AMD has added 6 new processors to its lineup: three new Athlon II processors and three new Phenom II processors, and lowered the prices of many existing SKUs. These will probably be the latest chips of the generation before Bulldozer, Bobcat, and Fusion hit the stores next year. Just like Bulldozer, all the new chips are compatible with the AM3 socket, and, are also backward compatible with AM2 sockets. This makes them a dream upgrade for those with slightly aging processors on their AM2 motherboards, while those with AM3 motherboards might want to consider the many new options that now fill up all the holes in AMD’s current lineup, from dual-core to hexa-core.
While 5 out of the six new processors give a mere 100MHz speed increase over their predecessors, keep in mind that this is the third such speed increase for the Athlon II portfolio in the past year. The sixth processor is a brand new hexa-core chip that straddles the large gap between the Phenom II X6 1055T and the Phenom II X6 1090T, and gives a 200MHz boost over the former. Let’s check out all the new chips, compared to their predecessors, in the tables below (new processors are highlighted in blue).
| Model name: | Phenom II X6 1055T | Phenom II X6 1075T | Phenom II X6 1090T BE |
| Codename: | Thuban | Thuban | Thuban |
| Process: | 45 nm | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| CPU Cores: | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Clock Speed: | 2.8 GHz (3.3 GHz) | 3.0 GHz (3.5 GHz) | 3.2 GHz (3.6 GHz) |
| Socket: | AM2 /AM3 | AM2 /AM3 | AM2 /AM3 |
| L1 Cache: | 6 x 128 KB | 6 x 128 KB | 6 x 128 KB |
| L2 Cache: | 6 x 512 KB | 6 x 512 KB | 6 x 512 KB |
| L3 Cache: | 6 MB | 6 MB | 6 MB |
| HyperTransport: | 4000 MT/s | 4000 MT/s | 4000 MT/s |
| Thermal Envelope: | 125 W | 125 W | 125 W |
Getting a boost from 2.8GHz to 3.0GHz, the Phenom II X6 1075T is identical everywhere else compared to its hexa-core contemporaries. It appears however that it can Tubro CORE more efficiently than even the 1090T, getting a massive 500MHz boost, probably because the 1090T is limited by the 125W thermal envelope. AMD’s MSRP is $245.
| Model name: | Phenom II X4 970 | Phenom II X4 965 |
| Codename: | Deneb | Deneb |
| Process: | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| CPU Cores: | 4 | 4 |
| Clock Speed: | 3.5 GHz | 3.4 GHz |
| Socket: | AM2 /AM3 | AM2 /AM3 |
| L1 Cache: | 4 x 128 KB | 4 x 128 KB |
| L2 Cache: | 4 x 512 KB | 4 x 512 KB |
| L3 Cache: | 6 MB | 6 MB |
| HyperTransport: | 4000 MT/s | 4000 MT/s |
| Thermal Envelope: | 125 W | 125 W |
This is the first Phenom II quad-core processor to come out for more than a year, and features a 100MHz boost over its predecessor, and sports a MSRP of $185. A Black Edition, you can expect some serious headroom for overclocking.
| Model name: | Phenom II X2 560 | Phenom II X2 555 |
| Codename: | Calisto | Calisto |
| Process: | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| CPU Cores: | 2 | 2 |
| Clock Speed: | 3.3 GHz | 3.2 GHz |
| Socket: | AM2 /AM3 | AM2 /AM3 |
| L1 Cache: | 2 x 128 KB | 2 x 128 KB |
| L2 Cache: | 2 x 512 KB | 2 x 512 KB |
| L3 Cache: | 6 MB | 6 MB |
| HyperTransport: | 4000 MT/s | 4000 MT/s |
| Thermal Envelope: | 80 W | 80 W |
One of the most sought after segments, the Phenom II X2 560 BE is the direct continuation of the budget powerhouses X2 555 BE and X2 550 BE, each of which provided enthusiast like performance at great prices. The X2 555 raised the 3.1GHz X2 550 by 100MHz and replaced it in price, and the X2 560 does the same thing, giving users a boost of 100MHz when compared to the X2 555, by clocking in at 3.3GHz and chalking up at the same $105 price. Of course, we can’t forget to mention the most exciting aspect of these Phenom II X2 processors – the two locked cores can be unlocked with the correct motherboard. Of course, there’s no guarantee those cores weren’t locked for a reason, namely a manufacturing defect.
Read on to check out the specifications of the three Athlon II processors…
| Model name: | Athlon II X4 645 | Athlon II X4 640 |
| Codename: | Propus | Propus |
| Process: | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| CPU Cores: | 4 | 4 |
| Clock Speed: | 3.1 GHz | 3.0 GHz |
| Socket: | AM2 /AM3 | AM2 /AM3 |
| L1 Cache: | 4 x 64 KB | 4 x 64 KB |
| L2 Cache: | 4 x 512 KB | 4 x 512 KB |
| HyperTransport: | 4000 MT/s | 4000 MT/s |
| Thermal Envelope: | 95 W | 95 W |
Apart from 100MHz increase over the Athlon II X4 640, the X4 645 doesn’t offer much else, except for the great price of course, at $122.
| Model name: | Athlon II X3 450 | Athlon II X3 445 |
| Codename: | Rana | Rana |
| Process: | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| CPU Cores: | 3 | 3 |
| Clock Speed: | 3.2 GHz | 3.1 GHz |
| Socket: | AM2 /AM3 | AM2 /AM3 |
| L1 Cache: | 3 x 64 KB | 3 x 64 KB |
| L2 Cache: | 3 x 512 KB | 3 x 512 KB |
| HyperTransport: | 4000 MT/s | 4000 MT/s |
| Thermal Envelope: | 95 W | 95 W |
The X3 lineup of processors, both of the Phenom II and Athlon II families, are great options that straddle the middle ground between dual-cores and quad-cores, while offering great value for money. The Athlon II X3 450 also gets a 100MHz upgrade, and is priced at $87.
| Model name: | Athlon II X2 265 | Athlon II X2 260 |
| Codename: | Regor | Regor |
| Process: | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| CPU Cores: | 2 | 2 |
| Clock Speed: | 3.3 GHz | 3.2 GHz |
| Socket: | AM2 /AM3 | AM2 /AM3 |
| L1 Cache: | 2 x 64 KB | 2 x 64 KB |
| L2 Cache: | 2 x 1 MB | 2 x 1 MB |
| HyperTransport: | 4000 MT/s | 4000 MT/s |
| Thermal Envelope: | 65 W | 65 W |
Among the fastest dual-core processors on the market right now, the Athlon II X2 265 is power efficient, features 2MB of L2 cache, and is priced brilliantly at $76. However, you might consider buying the Athlon II X3 450 instead, as it is just about $10 more and gives you one more core to play with.
AMD has also released three new low-power processors, dubbed the Athlon IIe family, and they are currently only available to OEMs. The models are the 3.0 GHz Athlon II X2 250e, the 2.6 GHz Athlon II X3 420e, and the 2.5 GHz Athlon II X4 615e, each of which features a maximum TDP of 45W.