Posts
The Phenom II X4 940 Black Edition CPU is currently AMD's cream of the crop for desktops. It does not take on Intel’s newest Core i7 CPU...
The Phenom II X4 940 Black Edition CPU is currently AMD's cream of the crop for desktops. It does not take on Intel’s newest Core i7 CPUs, but is priced to take on the Core 2 Quad range. The quad-core, 64-bit CPU is clocked at 3GHz and has three levels of cache. The 6MB L3 cache is shared by all four cores.
AMD retains an integrated memory controller, which supports DDR2 memory up to 1066MHz. The chip has been built using AMD's 45 nanometer manufacturing technology, which means it has smaller transistors than the previous Phenoms, enabling it to run faster and cooler while consuming less power. For example, AMD’s fastest CPU before the Phenom II, the Phenom X4 9950 had a power rating of 140W, while the new Phenom II X4 940 has a lower power rating of 125W despite being faster.
In fact, this power rating is lower than Intel’s comparable CPU, the Core 2 Extreme QX9650, which is rated at 130W (but doesn't have an integrated memory controller which consumes additional power). We tested the X4 940 on a 32-bit Windows Vista platform running an MSI 790GX–based motherboard, 2GB of Kingston DDR2 1066MHz RAM, on-board ATI graphics and an 80GB solid-state drive from Intel. In WorldBench 6 it recorded a score of 122, which puts in good company with Intel's Core 2 Extreme QX9650 (which underwent a major 40 percent price cut after the Phenom II launch). However , when it came to CPU heavy tasks such as 3D rendering or media encoding, the new Phenom II did not seem as fast.
Compared to the previous generation of Phenom CPUs, the Phenom II CPUs have a larger level 3 cache as well as faster frequencies. The 940 runs at 3GHz, but AMD is confident that it can be overclocked significantly while using an air-based cooler. During our tests using the standard AMD cooler, the 940 did indeed run without problems at 3.4GHz, but it was unstable at 3.5GHz. AMD has an Overdrive utility that lets you bump up the speed of your system directly through Windows.
Anyone who owns an AM2-based motherboard should be able to plug in the AMD Phenom II X4 940 but there are no guarantees, and you should check your motherboard vendor's site to make sure it will be supported — in some cases a BIOS update might be needed. However, if the Phenom II is used in a motherboard with an AM2 CPU socket it will not run optimally. Its full-duplex HyperTransport link will only run at 2GHz rather than 3.6GHz if run on a motherboard without an AM2+ socket.
Verdict
This release from AMD seemed to be a return to form for the company that once had Intel on its knees. But it’s not been easy for the company as Intel quickly cut the prices of its CPUs, including the then expensive Q9650 making it only 15 percent costlier than the X4 940. AMD was then forced to do reduce prices on its brand new CPUs to regain the price vs performance advantage. The way the current prices stand, you won’t go wrong with either Intel or AMD if you are assembling a new PC.
If you are on the AMD platform and considering upgrading to a powerful workstation or gaming machine, the new Phenoms will prove to be a worthwhile upgrade, especially with the price cuts. Note that to extract the full potential of this board you need a motherboard with AM2+ support to make use of the new CPUs’ faster HyperTransport.
COMMENTS