Just higher clocks?
While Intel is busy launching new processor architectures at the beginning of 2011, AMD has its sights set on making as much noise as possible for its mobile-orientated Fusion chips. This shift in focus is understandable once you appreciate that AMD won't have a new desktop CPU architecture for a while yet, and this is why the company has been wringing out more performance from the aging Phenom line.
AMD bumped up the frequency for its quad-core Phenom II range in September 2010 through the introduction of the Phenom II X4 970 Black Edition processor. Clocked in at 3.5GHz and providing a minor performance improvement over the 965 BE, the lustre was taken away from the chip by the emergence of a number of similarly-priced six-core processors hewn from the Thuban die.
But AMD's at it again with another minor clockspeed bump for the Phenom II X4. This time around, the 975 Black Edition chimes in at 3.6GHz though does without the lovely Turbo Core support available on AMD chips with newer technology.
Adding a lot more spice to the mix is Intel's excellent Sandy Bridge processors, which perform admirably and are priced at sane levels. Here's a table that details the main specifications of mid-to-high-end desktop processors in Q1 2011.
Specifications| Model number | Cores threads |
GHz clock | Turbo Boost (max) | Process | Die size | Transistors | Cache | Interface | Memory
controller |
Official
memory support |
TDP |
Socket | Price (as of today) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phenom II X4 970 BE | 4/4 | 3.50 | N/A | 45nm (Deneb) | 258mm² | 758m | 2MB
L2 6MB L3 |
HT | Dual-channel | DDR3-1,333+ | 125W | AM3 | £146 |
| Phenom II X4 975 BE | 4/4 | 3.60 | N/A | 45nm (Deneb) | 258mm² | 758m | 2MB
L2 6MB L3 |
HT | Dual-channel | DDR3-1,333+ | 125W | AM3 | £155 |
| Phenom II X6 1055T | 6/6 | 2.80 | 3.30 | 45nm (Thuban) | 346mm² | 904m | 3MB
L2 6MB L3 |
HT | Dual-channel | DDR3-1,600+ | 95W 125W |
AM3 | £149 £135 |
| Phenom II X6 1075T | 6/6 | 3.00 | 3.50 | 45nm (Thuban) | 346mm² | 904m | 3MB
L2 6MB L3 |
HT | Dual-channel | DDR3-1,600+ | 125W | AM3 | £160 |
| Phenom II X6 1090T | 6/6 | 3.20 | 3.60 | 45nm (Thuban) | 346mm² | 904m | 3MB
L2 6MB L3 |
HT | Dual-channel | DDR3-1,600+ | 125W | AM3 | £189 |
| Phenom II X6 1100T | 6/6 | 3.30 | 3.70 | 45nm (Thuban) | 346mm² | 904m | 3MB
L2 6MB L3 |
HT | Dual-channel | DDR3-1,600+ | 125W | AM3 | £210 |
| Core i5 2500K | 4/4 | 3.30 | 3.70 | 32nm (SB | 216mm² | 995m | 1MB L2 6MB L3 |
DMI | Dual-channel | DDR3-1,333 | 95W | LGA1155 | £170 |
| Core i7 2600K | 4/8 | 3.4 | 3.80 | 32nm (SB) | 216mm² | 995m | 1MBL2 8MB L3 |
DMI | Dual-channel | DDR3-1,333 | 95W | LGA1155 | £250 |
| Core i5 661 (IGP) | 2/4 | 3.33 | 3.60 | 32nm (Clarkdale) | 81mm² | 382m | 512KB
L2 4MB L3 |
DMI | Dual-channel | DDR3-1,333 | 87W | LGA1156 | £161 |
| Core i5 760 | 4/4 | 2.80 | 3.33 | 45nm (Lynnfield) | 296mm² | 774m | 1MB
L2 8MB L3 |
DMI | Dual-channel | DDR3-1,333 | 95W | LGA1156 | £140 |
| Core
i7 870 |
4/8 | 2.93 | 3.60 | 45nm (Lynnfield) | 296mm² | 774m | 1MB
L2 8MB L3 |
DMI | Dual-channel | DDR3-1,333 | 95W | LGA1156 | £222 |
| Core i7 930 | 4/8 | 2.80 | 3.06 | 45nm (Bloomfield) | 263mm² | 731m | 1MB
L2 8MB L3 |
QPI | Triple-channel | DDR3-1066 | 130W | LGA1366 | £211 |
| Core i7 950 | 4/8 | 3.06 | 3.33 | 45nm (Bloomfield) | 263mm² | 731m | 1MB
L2 8MB L3 |
QPI | Triple-channel | DDR3-1066 | 130W | LGA1366 | £225 |
| Core i7 980X EE | 6/12 | 3.33 | 3.60 | 32nm (Westmere) | 248mm² | 1,170m | 1.5MB
L2 12MB L3 |
QPI | Triple-channel | DDR3-1066 | 130W | LGA1366 | £765 |
Phenom
II X4 975 Black Edition
We can see that the new 125W chip is a quad-core part based on 45nm technology. It's a drop-in upgrade for AM3, AM2+, and AM2 motherboards, though you will need AM3 to realise the chip's potential.
Two factors count against the 975 BE from the off. Firstly, AMD is peppering the £125-£200 space with an ever-increasing number of six-core chips that are intrinsically faster. Secondly, Intel's luscious Core i5 2500K - that's an unlocked Sandy Bridge processor in normal parlance - comes in at around £170 and offers excellent performance at this price-point. Indeed, it exerts hegemony over all other chips in the sub-£200 market.
The interesting comparison here is one of generations, as we pit AMD's fastest quad-core chip against an also-four-core, four-thread-capable Sandy Bridge part.
Strap yourself in and let the benchmarks commence.
