AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Review

Here it is - the newest and fastest AMD processor - Phenom II 955 Black Edition. Based on the successful 45nm Deneb core, this new model is running at 3.2GHz, with support for the newest AM3 AMD platform too, while still having not only DDR3 memory controller but an additional DDR2 one too, for compatibility with the good old motherboards. Naw let's fee what new features does it have a is its price tag backed up by sufficient performance.

While DDR3 memory is steadily gaining popularity and availability, DDR2 had become dirt cheap recently. And since lots of people have decent configurations with large amounts of good DDR2 1066MHz memory, upgrading to new DDR3 1333MHz or DDR3 1600MHz is mostly unwise decision. The future of course is in DDR3 and it was the option for an easy upgrade to the new platform that we found lacking in the otherwise excellent Phenom II 940 and 920 processors released in the beginning of the year. AMD are also consistent in their aggressive pricing policy not only towards mainstream user products, but also for gaming ones between which is the whole Phenom II line pushed as a gaming and overclocking solution. And while Intel processors intended for overclocking (with unlocked multiplier) cost over a 1000$, AMD offer their Black Edition products at a price just barely higher than the one of the standard editions.

The models which AMD released at April 23 are AMD Phenom II 955 Black Edition and Phenom II 945. The first running at 3.2GHz (16x200) and being from the BE series, has its multiplier unlocked and even few more features supplied by AMD that we'll mention later. Phenom II 945 on the other hand has the same operating frequency as 940 Black Edition - 3GHz (15x200), but is AM3 compatible.

Here are the specifications of valid for all AMD Phenom II AM3 processors:

• L1 Cache: 64KB L1 data, 64KB L1 core instructions

• L2 cache: 512KB for each core

• L3 cache: 4-6MB accessible by all cores
• Frequency of Hyper Transport and Northbridge: 2.0GHz (4.0MT/s) HT 3.0 16-bit two-way
• Memory controller: it can operate as a 128-bit dual channel or asynchronous as two separate 64-bit single channel with DDR2 1,066MHz or DDR3 1,333MHz support (or 1,600MHz with overclock)
• ~758 million transistors, with physical size of the core 258mm2
• TDP: 125W

To be honest the amount of transistors and core size of dye of Phenom II 955 Black Edition is identical to the one of Phenom II 940 / 920, which goes to show that indeed the DDR3 memory controller is in fact present with the "older" Phenom II, but for some reason AMD had chose to disable it, thus making them only DDR2 compatible. Phenom II 955 Black Edition and Phenom II 945 that's released along side it are intended to replace 940 Black Edition, that will some become unavailable.