AMD Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition Is Weak

Advanced Micro Devices may have just launched a new so-called flagship processor, but it looks like its prowess was found lacking by some, even though it is supposed to be one of, if not the fastest AMD quad-core CPU to date.

While a chip maker might unleash what it calls a chip more powerful that those before it, sometimes the unit fails to live up to the expectations of some reviewers.

In this instance, it appears that AMD's Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition, a quad-core unit with 6 MB of L3 cache, was found lacking.

We've already covered the processor in an article here, but it appears the first reviews have emerged, painting a none too pretty picture.

Normally, when seeing a CPU with a clock speed of 3.7 GHz, the first impression is a good one. After all, many users like to see big numbers.

Also, the Black Edition moniker makes it clear that the newcomer is an enthusiast chip, with gaming/overclocking capabilities and whatnot.

Unfortunately, tests revealed that, even though the chips run at 3.7 GHz, the L3 cache, HyperTransport controller and memory controller operate at just 2 GHz.

It was also, surprisingly enough, defeated in numeric benchmarks by the Intel Core i7-860, which is a 45nm, old-generation Nehalem chip.

That said, it looks like the chip failed to even put up a decent fight against Intel Core i5-2400, which managed 15-20 more frames per second in some games.

What's more, it seems that this very same i5-2400 is actually cheaper than the Phenom II X4 980, meaning that only users that already have AMD AM3 mainboards will really be inclined to buy it.

There is also the fact that the AMD Phenom II X6-1090T, a six-core unit, is only about $5 more expensive ($200) than the $195 newcomer.

What remains is to see if the upcoming, final Athlon II that AMD is planning will be more competitive, both price and performance-wise.