With the release of the Deneb based quad core processors known as the Phenom II series, AMD started to grab a nice share of the mid-range and higher market share by offering quad-core processors for quite a bit less than the competition. Back in June of 2009, Benchmark Reviews was there when AMD started a new trend with Deneb based processors that didn't quite meet the rigorous standards of testing on all four cores. Rather than tossing the processors that had two or three cores that still functioned perfectly, AMD decided to turn off the bad cores and release them as much less expensive dual and triple-core processors. The dual-core versions got a couple of extra perks as well. For one, the price was enticing at $99. For another, the processors were Black Editions, meaning they had unlocked multipliers for easier overclocking. The first black edition dual-core Phenom-II to hit the market was the X2-550BE. Just over a year later and 200MHz faste! r, AMD is releasing the Phenom-II X2-560BE at 3.3GHz with the same promise, to give would-be overclockers and enthusiasts the opportunity to toy around without spending a bundle. In this article, Benchmark Reviews is bringing you the details on the X2-560BE. The new dual-core's unlocked multiplier will be pushed to the limit and we will see how it measures up to the competition.



Link: Benchmark Reviews