AMD launches "unlocked" Phenom 9600 Black Edition CPU

The fury has really been unleashed over at AMD, as the cats in 2nd place take aim at the pocketbooks lowdown, dirty overclockers. Feeling like getting into it? Then you'll probably want to get your hands on the extra-special Phenom 9600 "Black Edition" quad-core processor, which allows brave souls to tweak (i.e., overclock) to their hearts content by utilizing the company's OverDrive utility. It's not all rainbows and unicorns, however, as these chips apparently contain a bug which under extreme conditions can cause the CPUs to perform in a less than stellar manner. AMD says that it hasn't witnessed any of its production installations exhibit the errata, and that only its internal stress-tests have pushed the processor into the danger zone (cue Loggins). If you're really concerned, a BIOS patch will circumvent the issue, but may suck away 20-percent of your delicious speed. The choice is yours.

[Via TG Daily]

[Mr.Tech @ Dec 20th 2007 12:48AM]

Wow... I don't see the point... I rather get the Intel Quad Core

[mypetridish @ Dec 20th 2007 1:43AM]

seconded. the price is only a little cheaper than any of the intel's quadcore offerings.

[Wwhat @ Dec 20th 2007 7:56AM]

To fool the investors into thinking 'things are happening'?

[Dillon @ Dec 20th 2007 1:08AM]

Is AMD better than intel again yet?

[Fesh @ Dec 20th 2007 1:13AM]

no

[ByronGman @ Dec 20th 2007 1:22AM]

Poor AMD,

I hate to see them flailing about like this. Everything seems like a desperate grab to stay afloat, I really hope they get their act together and start pushing Intel again. I mean seriously, would we see the chipsets we do from Intel today if AMD wasn't nipping at their heals? Not likely IMO.

[tim @ Dec 20th 2007 1:24AM]

its not a bad idea to market to overclockers. they should "unlock" all processors. if someone frys their chip trying to squeeze to much speed out, what are they going to do? buy another processor!

[iofthestorm @ Dec 20th 2007 1:31AM]

Yeah, and besides I don't think it's likely that your processor will fry even if you overclock it too high. My x2 5000+ 2.6ghz stock gets up to 2.9 easy and it's not even an unlocked one, I simply upped the FSB which is more dangerous than just raising the multiplier like in these. Since performance still seems to be based largely on clock speed for Phenoms as compared to the K8s, I'll stick with this one until a 2.6+ghz one comes out I guess.
AMD has often been the choice for overclockers, but lately I think Intel has cornered even that market with the C2D which has been insanely overclockable, especially the low end models.

[Wwhat @ Dec 20th 2007 7:58AM]

Didn't they start to put locks on them because weasly resellers sold low-rated parts as high speed ones and people got really annoyed?
And not to prevent OC'ing by enthusiast.

[tim @ Dec 20th 2007 2:25PM]

Possibly, but couldn't you put a clause in the T.O.S. that won't allow resellers or manufacturers to O.C. the chips or advertise them above their rated speeds? That way only the end user has that ability to O.C. without the possibility of a lawsuit. KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF OUR HARDWARE!

[iofthestorm @ Dec 20th 2007 1:31AM]

Oh, so the Joystiq profiles are shared across all the blogsmith blogs? Cool.

[iofthestorm @ Dec 20th 2007 1:32AM]

Although the avatar makes less sense here... bleh you can't have everything I guess.

[Nubaeus @ Dec 20th 2007 3:45AM]

Please fix this AMD! I want my quad core sooooo bad

[dustandechoes91 @ Dec 20th 2007 4:36AM]

3.4GHz overclock ftw!


AMD will never die. If it starts to fall, the pc builders will be there to catch them and help them up. If AMD was lost, all the builders would need to buy their cpu's from intel, and intel would not need competitive prices, so they could jack their prices up.

[tom @ Dec 20th 2007 8:26AM]

I actually admire AMD's innovation and leadership. If it wasn't AMD, we wouldn't have 64 bit consumer CPU or Hyperspeed bus (or whatever that is)

[dustandechoes91 @ Dec 20th 2007 2:06PM]

Hypertransport? Also, according to some rumors, within the next year they may reveal the first octo-core cpu besides the cell.

[Zeus the God @ Dec 20th 2007 5:44PM]

The Cell is NOT an "octo-core"- its a single core, in-order CPU with 8 SPEs, which are FAR different, and FAR weaker than actual cores.

[TZK @ Dec 20th 2007 7:21AM]

I bet Intel will try and buy AMD, and it will happen FAR before Sirius is able to buy XM.

AHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHA! AHAHAHAHA!

[Wwhat @ Dec 20th 2007 8:00AM]

They better hurry then because that would only be allowed while bush and his team stop the anti-monopoly enforcements from being applied..

[euclid @ Dec 20th 2007 8:36AM]

AMD can't seem to do anything right in recent times :( Makes me sad.

[DDay @ Dec 20th 2007 2:27PM]

I actually think I would buy this, if only because I love to tinker and it would be a nice project. If only I had an AM2 system.

[Bigsby @ Dec 20th 2007 6:53PM]

Yeah, I've got an AM2 system, and I'll probably get one of these in a few months, if I can ever afford a new processor.

Hi Dash btw.

[palehorse @ Dec 20th 2007 2:45PM]

Selling products with known defects in hopes of staying "2nd best"?

there's just no damn way these will compete with all of the Penryn's coming out in Q1 of 08.

It just doesnt make sense...

[Evan @ Dec 20th 2007 2:57PM]

Poor AMD, looks like they're really pulling out all the stops.

[saintchuck @ Dec 20th 2007 5:29PM]

Phenom 9600 Black and Blue Edition

This is why I refuse to become a fanboy of any company. Except for Dodge but that is different.

[j0nes @ Jan 21st 2008 7:28PM]

Dodge? Yeah the neon is one of the worst cars ever made, and the new nissan gt-r makes the Viper look like an overpriced gas wasting piece of garbage. On this topic though take a look at bulldozer it will spank Intel.