AMD Unveils latest Phenom II, a 3.7GHz Quad Core Black Edition - 980

caveman-jim · May 3, 2011, 09:59 AM

AMD today unveil their new flagship quad core CPU, the Phenom II X4 980. Clocked at 3.7GHz it's a speed bump from the Phenom II X4 975, released in the spring. The Black Edition moniker indicates an unlocked multiplier for easy CPU overclocking, and like the rest of the Phenom II processors it's made on Global Foundries' 45nm SOI process.

Rage3D does have a Phenom II X4 980 for testing, but last weeks Southern Storms delay testing of the little monster. We'll bring you our thoughts on the new processor later this week!

In the meantime, the CPU launches at ~$195USD, bumping down prices for the rest of the Phenom II's predictably. AMD's Phenom processor pricing page will be updated shortly to reflect the new CPU's. AMD expect immediate availability, although it may be a short time until (r)etails update their product pages.

Danny Nissan · May 3, 2011, 10:23 AM

Wonder how high it overclocks. Will it do 4.3+ GHz?

caveman-jim · May 3, 2011, 10:33 AM

I don't know, I will try as part of the review.

Danny Nissan · May 3, 2011, 11:58 AM

Looking forward to reading it!

moshpit · May 3, 2011, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny Nissan

Looking forward to reading it!

Same here! Glad to see AMD pushing the clock speed barriers still!

nycdarkness · May 3, 2011, 03:13 PM

Price is too high imo considering what the opposition can sell you for the same price if you shop around. I feel bad for AMD in such situations tbh.

caveman-jim · May 3, 2011, 03:32 PM

They are priced competitively for the performance, I think. CPU's can't be judged on price alone unless you are thinking about drop-in upgrades, which means no Sandy Bridge machines. Platform cost (MB + CPU) applies for comparing to configurations where a user would buy such.

We already know AMD are launching two new processor lines this quarter, so the doom and gloom 'I feel bad for AMD' is really misplaced.

Akumajo · May 3, 2011, 05:54 PM

Hey I forget but these new Phenom IIs are not compatible with old AM2 motherboards right?

I believe I am right but I don't know if this is the case.

FiggyG · May 3, 2011, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akumajo

Hey I forget but these new Phenom IIs are not compatible with old AM2 motherboards right?

I believe I am right but I don't know if this is the case.

It should be compatible, but AM2+ sports a faster ht link than regular AM2. Just need a BIOS update and a board that can handle 125w.

Danny Nissan · May 4, 2011, 11:02 AM

When i was deciding between AM3 + X4 965 CPU or socket 1366 and i7 920 CPU the AM3 choise was more than 250 euros cheaper (motherboards way more expensive, and i wanted 3 memory sticks for tripplechannel).

I felt i could save that money for a new GPU instead.

Personally i think AMD are very agressive when it comes to their 6-cores CPUs. Their 1100T 6-core is selling for less than 160 euors here in sweden, thats really amazing IMO. A 6-core from intel cost waaaaaaay more, and then we dont even talk about platform costs.

I am actually thinking of grabbing one, and build a new AM3 system for my sister (only need to buy RAM and motherboard) and give her my current CPU. She has a 2.2GHz dualcore atm, so a 4Ghz should prove quite the upgrade for her.

moshpit · May 4, 2011, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny Nissan

When i was deciding between AM3 + X4 965 CPU or socket 1366 and i7 920 CPU the AM3 choise was more than 250 euros cheaper (motherboards way more expensive, and i wanted 3 memory sticks for tripplechannel).

I felt i could save that money for a new GPU instead.

Personally i think AMD are very agressive when it comes to their 6-cores CPUs. Their 1100T 6-core is selling for less than 160 euors here in sweden, thats really amazing IMO. A 6-core from intel cost waaaaaaay more, and then we dont even talk about platform costs.

I am actually thinking of grabbing one, and build a new AM3 system for my sister (only need to buy RAM and motherboard) and give her my current CPU. She has a 2.2GHz dualcore atm, so a 4Ghz should prove quite the upgrade for her.

I guess all that is great if your doing a ton of workstation work or a lot of encoding. Otherwise, why was 6 cores so important?

Danny Nissan · May 4, 2011, 12:25 PM

Was quad cores important? Was dual cores important?

There will be a point in time where a quad will runs a game like crap (no matter the clock speed), and the 1100T will fly through it, just as what has happend to quad vs dual core now.

caveman-jim · May 4, 2011, 12:37 PM

Don't discount the Turbo mode, either. 6 cores plus a three core turbo - all of which is tunable on Black Edition processors.

moshpit · May 4, 2011, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny Nissan

Was quad cores important? Was dual cores important?

There will be a point in time where a quad will runs a game like crap (no matter the clock speed), and the 1100T will fly through it, just as what has happend to quad vs dual core now.

Yes and no. There's tipping points, and often they are as IPC related as thread count related. Trying to "future proof" thread counts is rarely a long term effective solution. The money saved on hitting the "sweet spot" of threading means it's easier to keep up with both IPC and thread count, at a reasonably balanced rate that gets the most out of both.

Example, when quad cores first came out, it was often recommended to just get a faster clocked dual core and use the savings on a faster GPU. I didn't listen though (so am probably not the best advice giver on saving money), I got the Q6600 and overclocked the snot out of it

Danny Nissan · May 4, 2011, 06:30 PM

Yeah, and an overclocked Q6600 today is still enough for _all_ games there is.

However, no 4GHz dual core is enough for example ArmA II or Bad Company 2 compared to a Quadcore (ie a Q6600 at stock).

That, is my point.

moshpit · May 4, 2011, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny Nissan

Yeah, and an overclocked Q6600 today is still enough for _all_ games there is.

However, no 4GHz dual core is enough for example ArmA II or Bad Company 2 compared to a Quadcore (ie a Q6600 at stock).

That, is my point.

No, it's not. I had that Q6600. 3 years ago. Try that puny chip on some of my Civ V mod maps, and then talk to me about it being enough. 5Ghz of Sandy Bridge barely does the trick.

Danny Nissan · May 5, 2011, 03:22 AM

Didnt talk about mods. Its enough for games, in stock (without badly optimized mods or with crazy amount of units).

Else nothing is ever enough, since you can always create a mission in ArmA 2 with enough AI to drag down a 7 GHz sandy bridge 12 core and whine about it not being enough.

Those who bought the low clocked Q6600 can enjoy games perfectly today. However those who bought the E8400 and overclocked it to 4GHz are looking at upgrades atm. That is my point.

poohbear · May 5, 2011, 07:44 AM

i dont understand this release, sandy bridge is out for months and is murdering AMD, and they release this?

caveman-jim · May 5, 2011, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear

i dont understand this release, sandy bridge is out for months and is murdering AMD, and they release this?

Instead of a 975, now you can buy a 980. Not every release has to be 'omgwtpwnzr competition!11!'.

moshpit · May 5, 2011, 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caveman-jim

Not every release has to be 'omgwtpwnzr competition!11!'.

But, those are the most fun

caveman-jim · May 5, 2011, 11:23 AM

I guess everyone is getting spoiled by the AMD graphics releases

moshpit · May 5, 2011, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by caveman-jim

I guess everyone is getting spoiled by the AMD graphics releases

Actually, more like spoiled on the Nehalem to Sandy Bridge launch. I haven't felt too spoiled on AMD graphics releases anymore then I do on Nvidia graphics releases. It's the same percentage range improvement everytime. What excited me was going from a CPU that struggled to hit 4Ghz to one that nails 5Ghz and is faster per clock then the previous one.

THAT's what I'm spoiled on right now.

May 3, 2011, 09:59 AM	#1	Advertisement (Guests Only) Login or Register to remove this ad
caveman-jim Deposed King of Rage3D Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 49,000	AMD Unveils latest Phenom II, a 3.7GHz Quad Core Black Edition - 980 AMD today unveil their new flagship quad core CPU, the Phenom II X4 980. Clocked at 3.7GHz it's a speed bump from the Phenom II X4 975, released in the spring. The Black Edition moniker indicates an unlocked multiplier for easy CPU overclocking, and like the rest of the Phenom II processors it's made on Global Foundries' 45nm SOI process. Rage3D does have a Phenom II X4 980 for testing, but last weeks Southern Storms delay testing of the little monster. We'll bring you our thoughts on the new processor later this week! In the meantime, the CPU launches at ~$195USD, bumping down prices for the rest of the Phenom II's predictably. AMD's Phenom processor pricing page will be updated shortly to reflect the new CPU's. AMD expect immediate availability, although it may be a short time until (r)etails update their product pages. Last edited by caveman-jim : May 3, 2011 at 10:06 AM.

May 3, 2011, 10:23 AM	#2
Danny Nissan high quality troll Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 4,041	Wonder how high it overclocks. Will it do 4.3+ GHz? __________________ ASUS PG279Q \| ASUS Strix GTX 1080 Ti OC 2025MHz/12.2GHz \| Intel i7 3770K 4.7GHz [Noctua NH-U12P SE2] \| 2x8GB G.Skill TridentX DDR3-2400 10-12-12-31-1T \| Fractal Design R4 \| Be Quiet! Straight Power CM E9 580W \| ASUS Maximus V Gene \| SteelSeries Rival 310 \| Qpad MK-50 \| Sennheiser HD-555 \| SupremeFX III \| Samsung 850 Evo 250GB + 840 Evo 250GB \| WD Caviar Black 1TB \| Windows 10 Professional iPhone 8 Plus

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May 3, 2011, 11:58 AM	#4
Danny Nissan high quality troll Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 4,041	Looking forward to reading it! __________________ ASUS PG279Q \| ASUS Strix GTX 1080 Ti OC 2025MHz/12.2GHz \| Intel i7 3770K 4.7GHz [Noctua NH-U12P SE2] \| 2x8GB G.Skill TridentX DDR3-2400 10-12-12-31-1T \| Fractal Design R4 \| Be Quiet! Straight Power CM E9 580W \| ASUS Maximus V Gene \| SteelSeries Rival 310 \| Qpad MK-50 \| Sennheiser HD-555 \| SupremeFX III \| Samsung 850 Evo 250GB + 840 Evo 250GB \| WD Caviar Black 1TB \| Windows 10 Professional iPhone 8 Plus

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May 3, 2011, 10:33 AM	#3
caveman-jim Deposed King of Rage3D Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 49,000	I don't know, I will try as part of the review.

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May 3, 2011, 03:13 PM	#6
nycdarkness ಠ_ಠ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 8,349	Price is too high imo considering what the opposition can sell you for the same price if you shop around. I feel bad for AMD in such situations tbh. __________________ Under construction

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May 3, 2011, 03:32 PM	#7
caveman-jim Deposed King of Rage3D Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 49,000	They are priced competitively for the performance, I think. CPU's can't be judged on price alone unless you are thinking about drop-in upgrades, which means no Sandy Bridge machines. Platform cost (MB + CPU) applies for comparing to configurations where a user would buy such. We already know AMD are launching two new processor lines this quarter, so the doom and gloom 'I feel bad for AMD' is really misplaced.

May 3, 2011, 05:54 PM	#8
Akumajo White Devil Bastard Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,546	Hey I forget but these new Phenom IIs are not compatible with old AM2 motherboards right? I believe I am right but I don't know if this is the case. __________________ 3 Sony PlayStation 3 60GBs Artic Silver since Jan 2011. Sony PlayStation 2, Sega Saturn, X-Eye, DC. Nintendo consoles NES, SNES, N64, GC. NEC Turbo Duo AMD A10-6700, AMD A8-3520m, AMD Phenom II X6 1100t X4 980, Athlon X2 6400+, Nvidia GeForce GTX 285 EVGA FTW, GeForce GTS 250 1GB "Originally Posted by Napoleonic View Post If anything there's just still too many guilible people in the fanbase willing to accept this garbage star wars disney/Kennedy edition."

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May 4, 2011, 11:02 AM	#10
Danny Nissan high quality troll Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 4,041	When i was deciding between AM3 + X4 965 CPU or socket 1366 and i7 920 CPU the AM3 choise was more than 250 euros cheaper (motherboards way more expensive, and i wanted 3 memory sticks for tripplechannel). I felt i could save that money for a new GPU instead. Personally i think AMD are very agressive when it comes to their 6-cores CPUs. Their 1100T 6-core is selling for less than 160 euors here in sweden, thats really amazing IMO. A 6-core from intel cost waaaaaaay more, and then we dont even talk about platform costs. I am actually thinking of grabbing one, and build a new AM3 system for my sister (only need to buy RAM and motherboard) and give her my current CPU. She has a 2.2GHz dualcore atm, so a 4Ghz should prove quite the upgrade for her. __________________ ASUS PG279Q \| ASUS Strix GTX 1080 Ti OC 2025MHz/12.2GHz \| Intel i7 3770K 4.7GHz [Noctua NH-U12P SE2] \| 2x8GB G.Skill TridentX DDR3-2400 10-12-12-31-1T \| Fractal Design R4 \| Be Quiet! Straight Power CM E9 580W \| ASUS Maximus V Gene \| SteelSeries Rival 310 \| Qpad MK-50 \| Sennheiser HD-555 \| SupremeFX III \| Samsung 850 Evo 250GB + 840 Evo 250GB \| WD Caviar Black 1TB \| Windows 10 Professional iPhone 8 Plus

May 4, 2011, 12:25 PM	#12
Danny Nissan high quality troll Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 4,041	Was quad cores important? Was dual cores important? There will be a point in time where a quad will runs a game like crap (no matter the clock speed), and the 1100T will fly through it, just as what has happend to quad vs dual core now. __________________ ASUS PG279Q \| ASUS Strix GTX 1080 Ti OC 2025MHz/12.2GHz \| Intel i7 3770K 4.7GHz [Noctua NH-U12P SE2] \| 2x8GB G.Skill TridentX DDR3-2400 10-12-12-31-1T \| Fractal Design R4 \| Be Quiet! Straight Power CM E9 580W \| ASUS Maximus V Gene \| SteelSeries Rival 310 \| Qpad MK-50 \| Sennheiser HD-555 \| SupremeFX III \| Samsung 850 Evo 250GB + 840 Evo 250GB \| WD Caviar Black 1TB \| Windows 10 Professional iPhone 8 Plus

May 4, 2011, 12:37 PM	#13
caveman-jim Deposed King of Rage3D Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 49,000	Don't discount the Turbo mode, either. 6 cores plus a three core turbo - all of which is tunable on Black Edition processors.

May 4, 2011, 06:30 PM	#15
Danny Nissan high quality troll Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 4,041	Yeah, and an overclocked Q6600 today is still enough for _all_ games there is. However, no 4GHz dual core is enough for example ArmA II or Bad Company 2 compared to a Quadcore (ie a Q6600 at stock). That, is my point. __________________ ASUS PG279Q \| ASUS Strix GTX 1080 Ti OC 2025MHz/12.2GHz \| Intel i7 3770K 4.7GHz [Noctua NH-U12P SE2] \| 2x8GB G.Skill TridentX DDR3-2400 10-12-12-31-1T \| Fractal Design R4 \| Be Quiet! Straight Power CM E9 580W \| ASUS Maximus V Gene \| SteelSeries Rival 310 \| Qpad MK-50 \| Sennheiser HD-555 \| SupremeFX III \| Samsung 850 Evo 250GB + 840 Evo 250GB \| WD Caviar Black 1TB \| Windows 10 Professional iPhone 8 Plus

May 5, 2011, 03:22 AM	#17
Danny Nissan high quality troll Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 4,041	Didnt talk about mods. Its enough for games, in stock (without badly optimized mods or with crazy amount of units). Else nothing is ever enough, since you can always create a mission in ArmA 2 with enough AI to drag down a 7 GHz sandy bridge 12 core and whine about it not being enough. Those who bought the low clocked Q6600 can enjoy games perfectly today. However those who bought the E8400 and overclocked it to 4GHz are looking at upgrades atm. That is my point. __________________ ASUS PG279Q \| ASUS Strix GTX 1080 Ti OC 2025MHz/12.2GHz \| Intel i7 3770K 4.7GHz [Noctua NH-U12P SE2] \| 2x8GB G.Skill TridentX DDR3-2400 10-12-12-31-1T \| Fractal Design R4 \| Be Quiet! Straight Power CM E9 580W \| ASUS Maximus V Gene \| SteelSeries Rival 310 \| Qpad MK-50 \| Sennheiser HD-555 \| SupremeFX III \| Samsung 850 Evo 250GB + 840 Evo 250GB \| WD Caviar Black 1TB \| Windows 10 Professional iPhone 8 Plus

May 5, 2011, 07:44 AM	#18
poohbear Radeon Evergreen Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Toronto & Seoul Posts: 1,865	i dont understand this release, sandy bridge is out for months and is murdering AMD, and they release this? __________________ 4790k @ 4.6GHZ \| Noctua NH-D14 \| 16GB (2x8gb) Crucial Ballistex @ CL9 \| Asrock Z97 OC Formula \| Gigabyte G1 Gaming GTX 970 \| 250gb Samsung 840 Evo & 240gb OCZ Vertex 3 MI & 2TB WD Black \| Auzentech Forte 7.1 \| Seasonic 760wt Platinum \| DELL U2711 @ 1440p \| Corsair 300R \| Win 8.1

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May 5, 2011, 11:23 AM	#21
caveman-jim Deposed King of Rage3D Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 49,000	I guess everyone is getting spoiled by the AMD graphics releases

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