AMD Intros Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Quad-Core Processor

[btarunr]

Today AMD released to market its latest quad-core processor, the Pheonom II X4 980 Black Edition. The new, faster SKU was first reported to be taking shape back in March. Based on the 45 nm "Deneb" silicon and K10.5 architecture, the X4 980 BE is yet another speed-bump, clocked at 3.70 GHz (18.5 x 200 MHz), with room for some overclocking thanks to its unlocked BClk multiplier.

The Deneb die packs four x86-64 cores with 512 KB caches each, and a shared 6 MB L3 cache. Despite its high clock speed, the processor maintains TDP of 125W. Its IMC supports dual-channel DDR3/DDR2 memory, and is backwards compatible with AM2+ socket apart from its native AM3 socket. HyperTransport 4 GT/s is its chipset interconnect. The new processor is priced at US $195.



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[Funtoss]

dam i wonder how much OC ghz can this get lol i might consider buying 1050t maybe

 

[lilkiduno]

As happy as I am to hear about a new processor being released by AMD... I am really waiting for more news on BullDozer... Thanks for the Update though btarunr... Keep up the good work.

 

[makwy2]

Impressive but nothing more than a nice scenery on the road to Bulldozer! I'm sure this thing will OC to 5GHz without much work.

 

[Over_Lord]

^ actually this will still be limited to the same amount. Maybe these chips are cherry.

But over at legitreviews, they managed 4.5GHz with little water cooling, but at 1.6V

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1603/14/

 

[Evolved]

Better choice over a Core i5-2500K?

Consider Price/Performance ratio.

 

[PCMHZ]

We get it to 4.5GHz @ 1.52V on air, able to boot and run low-end apps like browsing but crashed during any heavy load.

Was goind very stable at 4.3GHz @ 1.46V again only air cooling and that on ASUS M4A89TD PRO.

more on this here (in Romanian but you'll get the numbers and charts ) http://www.pcmhz.com/hardware-reviews/reviews-procesoare/1989-amd-x4-980-be-review?start=2)

PS - Sample was provided by AMD

 

[Frick]

We get it to 4.5GHz @ 1.52V on air, able to boot and run low-end apps like browsing but crashed during any heavy load.

Was goind very stable at 4.3GHz @ 1.46V again only air cooling and that on ASUS M4A89TD PRO.

more on this here (in Romanian but you'll get the numbers and charts ) http://www.pcmhz.com/hardware-reviews/reviews-procesoare/1989-amd-x4-980-be-review?start=2)

PS - Sample was provided by AMD

Yeah that seems to where it's at. Similar results at Anandtech.

 

[xenocide]

*sigh*

Really?

 

[LAN_deRf_HA]

Better choice over a Core i5-2500K?

Consider Price/Performance ratio.

Not even close. The reviews for this are just awful. Unless your board can't support an X6 I'd tell everyone to pass.

 

[Fourstaff]

Better choice over a Core i5-2500K?

Consider Price/Performance ratio.

You can get 2500K for $30 more, and the 2500K overclocked will completely demolish this processor (when its overclocked). So, Price/perf 2500k wins hands down. 2500K's motherboard will be a bit more expensive, but even with that considered, the 2500K still wins. The only scenario for the Phenom II x4 to win is when you already have an AM3 board, and your processor is an Athlon II x2 or x3.

 

[Techtu]

I'm surprised Intel hasn't had anything to say about latter part of the name "980" somewhat similar to their "980x" wouldn't ya say

 

[Over_Lord]

Better choice over a Core i5-2500K?

Consider Price/Performance ratio.

dont even think about it. core i5-2500k all the way.

 

[_JP_]

I'm surprised Intel hasn't had anything to say about latter part of the name "980" somewhat similar to their "980x" wouldn't ya say

Then they should have done something before. As in 2008. It was predictable.

 

[Melvis]

Better choice over a Core i5-2500K?

Consider Price/Performance ratio.

Price performance there about the same if you do not overclock. If you overclock then the i5-2500K is your better choice. But if you already have an AM2+ or AM3 mobo then this is a win, very good performance for possibly a few yr old system to be not far behind a I7 system, i think that is pretty impressive.

 

[wolf]

I really can't see anyone buying this chip, there's practically no reason to at all...

99 out of 100 people with the choice would take an equally priced PII x6, or seriously consider a sandy bridge build.

 

[n-ster]

I'm surprised Intel hasn't had anything to say about latter part of the name "980" somewhat similar to their "980x" wouldn't ya say

how about the PII x4 920/940 vs i7 920/940 back in the day?

shouldn't matter

 

[RadeonProVega]

price is way too high , might as well just get a six core.

 

[zsolt_93]

The name sounds good... 980, but it has only four cores and it's not X....ooh and have forgotten it's not even made by Intel it's the latest processor in AMD's lineup.
Seriously, AMD why is it necessary to launch all these cpus with a higher multiplier and lower consumption compared to old revisisons just now? They make no sense, the 965BE was already having a smaller than average performance/price ratio. And now this. Just why? Bulldozer is coming soon SB is out and running well, that makes the Phenom II s have no sense for the buyer wanting to have an enthusiast cpu. It was said at every new launch that it will be the last, but next month a new one appeared having the name upped by 5 and the multi by one or a half.They are great all in reviews but are not rentable for the average user who gets the same from the 955 for less.

 

[TheLaughingMan]

This is just a waste of good silicon.

AMD, if you want to fill the news with something between now and the release date of BD, then buy ARM. That will be news worthy

 

[Pijoto]

You can get 2500K for $30 more, and the 2500K overclocked will completely demolish this processor (when its overclocked). So, Price/perf 2500k wins hands down. 2500K's motherboard will be a bit more expensive, but even with that considered, the 2500K still wins. The only scenario for the Phenom II x4 to win is when you already have an AM3 board, and your processor is an Athlon II x2 or x3.

Yeah, when I eventually upgrade from my Athlon II X2 250, I hope to pick up one of these top of the line Phenom IIs for bargin bin prices a few years from now.

Hopefully most games by then would actually use all four cores (or six if I can pick up an x6 chip a few years from now very cheaply), these Phenom II chips will still have years of life left in them.

 

[Imsochobo]

Yeah, when I eventually upgrade from my Athlon II X2 250, I hope to pick up one of these top of the line Phenom IIs for bargin bin prices a few years from now.

Hopefully most games by then would actually use all four cores (or six if I can pick up an x6 chip a few years from now very cheaply), these Phenom II chips will still have years of life left in them.

go for the 6 cores, they perform excellent for its price, 1070 for example, I myself run 1055T and it runs anything i throw on it with 5850CF.

I run clustering for servers so I buy pretty much only amd for myself, cost is far too high to replace the whole cluster, all old systems becomes server cluster upgrades.
usually buy the cheapest things that deliver acceptable performance.

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

Little more than another half arsed attempt to grab media attention, now if it was a hexa core and was sub 300 dollars then you would have something AMD, really GTFO and launch bulldozer already so we can get a price war going.

 

[techtard]

It isn't a grab at attention. It is selling off the rest of their Am3 stockpile.
And Bulldozer is coming out next month, no need to have a hissy fit.

 

[[H]@RD5TUFF]

It isn't a grab at attention. It is selling off the rest of their Am3 stockpile.
And Bulldozer is coming out next month, no need to have a hissy fit.

No one is having a "hissy", and if they were really interested in "selling off the rest of their "Am3" stockpile", they would drop prices across the board no charge a premium for some pointless cherry quad cores.

This is just a grab to get some attention because AMD is so far behind the performance curve.