AMD Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition review
Posted by Hilbert Hagedoorn on: 04/09/2008 01:00 PM [ 0 comment(s) ]
Overclocking Results
We received the Phenom X4 9850 "Black Edition" processor, meaning that Black Edition equals the fact that AMD ships it unlocked and primed for overclocking.
Thanks to the Phenom X4 9850 BE unlocked multiplier, overclocking is just easy, increase the multiplier. Now we overclocked using the AMD Overdrive software, and I have to tell you ... I love that software, download it here.
We left the voltage at standard to see how far it would go, and we effortlessly hit 2.7 GHz stable at the default voltage. Moving to 2.8 GHz required a voltage jump to 1.30V, this setting also allowed us to boot at 2.9 GHz. Unfortunately from there on Prime95 was displaying errors, meaning computation faults here and there. Increasing and decreasing the Voltages did not help. The temps at that point rose over 60 Degrees C, which is a lot for an AMD processor. Since we only used a baseline Akasa air cooler, we suspect that's the culprit. the potential however is much higher.

We also increase the voltage towards 1.5V, quite hefty and dangerous, but we boot into Windows with cores at 3.2 GHz just fine. So in retrospect, overclocking with the Phenom X4 9850 "Black Edition" is quite good. Getting it 100% stable however requires good cooling. Whatever you might think, very recommended is a Black-Edition processor with the unlock multiplier, as overclocking by BUS speed is as always with AMD, much more difficult.

We test three AMD processors today, the Phenom II X6 1075T, Phenom II X4 970BE and Athlon II X4 645. They are part of the AMD Q4 processor product line update, arming their processor lineup with more value and higher performing CPUs.
AMD Phenom X4 945 and 955BE processor review|test
Today AMD is releasing two processors in the Phenom II line-up, the Phenom II 955BE and the Phenom II X4 945 processor. Both processors can be considered and positioned in AMDs high-end segment, yet will be priced friendly. Yields are good, clock frequencies go up, performance goes up. And that's nice as the Phenom II series processors offer great performance for the money you have to lay down on the table. AMD Phenom series processors are slowly ripening, and are aging like fine wine (they get even better over time). Guru3D brings you an in-depth performance review and architectural overview on both these processors. Oh yea .. and we'll overclock the living daylights out of it as well.
AMD Phenom II X4 810 and X3 720BE review (AM3)
A test on AMD Phenom II X4 810 and X3 720BE review socket AM3 processors. Socket AM3 Phenom II processors. Processors that are pretty much the same as the Socket AM2+ processors yet now with a DDR3 memory controller. DDR3 memory will allow the overall performance of the platform (your PC) to gain again a little in speed. Over the next few pages we'll tell you all about these new processors, their specifications and of course will check out performance.
AMD Phenom II X4 920 and 940 review test
AMD Phenom II 940 and 920 test. AMD releases the new Phenom II processors. Now manufactured at a much smaller fabrication processes, 45 nanometer, and has different amounts of cache. The result... their processors can now run at 3.0 GHz fairly easy, run cool and still have enough headroom for a nice tweak or two. Pretty significant, pretty interesting.
