The New AMD CPUs

The Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition

While quad-core CPUs have been on the market for years now, the software industry has been slow to adapt to the multithreaded computing world enabled by the latest four core processors. Nowhere is this statement more true than in the gaming industry. As hard as AMD and Intel have worked with game developers to enable more multithreaded games, the vast majority of games on the market today are at best only dual-threaded.

With this in mind AMD has offered their X3 line of triple core processors targeted at the gaming/enthusiast crowd that offer all the benefits of their highest Phenom processors only with one processing core disabled and running at a slightly slower clock speed. The original Phenom X3 8750 was limited to speeds of up to 2.4GHz in comparison to the fastest Phenom 9950, which was clocked at 2.6GHz, while AMD’s latest triple-core CPU, the Phenom II X3 720 runs at 2.8GHz; 400MHz slower than the Phenom II X4 955.

The Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition takes this same strategy down to dual-core processing for the first time.

As we mentioned on the previous page, the Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition is based on the exact same 45-nm Deneb core AMD uses in their latest Phenom II processors. The only difference is AMD activates two processing cores, leaving two cores disabled. Because it’s based on the same core as AMD’s other Phenom II parts, the same key architecture features carry over unchanged. The chip features 64KB of L1 cache per core for data and instructions (256KB L1 total) and 512KB of L2 cache per core for a grand total of 1MB of L2 cache active on the processor. The L3 cache carries over unchanged, with the Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition sporting 6MB of L3 cache shared amongst the processors two cores. Like all AM3 Phenom II CPUs, the chip also features a 2.0GHz memory controller.

Finally, the most important remaining spec for the Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition is its clock speed. AMD clocks the chip at 3.1GHz, which the chip featuring a 15.5x multiplier. Keep in mind that as a Black Edition CPU, the multiplier is unlocked and can be adjusted to whatever setting you wish when OC’ing AMD lists the max TDP for the Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition at 80W.

Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Specifications
Core	Calisto
Clock Speed	3.1GHz
L1 Cache Size	64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (256KB total L1 per processor)
L2 Cache Size	512KB of L2 data cache per core (1MB total L2 per processor)
L3 Cache Size	6MB (shared)
Memory Controller Type	Integrated 128-bit wide memory controller *Black Edition processors support software selectable increases to memory controller, HyperTransport, DDR3 and CPU core frequency
Memory Controller Speed	2.0GHz with Dual Dynamic PPower Management
Types of Memory Supported	Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2-8500 (DDR2-1066MHz) -AND- PC3-10600 (DDR3-1333MHz)
HyperTransport 3.0 Specification	One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 4.0GHz full duplex (2.0GHz x2)
Total Processor-to-System Bandwidth	Up to 37.3GB/s bandwidth [Up to 21.3 GB/s total bandwidth (DDR3-1333) + 16.0GB/s (HT3)]
Packaging	Socket AM3 938-pin organic micro pin grid array (micro-PGA)
Fab location	GLOBALFOUNDRIES Fab 1 Module 1
Process Technology	45-nanometer DSL SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology
Approximate Die Size	258 mm2
Approximate Transistor count	~758 million
Max Temp	70 degrees Celsius
Core Voltage	0.850-1.425V
Max TDP	80W
Distributor Pricing (in quantities of 1,000)	$102

Athlon II X2 250

Launching alongside the new Phenom II X2 550 is AMD’s first Athlon II CPU, the Athlon II X2 250. The Athlon II X2 250 features 256KB of L1 cache (64K instruction + 64K data per core) and 1MB of L2 cache per core (2MB total per processor), just like AMD's old Windsor cores. AMD’s 65-nm Athlon X2 CPUs based on their Brisbane core featured just 512KB of L2 per core for a grand total of 1MB of L2 cache.

Despite the larger cache, die size is pretty similar to Brisbane 118 mm2, with the chip sporting a die size of 117.5m2 according to AMD. This is obviously due thanks to the chip’s new 45-nm manufacturing process. Transistor count is 234 million transistors.

Compared to the Athlon X2 7850, AMD’s previous flagship X2 part, the Athlon II X2 250 runs 200MHz faster at an even 3.0GHz, and sports a 2.0GHz HyperTransport link (versus 1.8GHz). The Athlon II X2 250 does lose the X2 7850’s 2MB L3 cache, but between the higher clock speed and larger L2 cache AMD expects the chip to perform better while running cooler. Max TDP is just 65W.

Athlon II X2 250 Specifications
Core	Regor
Clock Speed	3.0GHz
L1 Cache Size	64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (256KB total L1 per processor)
L2 Cache Size	1MB of L2 data cache per core (2MB total L2 per processor)
L3 Cache Size	N/A
Memory Controller Type	Integrated 128-bit wide memory controller*Note: configurable for dual 64-bit channels for simultaneous read/writes
Memory Controller Speed	2.0GHz with Dual Dynamic Power Management
Types of Memory Supported	Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2-6400 (DDR2-800MHz) -AND- PC3-8500 (DDR3-1066MHz)
HyperTransport 3.0 Specification	One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 4.0GHz full duplex (2.0GHz x2)
Total Processor-to-System Bandwidth	Up to 33.1GB/s bandwidth [Up to 17.1 GB/s total bandwidth (DDR3-1066) + 16.0GB/s (HT3)]
Packaging	Socket AM3 938-pin organic micro pin grid array (micro-PGA)
Fab location	GLOBALFOUNDRIES Fab 1 Module 1
Process Technology	45-nanometer DSL SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology
Approximate Die Size	117.5 mm2
Approximate Transistor count	~ 234 million
Max Temp	74 degrees Celsius
Core Voltage	0.85-1.425V
Max TDP	65W
Distributor Pricing (in quantities of 1,000)	$87

But these aren’t the only new CPUs on tap from AMD today. The company is also launching new triple and quad-core CPUs…