AMD Phenom II X6 Hexacore CPU Gets Official

AMD have officially launched their new AMD Phenom II X6 processor, the hexacore chip we've heard rumors regarding for several months now, together with the new AMD 890FX chipset to go along with it.  While the new CPUs aren't quite fast enough to take the speed crown away from Intel's Core i7 chips, AMD do hold the value card: the flagship AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition processor, for instance, is a 3.2GHz bargain at $285.

As we heard before, the Phenom II X6 chips come with Turbo CORE support, AMD's version of Intel Turbo Boost.  Unlike the Intel system, Turbo CORE is less intelligent in how it overclocks the CPUs, but the end result is similar: an extra burst of speed when you most need it.  The new processors are also backward-compatible with existing AM3 and AM2+ socket motherboards, making for reasonably straightforward upgrades.

Alternatively, AMD reckon you can buy all the parts for a completely new, Phenom II X6 based PC for less than what you'd spend on Intel's $999 hexacore Core i7-980X.  As for the 890FX chipset, that supports up to four ATI Radeon HD graphics cards in CrossFireX setup, together with EyeFinity multiple displays.  There's also SATA 6Gb/s, gigabit ethernet, HyperTransport 3.0 technology and PCI Express Generation 2.0 support.

Press Release:

AMD Delivers Elite Visual Computing Performance with Latest Desktop Computing Platform

New AMD Phenom™ II X6 Processor, AMD 890FX Chipset and ATI Radeon™ HD 5000 Series Graphics Create AMD's Most Powerful Desktop Platform Ever

SUNNYVALE, Calif. —4/27/2010

AMD (NYSE: AMD) announced the immediate availability of the AMD Phenom™ II X6 processor and AMD 890FX chipset ushering in a new era of immersive 3D entertainment and visualization. Trailblazing consumers seeking immersive 3D entertainment and high definition multi-monitor display now can affordably upgrade to six-core performance and award-winning ATI Radeon™ HD 5000 series graphics. Today also marks the availability of the flagship AMD Phenom™ II X6 1090T Black Edition processor, AMD's fastest and most tunable desktop processor ever.

"With AMD Phenom II X6 processors, discerning customers can build an incredible, immersive entertainment system and content creation powerhouse," said Bob Grim, director of Client Platform Marketing at AMD. "AMD is answering the call for elite desktop PC performance and features at an affordable price."

AMD Phenom II X6 processors feature new Turbo CORE technology that transfers performance to three dedicated cores operating at higher frequency. AMD Phenom II X6 processors can shift to Turbo mode for demanding games and productivity software which may employ two or three cores, or shift back to six real cores for the demands of core-hungry content creation and immersive 3D applications.

Systems based on the AMD Phenom II X6 processor and the AMD 8-series chipsets are immediately available in North America from BOXX, iBuyPower, CyberPower, Systemax, MainGear, NCS Technology, Velocity Micro, and ZT Systems. AMD Phenom II X6 processors and AMD 8-series chipsets are available on motherboard sold by online retailers NCIX, Newegg, TigerDirect, and ZipZoomFly.

The AMD Phenom II X6 processor works with existing AM3 and AM2+ socket motherboards with proper BIOS support, making these processors an easy upgrade

With the new AMD OverDrive™ 3.2.1, computer enthusiasts can tune system performance, customize settings, and tune memory performance for the latest AMD platforms with the new AMD Phenom II X6 processor1

The AMD 890FX chipset is the premier complement to the AMD Phenom II X6 processor, featuring ATI CrossFireX™ technology, and is ready for up to four ATI Radeon HD graphics cards and award winning ATI EyeFinity multiple-display technology2

All of the necessary components to build a complete AMD-based system featuring the AMD Phenom II X6 processor can be purchased for less than the price of our competition's only six-core desktop processor3

The AMD 890FX with SB850 chipset includes the latest SATA 6Gb/s hard drive interface, Gigabit Ethernet, HyperTransport™ 3.0 technology, and PCI Express® Generation 2.0 designed to provide high performance data flow

Many AMD 890FX-based motherboards feature SuperSpeed USB 3.0, quickly synchronizing and transferring digital media files on the new generation of USB 3.0 devices