AMD unleashes four B3 revision Phenom X4 chips

Besides the first triple-core Phenom X3 processors, AMD also released four new quad-core Phenom X4 processors today. These parts feature the B3 revision so they should no longer be plagued by the TLB bug but the maximum clockspeed is still only 2.5GHz.

“These new AMD Phenom X4 processors unlock even greater visual computing performance to showcase the unparalleled scalability of the AMD enthusiast platform,” said Mario Rivas, executive vice president, computing solutions group, AMD. “Based on AMD’s advanced true quad-core architecture, these processors are loaded with powerful performance features like next-generation HyperTransport 3.0 and energy-efficient innovations like Cool’n’Quiet 2.0 technology.”

Featuring the best quad-core desktop CPUs AMD has offered, these AMD Phenom X4 quad-core processors can improve performance for gaming and multi-threaded applications. The AMD Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition is the top performer in the new line-up, with Clock Multiplier Control for tunable performance that gives gamers and enthusiasts scalability and customizable performance levels to run multiple processor-intensive applications simultaneously.

These new processors from AMD are more competitive than the Phenom processors it introduced last year but they can stil not beat Intel's latest processors on the performance or power efficiency front. The prices are pretty attractive though, the top model costs only $235.

Here's a quick overview of the new processors:

AMD Phenom X4 9550: 2.2GHz, 95W, 3600MHz HyperTransport, $209

AMD Phenom X4 9650: 2.3GHz, 95W, 3600MHz HyperTransport, $215

AMD Phenom X4 9750: 2.4GHzn 95W, 3600MHz HyperTransport, $215

AMD Phenom X4 9850 "Black Edition": 2.5GHz, 125W, 4000MHz HyperTransport, unlocked multiplier, $235