AMD announces new Phenom line headed by X4 9850 Black Edition

AMD has just taken the wraps off their newest Phenom processors, and we think we are impressed. The entire lineup, which ranges from a triple-core low-end, to a quad-core beast, are all 65 nanometer chips. That means more efficiency - they retain the performance of AMD’s previous 90nm chips, but with reduced power consumption. Of course, that is likely not what you care about most when it comes to the new Phenoms - you want the details, right? Well, we have the Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition, Phenom X4 9750, Phenom X4 9100e Energy Efficient, and the Phenom X3 triple-core. The X4 9850 and X4 9750 feature true quad-core chips - if you don’t know what that means, here’s a video explanation of true quad core from AMD themselves.

The X4 9100e Energy Efficient chip is just that - it’s the world’s first 65-watt quad-core desktop processor. Lastly, the X3 triple-core Phenom chips are another first - these are the world’s first x86 triple-core processors. A nice bump up from dual core chips for those who can’t afford to go all out with a quad core. These will be available in 2.1 GHz and 2.3 GHz options. We have the specs on each after the jump.

AMD Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition processor

• Processor Frequency: 2.5GHz
• L1 Cache Sizes: 64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (512KB total L1 per processor)
• L2 Cache Sizes: 512KB of L2 data cache per core (2MB total L2 per processor)
• L3 Cache Size: 2MB
• Memory Controller Type: Integrated 128-bit wide memory controller*
• Memory Controller Speed: Up to 2.0GHz with Dual Dynamic Power Management
• Types of Memory Supported: Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2 8500 (DDR2-1066MHz)
• HyperTransport 3.0: One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 4.0GHz full duplex (2.0GHz x2)
• Total Processor Bandwidth: Up to 33.1 GB/s bandwidth
• Packaging: Socket AM2+ 940-pin organic micro pin grid array (micro-PGA)
• Fab location: AMD’s Fab 36 wafer fabrication facilities in Dresden, Germany
• Process Technology: 65-nanometer DSL SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology
• Approximate Transistor count: ~ 450 million (65nm)
• Approximate Die Size: 285 mm2 (65nm)
• Max Ambient Case Temp: 61o Celsius
• Nominal Voltage: 1.2-1.3 Volts
• Max TDP: 125 Watts

AMD Phenom X4 9750 processor

• Processor Frequency: 2.4GHz
• L1 Cache Sizes: 64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (512KB total L1 per processor)
• L2 Cache Sizes: 512KB of L2 data cache per core (2MB total L2 per processor)
• L3 Cache Size: 2MB
• Memory Controller Type: Integrated 128-bit wide memory controller*
• Memory Controller Frequency: Up to 1.8GHz with Dual Dynamic Power Management
• Types of Memory Supported: Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2 8500 (DDR2-1066MHz)
• HyperTransport 3.0: One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 3.6GHz full duplex (1.8GHz x2)
• Total Processor Bandwidth: Up to 31.5 GB/s bandwidth
• Packaging: Socket AM2+ 940-pin organic micro pin grid array (micro-PGA)
• Fab location: AMD’s Fab 36 wafer fabrication facilities in Dresden, Germany
• Process Technology: 65-nanometer DSL SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology
• Approximate Transistor count: ~ 450 million (65nm)
• Approximate Die Size: 285 mm2 (65nm)
• Max Ambient Case Temp: 61o Celsius
• Nominal Voltage: 1.2-1.3 Volts
• Max TDP: 125 Watts

AMD Phenom X4 9100e Energy Efficient quad-core processor

• Model / Processor Frequency: Energy Efficient AMD Phenom™ 9100e Quad-Core Processor (1.8GHz)
• L1 Cache Sizes: 64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (512KB total L1 per processor)
• L2 Cache Sizes: 512KB of L2 data cache per core (2MB total L2 per processor)
• L3 Cache Size: 2MB
• Memory Controller Type: Integrated 128-bit wide memory controller *Note: configurable for dual 64-bit channels for simultaneous read/writes
• Memory Controller Frequency: Up to 1.8GHz with Dual Dynamic Power Management
• Types of Memory: Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2 8500 (DDR2-1066) *Note: future 45nm processors versions to include support for DDR3 memory
• HyperTransport 3.0:    One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 3.2GT/s full duplex
• Total Processor Bandwidth:    Up to 33.1 GB/s bandwidth
• Packaging: Socket AM2+ 940-pin organic micro pin grid array (micro-PGA) *Note: Phenom processors are backward-compatible with Socket AM2 motherboards
• Fab location: AMD’s Fab 36 wafer fabrication facilities in Dresden, Germany
• Process Technology: 65-nanometer DSL SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology
• Approximate Transistor count: ~ 450 million (65nm)
• Approximate Die Size: 285 mm2 (65nm)
• Nominal Voltage: (9100e): 1.10/1.125/1.15V
• Max TDP: (9100e): 65 Watts
• Max Ambient Case Temp: (9100e): 61o Celsius

AMD Phenom X3 triple-core processors

• Model / Processor Frequency: AMD Phenom™ 8600 Triple-Core Processor (2.3GHz)
• Model / Processor Frequency: AMD Phenom™ 8400 Triple-Core Processor (2.1GHz)
• L1 Cache Sizes: 64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (512KB total L1 per processor)
• L2 Cache Sizes: 512KB of L2 data cache per core (2MB total L2 per processor)
• L3 Cache Size: 2MB
• Memory Controller Type: Integrated 128-bit wide memory controller *Note: configurable for dual 64-bit channels for simultaneous read/writes
• Memory Controller Frequency: Up to 1.8GHz with Dual Dynamic Power Management
• Types of Memory: Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2 8500 (DDR2-1066) *Note: future 45nm processors versions to include support for DDR3 memory
• HyperTransport 3.0:    One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 3.6GT/s full duplex
• Total Processor Bandwidth:    Up to 33.1 GB/s bandwidth
• Packaging: Socket AM2+ 940-pin organic micro pin grid array (micro-PGA) *Note: Phenom processors are backward-compatible with Socket AM2 motherboards
• Fab location: AMD’s Fab 36 wafer fabrication facilities in Dresden, Germany
• Process Technology: 65-nanometer DSL SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology
• Approximate Transistor count: ~ 450 million (65nm)
• Approximate Die Size: 285 mm2 (65nm)
• Nominal Voltage: (8600 and 8400): 1.10/1.15/1.20/1.25V
• Max TDP: (8600 and 8400): 95 Watts
• Max Ambient Case Temp: (8600 and 8400): 70o Celsius