPU=-100&cpuSpeedFrom=&cpuSpeedTo=&gpuId=&gpucorespeedFrom=&gpucorespeedTo=&gpumemoryspeedFrom=&gpumemoryspeedTo=&gpuMemory=-100&shadermodel=-100&cooperativeGpus=-100&graphicsdriver=3&operatingsystem=-100&filterDuplicates=false&newestminorversion=1&scoretype=1&scoreFrom=&scoreTo=&validity=0
Mild oc on video and 6.8 on the 965 and their first run was 38,6 with minor tweaking. They went even further than that but the booth had to close down due to Qcon rules. Im uploading pics as im typing this.