AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Review - PAGE 1

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

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.