AMD announced today its highest performance quad core processor to date. The new CPU is called the AMD Phenom X4 9950 Black Edition. Along with the new Black Edition processor AMD also unveiled the Phenom X4 9350e and Phenom X4 9150e processors.
The high-end Phenom X4 9950 Black Edition is a quad-core processor with an unlocked multiplier running stock at 2.6GHz. The 9950 Black Edition carries a retail price of $235 and consumes no more than 140 watts.
The AMD Phenom X4 9350e runs at 2.0GHz and will retail for $195. The new AMD X4 9150e processor runs at 1.8 GHz and will retail for $175. Both of these CPUs consume no more than 65 watts of power under full load according to AMD.
AMD says that these three processors are perfect for systems that delivering the performance of four computing cores to small systems where power demands and heat buildup could be an issue. It remains to be seen how the Phenom X4 9950 Black Edition stacks up against high-end parts from Intel performance wise, however, price for the parts is certainly competitive.
All three of the processors have L1 cache size of 64K per core, L2 cache size is 512KB per core and L3 cache is 2MB shared. The processors AM2+ compatible like the other Phenom parts and all three new processors are built on 65nm process.
Gamers looking for a moderately price gaming system could pair the new 9950 Black Edition with the recently announced AMD Radeon 4850.