Sunnyvale, California-based AMD is expected to unveil a new high-end processor that will become available with a factory-set clock speed of 3.2GHz. The new processor is part of the company's latest 45nm-based Phenom II processor lineup and will provide users with the computing performance of a four-core CPU. Details on the processor, simply dubbed Phenom II X4 995, have just been leaked on the Internet, providing us with a pretty general idea on its overclocking capabilities.

 

According to pictures, initially made available by XtremeSystems Forums, the upcoming AMD Phenom II 995 can easily be overclocked to 4GHz using standard air cooling. At standard clock speed, the quad-core Phenom II 995 is working at a voltage of 1.25V. However, at 1.45V and a HyperTransport speed of 250MHz (compared to the 200MHz for the standard core speed), the upcoming Phenom II X4 can work at an impressive 4GHz. Despite no word on an official release date, early details place the new Phenom II processor as a possible favorite among overclocking enthusiasts.

 

The new Phenom II processor will apparently come out as a replacement for the Phenom II X4 950 processor, which AMD was expected to unveil in the second quarter of 2009. This CPU model was supposed to provide users with a core speed of 3.1GHz, but, according to rumors, the chip maker decided to cancel it after “better-than-expected-yields.”

 

With the new generation of Phenom II processors, AMD has managed to up the ante in terms of performance, compared to the company's first generation of quad-core Phenom II CPUs. Thanks to the adoption of the 45nm process technology, the new central processing units offer a great performance/value ratio, helping AMD gain some of the market share it has lost to Intel's line of Core 2 Duo processors.