Back at the beginning of the year, AMD launched a new flagship for its desktop processors. Being part of the Phenom II series, the x4 940 clocked at 3.0GHz revealed to be a great performer and overclocker. Later in February, a new batch of Phenom IIs had been launched. It consisted of the 2.6GHz x3 710, the 2.8GHz x3 720 Black Edition and the 2.6GHz x4 810. The memory controller of these processors supports DDR3 when used in an AM3 motherboard compared to the x4 940 which is limited to the AM2+ socket with DDR2.
However there was no hint about a 3.0GHz quad-core that supported DDR3 memory. Many people chose the x3 720 Black Edition over the AM3 quad-core because of the unlocked multiplier and higher stock frequency, despite the missing core. Yes, these AM3 processors are great value and perform very well, there is no doubt about that, but they are not the ones the high-end enthusiast would have preferred. It is like if a piece of the collection was missing. People wanting an unlocked quad-core had no choice but to build a system based on DDR2.
So guess what? Today, the missing piece of the collection arrives on the market. AMD launches the x4 945 which is also clocked at 3.0GHz, much like the x4 940. It goes even farther by releasing a new flagship: the x4 955 Black Edition which gets a speed bump to 3.2GHz and an features an unlocked multiplier. Considering AMD's recent history of extremely competitive pricing, these new processors come at a very reasonable price tag. Here is a quick comparison of Newegg's prices:
Phenom II x4 955 BE : $245
Phenom II x4 945 : $225 (Suggested retail price, not yet on Newegg)
Core 2 Quad Q9550 : $270
Core 2 Quad Q9650 : $325
Core i7 920 : $280
For only $245, one can buy an AMD 3.2GHz unlocked quad-core whereas for $270 one can get an Intel 2.83GHz locked quad-core. Later on in this review we will see how the Phenom II x4 955 compares to the way more expensive Q9650 and the Core i7 920.
Specifications
Model Number & Core Frequency
X4 955 Black Edition = 3.2GHz
Model Number & Core Frequency
X4 945 = 3.0GHz
X4 955 Black Edition OPN
TRAY OPN# HDZ955FBK4DGI
PIB OPN# HDZ955FBGIBOX
X4 945 OPN
TRAY OPN# HDX945FBK4DGI
PIB OPN# HDX945FBGIBOX
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
6MB (shared)
Total Cache (L2+L3)
8MB
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
Unregistered DIMMs up to PC2-8500 (DDR2-1066MHz) -AND- PC3-10600 (DDR3-1333MHz)
HyperTransport 3.0 Specification
One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 4.0GHz full duplex (2.0GHz x2)
Total Processor-to-System Bandwidth
Up to 37.3GB/s total bandwidth [Up to 21.3 GB/s memory bandwidth (DDR3-1333) + 16.0GB/s (HT3)]
Up to 33.1GB/s total bandwidth [Up to 17.1 GB/s memory bandwidth (DDR2-1066) + 16.0GB/s (HT3)]
GLOBALFOUNDARIES Fab 1 module 1 in Dresden, Germany (formerly AMD Fab 36)
Process Technology
45-nanometer DSL SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology
Approximate Die Size
258 mm2
Approximate Transistor count
~ 758 million
Max Temp
62o Celsius
Nominal Voltage
0.875-1.5V
Max TDP
125 Watts
This is the last required piece of the Dragon Platform refresh. The AM3 motherboards had been available since the arrival of the first AM3 processors and the ATI HD4890 videocard had been launched a few weeks ago. Put all together, this platform should deliver an amazing performance.
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