AMD Phenom X4 9950 BE Black Edition processor review [Guru3D]

Discussion in 'Frontpage news' started by Guru3D News, Oct 3, 2008.

  1. Guru3D News

    Guru3D News Ancient Guru

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    A review on the Phenom X4 9950 BE processor. The BE editions in essence are the 'regular' processor yet they passed quality and analysis for better overclocking performance and have their multiplier...

    More...
     
  2. Stukov

    Stukov Ancient Guru

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    I am sometimes considered pro-AMD (actually would have bought a 45nm X4 if they would have ever come out in decent time) but I would think it would have been slightly more fair if you tested the Q6600 overclocked as well. At least overclocked to 3.1ghz like the 9950 got.

    Oh, and otherwise another great article.
     
  3. Hilbert Hagedoorn

    Hilbert Hagedoorn Don Vito Corleone Staff Member

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    Hey Stukov; there's only so many things we can do time-wise really.
    Articles like these cost 2-3 days to produce. I try to cover the most important angles, yet each reader has it's own preference when it comes to what they want to see.

    If I insert a Q6600 results, then i receive mails .. why are there no dual-core results ? If I use a dual-core to compoare, then I receuive mails .. why is there no Penryn in there ?. If I overclock a Q6600, then I get mails, why wheren't the other X4's overclocked ? And so on and on and on. I get roughly 30 emails per day with the questions "Why ?" or "I would have liked ..."

    Fact is, that if we cover all these request angels .. you'd see 1 article per two weeks on Guru3D.com, as all angles cost a LOT of time.

    We really can't do it all bro ;) But stricktly seen, the dynamics between a Q6600 / 9950 both overclocked would show the same performance scaling, just a little faster.
     
  4. Stukov

    Stukov Ancient Guru

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    Oh, no doubt, that was my only critisim of the article, I thought you did alot right as you put quad cores in the same price range against each other. Like I said, good arcticle, that was just one point I thought would be good constructive critisim (am I spelling that right? it looks wrong for some reason). The general quality of your articles is what made me want to start my own review site (as well as my need to find some place my long winded posts/ideas ;), which I am still in the process of designing with a friend of mine.
     

  5. aircool

    aircool Don Aircooleone Staff Member

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    That is pretty damned good value, definatley caught me thinks - where it counts.

    Although Q6600's and P35 boards are of similar price, competition :D
     
  6. Devolution

    Devolution Ancient Guru

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    Seems like a great processor and all, but I'd like to see the AMD Fusion in action.
     
  7. Stukov

    Stukov Ancient Guru

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    Swift will be out for mobile/laptops I think in Feb/March of 09, unless it slips.
     
  8. jack0077

    jack0077 New Member

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  9. Stukov

    Stukov Ancient Guru

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  10. jack0077

    jack0077 New Member

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    No, but the 9850BE is, and since the 9950BE is the same architecture and made in the same process, and has a declared TDP that is 15W higher, I'm sure you can extrapolate.
    Then you can look at the 790FX and 790X (42W and 43W, respectively). Do you think the 790GX will be a lot different?

    Then again, these X4s are still 65nm, I'm sure the new 45nm Shanghais will be a lot cooler, and hopefully clock a lot higher also.
     

  11. Hilbert Hagedoorn

    Hilbert Hagedoorn Don Vito Corleone Staff Member

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    You are correct in assuming that the peak wattage (TDP) on phenom X4 is much higher (as shown in our article) yet on average, say desktop usage, the ball turns arround. The 790GX chipset allows a lot P-states and clock gating.

    So with an X4 / 790GX we used up something like 110-140 Watts for the entire PC while working on that PC. Fact is, there are not a lot of situations where you constantly use up all 4 CPU cores at 100%

    That's why we love the power consumption that much. At daily normal usage this combo rocks -- if you think green that is.

    But sure, at the other side of the scope, especially overclocked, the CPU is a power drain though, but we mention that in the article as well, in fact show it with some charts AND mention it in the conclusion.
     
  12. Stukov

    Stukov Ancient Guru

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    Yes the 790GX is sufficiently different. I also don't trust Anand's methodology in that article as I believe wall socket draw (with the right equipment) is more accurate. It won't give you individual component power ratings, but I don't think you can test those accuratly with consumer products. If AMD or Intel were to state some numbers on it, I wouldn't hesitate to beleive it, but this is a review site, not a manufuacterer of the product.
     
  13. jack0077

    jack0077 New Member

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    Well, I was looking at that table and comparing the Q9550 with, say, the 9850BE.
    Q9550 at any state (idle with power management, idle and load) is consuming half or less.
    But I never tested it myself, and you did.
    So I'll take your word for it.
     
  14. theubersmurf

    theubersmurf New Member

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    I wish you had reviewed the 125 watt 9950...Er, well, I have no real confirmation of such from any reliable resource, however newegg is advertising one here, also of note was an x2 6000+ 65nm part, at 89 watts. I'm sort of curious if this is a 45 nm part that can't be announced because of the impending deneb release...They had to try the manufacturing process out on something established right? Meh, it's just a suspicion, but I'm curious about them, you should revisit this article with the newer part...be they real.
     
    Last edited: Oct 3, 2008
  15. Iarwain

    Iarwain Banned

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    Holy crap my CPU is sucking down 308 watts under full load?

    No wonder crossfire stopped working, huh.
     

  16. mandex

    mandex Guest

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    A cpu chart \o\



    So amd vs intel is like ati vs nvidia, amd being fast/cheap and intel the faster but expensive?
     
  17. Iarwain

    Iarwain Banned

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    Those comparisons aren't really fair or accurate. ATI vs Nvidia isn't AMD being cheaper and slower, and Nvidia being faster. ATI has the fastest, most expensive card, and solid performing low-mid range cards.

    Nevermind the fact that your analysis changes with every release, and is irrelevant.
     
  18. mandex

    mandex Guest

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    yeah, the cpu chart was a joke in fact ;p
    is dificult to make the benchs on the same conditions/variable, and new mobos could make one go faster or not.

    but are you saying that 4870x2 be the fastest and most expensive?
    i was thinking of single chips.(4870 vs 280)
     
  19. Iarwain

    Iarwain Banned

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    I'm not gonna have this fight with another person...single GPU doesn't mean anything. The requirements for the 280 and 4870x2 are roughly the same(one PCI-E slot, two power connectors, same installation procedure), and crossfire is supported by almost all games.
     
  20. Colt M4

    Colt M4 Master Guru

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    To use the overdrive overclocking feature do you have to have a AMD video card? Or just the motherboard and obvisouly the CPU. Do you even have to have a AMD chipset could you use a Nvidia Chipset to get the overdrive feature?
     

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