AMD Phenom 9850 X4 Black Edition CPU Review :: AMD Phenom X4 9850 Features

• Processor Frequency 2.5GHz
• L1 Cache Sizes: 64KB of L1 instruction and 64KB of L1 data cache per core (512KB total L1 per 9850)
• L2 Cache Sizes: 512KB of L2 data cache per core (2MB total L2 cache)
• L3 Cache Size: 2MB shared
• Memory Controller Type: Integrated 128-bit wide memory controller
• Memory Controller Speed: Up to 2.0GHz with Dual Dynamic Power Management
• Types of Memory Supported: Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2 8500 (DDR2-1066MHz)
• HyperTransport 3.0: One 16-bit/16-bit link@up to 4GHz full duplex(2.0GHzx2)
• Total Processor Bandwidth: Up to 33.1GB/second bandwidth
• Packaging: Socket AM2+ 940-pin Organic micro pin grid array (micro-PGA)
• Fab location: AMD's Fab 36 wafer fabrication facilities in Dresden Germany
• Process Technology: 65-nanometer DSL SOI (Silicon on Insulator) technology
• Approximate Die Size: 285mm2 (65nm)
• Approximate Transistor count: 450 million
• Max Ambient Case Temp: 61 Celsius
• Normal Voltage: 1.2-1.3 Volts
• Max TDP: 125 Watts

Here's a chart with the various Phenoms being launched

AMD Phenom processor launching 3/27/2008
Phenom Model	CPU Freq.	MC & HT(x2) Freq.	Max TDP	Availability on 3/27/2008			Price	Core Count	Silicon Revision	Unlocked Multiplier "Black Edition"
				OEMs Only	Channel Only	Channel + OEM
X4 9850	2.5GHz	2.0GHz	125W			Yes	$235 1KU	4	B3	Yes
X4 9750	2.4GHz	1.8GHz	125W		Yes		$215 1KU	4	B3
			95W	Yes			* OEM price
X4 9650	2.3GHz	1.8GHz	95W	Yes			* OEM price	4	B3
X4 9550	2.2GHz	1.8GHz	95W			Yes	$195 1KU	4	B3
X4 9100e	1.8GHz	1.6GHz	65W	Yes			* OEM price	4	B2
X3 8600	2.3GHz	1.8GHz	95W	Yes			* OEM price	3	B2
X3 8400	2.1GHz	1.8GHz	95W	Yes			* OEM price	3	B2
* NOTE: X4 9650 will be priced similarly to the current X4 9600, X3 8600 ~ $175, X3 8400 ~$150, X4 9100e ~$200 OEM prices are subject to fluctuation / change and are estimates only… see OEMs for final system pricing NOTE: Effective HyperTransport throughput speed is 2x above-stated freqency spec. as link is full duplex I.E. X4 9850 HT=4.0GHz throughput speed NOTE: X4 and X3 Phenoms have 2MB of L3 cache in addition to 128KB of L1-per-core and 512KB of L2-per-core (L1 = instruction + data caches)

AMD calls the Phenom the industry's first true Quad Core CPU. All four cores on the Phenom CPUs are on the same die rather than the same package as on Intel Core 2 Quad CPUs. The Intel CPUs are actually two Core 2 Duo CPUs on the same package, as can be plainly seen by looking at the die shot of a Penryn CPU from Intel. Intel has two sets of L2 cache (6MB for each Core2 on the die).

The Phenom 9850 has 64KB of L1 data and 64KB of L1 instruction cache. While Intel has moved on to 3MB of L2 cache per core, AMD has allocated 512KB of L2 cache per core, or 2MB total for the 9850. There is a further 2MB L3 cache that's shared on the Phenom CPU consisting of another. AMD's L3 cache is designed to improve access times for widely used programs.

The Phenom CPU has HyperTransport 3.0 support. HyperTransport is a high-bandwidth low-latency point to point link that has been used on AMD CPUs since the introduction of the AMD64 CPUs. It is also used on NVIDIA chipsets, AMD chipsets and other computing devices. HyperTransport 3.0 improves the maximum clock to 2.6GHz, providing up to 41.6GB/second of maximum bandwidth with a 32-bit link. The Phenom has a 16-bit link/16-bit link running at 4GHz, providing up 14.4GB/second of processor bandwidth.

The memory controller on the Phenom 9850 supports up to DDR2-1066MHz and also supports earlier speeds like the DDR2-800, DDR2-667 DDR2-533, and DDR2-400MHz. This provides up to 12.8GB/second of memory bandwidth, bringing the total processor and memory bandwidth available to the CPU to 27.2GB/second (14.4+12.8). The 9850 has 450 million transistors and is manufactured at AMD's Fab 36 facilities located in Dresden Germany. By way of comparison, an Intel E8500 has 410 million transistors but is dual instead of Quad core. AMD is still on the 65nm process node for their CPUs, while Intel has migrated to the 45 nanometer node.