Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) launched the Phenon II X6 today, a six-core chip lacking some features of Intel’s Core i7s but priced very competitively. AMD introduced two Phenom IIs, a 2.8-GHz Phenom II X6 1055T for $199, and an unlocked Phenom II X6 1090T “Black Edition,” an unlocked version priced at $295. Both were previously known as the “Thuban” chip.
“AMD has again come out with a bargain-priced CPU that swanks development that either Intel came to market with first or aren’t as exciting as they initially seem, at speeds that won’t turn performance mavens’ heads,” the site wrote in its review. “This may be a victory of sorts, but compared with AMD’s stunning success in ruling the video card field over the last year, it’s a somewhat hollow one.”
The new mechanism consist of the “turbo boost” feature of the Intel Core i7 chips, which permits the Phenom II X6 to overclock up to three of the six cores if the others are in a power-down or idle state. The 1055T, for example, can run at up to 3.3 GHz in a “turbo boost” state and the 1090T Black Edition can run up to 3.6 GHz. The “Black Edition” chips are also unlocked which means users can try to boost the clock speed up to higher levels, using advanced cooling methods.
The X6 chips are targeted at gamers and buyers looking for high-performance desktops, said Adam Kozak, platform marketing manager at AMD. The chips are the fastest yet in AMD’s desktop processor lineup. “[Intel's] six-core part is going to be faster, but it’s about the value equation,” Kozak said. “You can build a pretty nice system that’s future-proofed for a few years,” he added.
Systems containing the new chips are available from BOXX, iBuyPower, CyberPower, Systemax, MainGear, NCS Technology, Velocity Micro, and ZT Systems, AMD said.
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