Dragging more from K10
AMD's next-generation desktop CPU architecture is known as the Bulldozer core. It won't be available to consumers for a while yet. AMD, though, wants to give enthusiasts an early Christmas present by launching a new chip based on incumbent Phenom II X6 technology.
Looking to put just a little
more pressure on Intel's mid-range
CPUs, AMD is releasing the Phenom II X6 1100T - a drop-in replacement
for the current range-topping 1090T. Here's how it stacks up against
some tasty competition.
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 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 | £157 |
| 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 | £184 |
| 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 | £199? |
| 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 | £232 |
| 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 | £727 |
Phenom
II X6 1100T Black Edition
The numbers show that AMD is simply increasing the multiplier on the Phenom II X6 chips from 16x on the 1090T to 16.5x on the 'new' 1100T BE. This clock-bump is an obvious move when yields at the manufacturing plant improve, and we feel certain that practically all 'Thuban' cores can run at the 3.3GHz frequency with a little coaxing to the core voltage.
AMD sensibly goes for the largest possible yield return by keeping a 125W TDP; a 95W model clocked in at 3.3GHz would have been deliciously impressive. The bump in core speed is accompanied by a similar bump in Turbo CORE frequency, which now tops out at 3.7GHz, instead of 3.6GHz.
Why?
Folk who already own the 1090T BE needn't bother with the new chip at all, because they can replicate it by spending 30 seconds in the BIOS and bumping up the multiplier. It is our opinion that AMD wants to fend off the three high-performing Intel chips with similar prices: Core i7 870, Core i7 930, and Core i7 950.
Yup, another AMD chip based on the AM3 form factor. The one benefit of persisting with a single processor architecture for several years is the compatibility it provides. The 1100T BE will slip straight into any AM2/AM2+/AM3 board and in older boards work just fine with DDR2 memory, albeit without some of the more-granular power management available with AM3 models.
Equipped with a 3.3GHz base clock, the chip ramps up to 3.7GHz when three, or fewer, cores are used by the operating system and application. Pricing of the chip is likely to be around £199, according to AMD, meaning it undercuts the main Intel rivals - until the chip giant decides to axe 1,000-unit pricing again.
First-page summary
The AMD Phenom II X6 1100T BE is a six-core, six-threaded CPU that improves on the 1090T by being specified with a slightly higher core clock of 3.3GHz.
