In the chip manufacturing market, ‘speed’ decides who the leader is. Intel, undoubtedly, has always enjoyed the Numero Uno position despite being challenged by numerous chipmakers. Leading the rebel pack is AMD – the black horse. Synonymous with speed, the chipmaker from Sunnyvale has, in recent times, forced Intel to push the stakes higher. The latest from its stables are three new Phenom X4 based quadcore CPU’s - X4 9950 Black Edition (BE), X4 9350e and X4 9150e.
The X4 9950 has been designed to woo gamers, PC enthusiasts and, not surprisingly, overclockers (the absence of a locked multiplier substantiates this belief). AMD’s X4 9950 clocks 2.6 GHz, thus making it the fastest CPU from the company. This also ensures that the chip displaces its predecessor X4 9850 as the flagship CPU. The X4 9350e and X4 9150e, on the other hand, beef up the company’s attempts to project itself as an energy-efficient chip maker. Operating at a lowly 64W, and delivering 2.0 Ghz and 1.8 Ghz respectively, AMD seems to have locked its focus on this endeavor.
Apparently, the X4 9950 BE will be priced at US$265, and the X4 9350e and X4 9150e at US$195 and US$175, respectively. For the discount seekers, there is heartening news. The X4 9850 BE processor will carry a US$30 discount from July 7. An Ace from AMD, clearly!
Via:Cnet
