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AMD announces speedy new quad-core, six-core Phenom II processors
AMD's already gotten official with its Atom-challenging Fusion processors that promise a whole host of benefits for mobile users -- namely 10+ hour battery life and significantly improved GPU performance -- but the chipmaker isn't about to leave its desktop CPUs behind here at CES. The company has also just announced its new 3.6GHz Phenom II X4 975 Black Edition and 2.9GHz Phenom II X6 1065T processors, the former of which is AMD's fastest quad-core processor to date, while the latter promises to combine high performance with a low 95W TDP (relatively speaking), and AMD's own Turbo CORE technology. What's more, unlike the Fusion processors, these are apparently both available immediately, and they've already garnered a few early reviews. Hit up the links below to check a few of those out, and head on past the break for the official press release.
Dell whips out 23-inch Inspiron One all-in-one and Zino HD
It's been awhile since we've heard from Dell on the home entertainment front, but don't you worry, the guys in Round Rock have been right on top of it. First up is the brand new Zino HD home theater PC, which like we'd heard is being updated with an AMD quad-core Phenom II processor that's more than capable of pumping out full HD to your HDTV. In typical Dell spirit there's tons of configuration options, including one for 1GB of ATI discrete graphics, a Blu-ray drive, and up to a terabyte of storage. For $299, we're a bit giddy about this little one considering it packs more power than any of those Ion nettops and it comes with a wireless keyboard and IR remote control. If a large touchscreen all-in-one is more your thing, the Inspiron One can be configured with similar parts -- an AMD Athlon II X4 processor, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5450, Blu-ray, and up to 1TB are all on the list. To us, the real appeal of this one is its 1920x1080 resolution, 23-inch display, which produced some pretty stunning HD playback when we saw it in action last month. Dell's put a lot of energy into its new Stage touch interface, which consists of different tiled applications. It's actually more than eye candy as we're betting those Netflix and CinemaNow tiles will see plenty of tapping. The One starts at $799 and will be available this coming weekend -- but before you yank out the wallet, we'd suggest flipping through the galleries below and hitting the break for a read of the press release. %Gallery-103008% %Gallery-103009%
AMD promises better battery life and thermals with new Neo CPUs, more power with Phenom II platform
Could 2010 be the year AMD poses a real threat to Intel on the laptop front? Well, you know that rumor that it's gonna be powering 109 new laptops? Not only is that true, but it's also going to be in 26 more thin and light systems. Frankly, we're not all that surprised, particularly since it's been no huge secret that AMD's had a bunch of new processors floating about -- some of which have been finding homes in new HP, Lenovo, Acer, and Dell laptops. Thankfully, the silicon heavyweight is finally revealing the source of all this mojo by sharing details about these mighty, yet energy efficient slabs of silicon. Up first is the Ultrathin platform (codenamed "Nile"), which now includes the new 23w Turion II Neo dual-core, Athlon II Neo dual-core, and Athlon II Neo processors -- there's clock speed and TDP specifics of each in the gallery, if that's your sort of thing. To be found in 11- to 13- inch laptops like HP's dm1 and Acer's Aspire One 721, the CPUs can be coupled with ATI Radeon HD 5400 or Radeon 4200 integrated graphics options, not to mention DDR3 and Direct X 10.1 support. The biggest change? Apparently, the line up has been improved in terms of battery life and thermals, and AMD's promising over eight hours of usage when fully charged. Given that battery life and heat were our biggest issues with the previous Neo processors, we're happy to see those problem areas being addressed, but we'll believe it when we really test some of these bad boys in the near future. On the mainstream side of things, AMD continues to cram desktop power into its Athlon II dual-core, Athlon Turion II dual-core, Phenom II dual-, triple- and quad-core processors. There's 12 new chips in all, but the top of the line 2.3GHz quad-core Phenom II Black Edition X920 is definitely the most juicy, and should give some Core i7 rigs a run for their money. Obviously those powerful CPUs can all be paired with ATI's Radeon HD 4500 or higher discrete graphics (which will support Direct X11) or a lower-end Radeon 4200 integrated graphics option. Because AMD now likes to use simple terms with its Vision branding, it didn't provide any hard benchmark numbers, but it promises 80 percent smoother gaming performance than comparable competitive mainstream systems, and 30 percent longer battery life than AMD's previous generation of processors. Hit the break for the full presser, and click on through the gallery for a closer look at the technical details. %Gallery-92770%
Lenovo officially rolls out new IdeaPad Z Series
Typical loose-lipped Lenovo had a bit of a hard time keeping its new IdeaPad Z Series a secret, but at least now we can see why. First off, the new line of laptops ditches the glossy, fingerprint-loving covers for ones with a "metallic effect," and even better, the entire line sports chiclet keyboards that are similar to that on the S10-3. If you haven't noticed, we really have a major thing for Lenovo keyboards lately. And while the laptops may come in at under 1.2-inches thick, the 13.3-inch Z360 and the 15.6-inch Z560 have onboard optical drives, and both pack standard-voltage Intel Core i3, i5 and i7 processor options. Oddly, Lenovo doesn't seem to be announcing the 14-inch Z460 we had seen a few weeks back, but we assume that one will be up for grabs in other markets. Though the lowest end $649 config won't have NVIDIA GeForce 315M graphics or Blu-ray, it should pack enough power to handle watching that cute girl cry over Justin Bieber on YouTube and those other necessary productivity tasks. Sneaking into the new family is also the 15.6-inch Z565, which differs from its new-born brothers with a glossy black cover and AMD internals. Like the HP ProBooks and Dell Inspiron M501R, the Z565 can be configured with AMD's newest quad-core Phenom II X4, as well as with other new Phenom II, Turion II, Athlon II and V Series processors. We'd imagine there will be good deals popping up all over the place, but unfortunately all of the systems won't be available until June. In the meantime, you've always got the gallery and press release below to cheer you up. %Gallery-92603%
Acer Aspire 5553G showcases AMD's quad-core Phenom II N930 in early review
As with most good things, this comes from Bulgaria. Laptop.bg have finagled themselves a prototype unit of Acer's forthcoming Aspire 5553G and taken it on a benchmarking adventure to see what it's made of. Their first impressions relate to the case, which comes in a familiar Timeline-inspired design, including a fingerprint-loving glossy lid and Acer's particular take on the island keyboard, but they quickly move on to analyzing the quad-core Phenom II N930 heart beating within. Sadly, this particular unit was held back in gaming by its anemic Mobility Radeon HD 4250 GPU, but the news wasn't all that flattering in CPU-isolating comparisons either. Cinebench 10 found the N930 outperforming Intel's previous generation chips in multicore workloads, but falling behind on single-threaded tasks. AMD seems intent on pricing its latest Phenoms aggressively, and if you're not too hung up on getting great battery life these will look appealing, but we can't help feeling disappointed that Intel's Core i7s aren't being given more to worry about. Hit the source for the full review.
HP unleashes seven new ProBooks, cuddles up with AMD
No, we wouldn't say we've been looking at AMD lately, HP -- but we've got a strong feeling that we're about to with the slew of not-yet-announced processors that are powering these new affordable business laptops. The HP ProBook 4325s, 4425s, and 4525 may look like their brushed-aluminum business laptop brethren, but instead of Intel inside, they can be configured with AMD's new Phenom II quad-core, Phenom II triple-core, Turion II or Athlon II processors -- all which are apparently 69 percent faster than previous generation HP AMD laptops. Add in an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 530v discrete graphics option and an $619 starting price, and the S-series may just be our new favorite HP sub-brand -- though we'll reserve final judgment until we test these puppies and check out the battery life. In addition to those three, the 14-inch 6445b and 15-inch 6555b pack the same new processor options, but for $799 they have a more durable case with a spill-resistant keyboard. Oh don't worry Intel, the ProBook line hasn't forgotten about you: there's still some Core i3, i5 and i7 love in the new HP ProBook 6450b and 6550b, which now also have vPro remote management technology. And just when you thought HP couldn't go any lower in price with its business line up, the 14-inch HP 425 and 15.6-inch 625 emerge at $550. While these guys aren't exactly the thinnest or lightest of the bunch, they should still provide an ample amount of performance with AMD's new 2.3GHz Turion II dual-core, 2.1GHz Athlon II dual-core and V Series processors and ATI Radeon HD 4200 integrated graphics. Not a bad time to be in the boardroom, huh? Head down below for some glossy press shots and the full releases. %Gallery-92238%
AMD's hexacore Phenom II X6 will offer Turbo Core automatic overclocking
AMD might be playing catch-up with Intel at the moment, but at least it's keeping the distance fairly close. Intel has yet to fully transition its desktop line over to its Turbo Boost-boasting Core 2010 series, yet its competitor has already announced its own, imaginatively titled, competing technology in the form of Turbo Core. It's a less sophisticated auto-overclock, whereby three of the six cores are decelerated in order to give the other trio some extra voltage and speed for more serialized workloads. The truly impressive thing is that operation under the Turbo Core mode and the default hexacore arrangement will fit within the same power envelope as current Phenom II X4 CPUs, while AMD also reassures its loyal users that the new Phenom II X6s will be compatible with existing AM3 and AM2+ sockets. Nice. The table above, provided by AnandTech, confirms the models we heard about a couple of weeks ago, though we'll have to wait a little bit longer to get confirmation on pricing.
AMD launches new Phenom II and Athlon II CPUs right onto the test bench
Hot on the heels of its first quarterly profit in three years (thanks to Intel, strangely enough), AMD is launching a new pair of desktop processors today that hit for under a buck twenty (amongst a few others). The $99 Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition is the company's quickest dual-core desktop CPU to date at 3.2GHz, while the Athlon II X4 635 is expected to be one of the least expensive quad-core chips around. Both slabs of silicon hit the test bench over the weekend, and as you may expect, no one was particularly blown away. Of course, AMD never set out to shock and awe with this duo, but the performance-per-dollar ratio was downright beautiful. We'll spare you the nitty-gritty details (all the bar charts you can handle are just below), but suffice it to say, these two are certainly worth a look if you're fixing to build a low-end, low-cost tower for... um, your mother. Yeah, her. Read - Hot Hardware Read - AnandTech Read - Computer Shopper Read - Tom's Hardware Read - Overclocker's Club Read - ExtremeTech
AMD Phenom II TWKR Black Edition CPU up for auction, sure to fetch a bundle
Remember that AMD Phenom II X4 TWKR processor that we saw overclocked and reviewed just over a fortnight ago? Don't you recall reading and wondering why you were even wasting your time given the scarcity of said chip? It took awhile, but it seems the justification you've been searching for has finally arrived. AMD only manufactured a smattering of these chips in order for select media outlets to showcase the company's potential, and somehow one has found its way onto eBay. Best of all, 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit a charity (Family Eldercare), so you can feel good about spending way, way too much on a slab of silicon. Tap the read link if you care to drive the price up even further (and you know you do).[Thanks, Alex]
Video: AMD's Phenom II X4 TWKR CPU for extreme overclocking lunatics
AMD has recently cooked up a little something they like to call the Phenom II X4 TWKR Black Edition, a hand-picked, limited edition processor that is designed to be overclocked "to the extreme." Currently labeled "Not for Sale," with no serial numbers and only one hundred of these bad boys in existence, just a few lucky folks have got their hands on one, so we've dug up some reviews (and previews) so you can see what the fuss is all about. According to the company, one of these guys could be pushed by 100MHz with air cooling, which doubles to about 200MHz with "extreme cooling." As far as impressions go, the reviewer at Neoseeker quickly decided that the units aren't meant to be overclocked on air only, and that dry ice isn't much better. Hot Hardware says pretty much the same thing. Though they weren't able to test with liquid nitrogen or liquid helium (the only way to get real speed) they did put a Koolance LN2 pot (and about 20lbs of dry ice) to the test for 4.73GHz. For best results, according to Tom's Hardware Guide, bench the processor at -190°C or cooler. But for the real overclocking experience you simply must check out the video of the "world renowned overclockers" K|ngp|n, chew*, and Gomeler as they run the gamut of "extreme overclocking techniques" after the break. Read - AMD Phenom II TWKR Edition CPU PreviewRead - AMD's Phenom II X4 TWKR: We Give It The LN2 Treatment Read - AMD Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition ProcessorRead - AMD Phenom II TWKR Black Edition Processor
Liquid helium trumps liquid nitrogen at AMD's Phenom II overclocking love-in
Remember late last year, when AMD poured out the liquid nitrogen to boost its new Phenom II X4 to a ridiculous 5GHZ? The company's factory overclockers apparently had a lot of leftover LN2, so they invited a crew of others to come over and splash some around on a set of new Phenom II X4 955 Black processors. After burning through a ridiculous 80 gallons of the stuff they rolled out the even colder liquid helium, which led to a maximum benchmark of 6.89GHz -- more than twice the quad-core processor's 3.2GHz rated speed. In these tough economic times it's good to see that one company at least is still willing to take things to great excesses at the expense of Earth's natural resources.
Dell's XPS 625 reviewed already, found worthy
We're well into the throes of CES and things are happening hot and heavy; Dell's Phenom II-packing XPS 625, announced just hours ago, has already been given a full once-over by DesktopReview.com, finding it to be a solid machine -- and even a good value. (When's the last time you read that conclusion about a gaming rig?) The review admires the machine's sophisticated looks, well-designed case, and easy expandability, but found that AMD's latest couldn't quite keep up with the i7 (as we'd heard earlier). Given the price point here that shouldn't exactly be a surprise.[Thanks, Patrick]
AMD Phenom II processor bought, benchmarked, coveted
AMD, a company not exactly known for meeting its own deadlines, seemed to be trying to avoid news of painful delays for the Phenom II by simply not letting anyone say when the thing would be available. Now the chip is apparently in the hands of one lucky gamer at the HardOCP forums, Table21, who was kind enough to run it through its paces. The Phenom II 940 running at 3GHz scored a 4,091 on 3DMark06 and, once OC'd up to 3.85GHz, delivered a score of 5,086. It's rather too early to draw any conclusions from these numbers, and we don't know what he paid for the thing, but that performance does fall well behind Intel's Core i7 Extreme that was similarly benchmarked last month, scoring 6,608 at the same clock speed. That's quite a gap -- but nothing a little liquid nitrogen won't fix.[Via PC Perspective]
AMD overclocks the snot out of Phenom II processors
No, you're not looking at some high-precision, multimeter-laden kegerator; the above is a picture from a recent AMD event in which things apparently got a little out of hand. The company started by talking up its upcoming Dragon platform (Phenom II X4, Radeon 4800 graphics, and 7-series chipset), took a few moments to discuss how its new 45nm chips will use 30-50 percent less power than their predecessors, and then threw all notions of sensibility out the window in an attempt to see just how fast the darned things could go. A Phenom II X4 managed 4GHz with air-cooling, 4.4GHz with a refrigerated setup, and finally a "stable" 5GHz on liquid nitrogen. That's mighty fast, but will the chips be quick enough to tackle Intel's mighty Core i7 when stripped of their fancy-pants cooling appendages? We'll see when they ship early next year. [Image courtesy of Legit Reviews]
