AMD Phenom 2 X4 970 Black Edition

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AMD Phenom 2 X4 970 Black Edition
The AMD Phenom 2 X4 970 Black Edition is clocked at 3.50GHz with 8MB of cache, dual-channel DDR2/DDR3 memory support and AM3/AM2+ motherboard compatibility.
4
Cores
4
Threads
3.5 GHz
Base Clock
Socket AM3
Socket
125 W
TDP
No iGPU
Graphics
CPU Snapshot
Release date:Sep 21, 2010Price at Launch:$179
Type:DesktopSocket:Socket AM3
Cores:4Threads:4
Multithreading:No
Clocks & Cache
Base Clock:3.5 GHzL2 Cache:4 × 512 KB
L3 Cache:6 MB
Platform
Codename:Deneb (K10)Process Size:45 nm
Memory Support:DDR3-1333 / DDR2-1066TDP:125 W
PCIe Support:PCIe 2.0Box Cooler:Yes
Integrated Features
Integrated Graphics:NoNPU:No

Reviews and Ratings

82

Average Score

Based on 8 reviews

Reviewers Liked

  • Nearly 700MHz overclock on air cooler
  • Affordable
  • Works in current AM2and AM3 motherboards
  • Very high clocked Quad Core
  • Lots of computing power in multithreaded applications
  • Compatibility with older chipsets, AM2 socket, and DDR2 memory

Reviewers Didn't Like

  • Lacking memory performance
  • High power consumption under load
  • High end cooler and power supply needed to overclock
  • Unlocked multiplier adds little practical value
  • Not the best choice for hardcore gamers
  • Only a slight speed bump over its predecessor
  • Doesn't approach performance of Intel's pricier top-end CPU's
80

A mid-range quad core that does what's asked of it well. Notably, it's at ease in...

By DigitalVersus on
80

By now, we were hoping to able to get our hands on AMD's new Bulldozer archtecture processors, but there's still no sign of them, so instead we back with the familiar Phenom II theme. Give it up for the new AMD Phenom II X4 970 Black Edition.Based on...

By TechRadar on
70

Frankly anyone who knows what's what in the tech world knows the story with Intel and AMDs desktop CPUs at the moment. AMD's chips can generally compete at a given price point at stock speeds but fall way behind when any of the overclocking sauce is...

By Bit-tech.net on
90

AMD's newest flagship quad-core Phenom II, the 970 Black Edition, comes out swinging and performs on par with previous models. A jump from 3.4GHz to 3.5GHz may not seem like much, but when paired up with a decent motherboard, the 970's unlocked...

By bjorn3d.com on
83

Costs more than previous models but doesn't deliver a proportionate performance boost...

By PC Pro on
87

AMD did not do anything new or extraordinary with their Phenom II X4 970 BE processor. But it didn't do anything bad with it either. Even though it is AMD's highest clocked processor ever to come out to the consumer retail market, the more important...

By techPowerUp! on
82

AMD’s new high-end quad-core CPU fares well against its slightly pricier competition, even if it isn’t anywhere close to competing with Intel’s best....

By Computer Shopper on

Benchmarking 86 CPUs takes a while. After long last, though, we have 51 models from AMD and 35 from Intel tested in our current suite. If you want to know how your processor sizes up to its competition, you'll find plenty of comparison data inside! 86...

By Tom's Hardware on

Finally, a moment anticipated by many: test results of Intel's new LGA1155 platform are available. This resembles the situation with LGA1156, because the new processors will be rolled out in several steps. Today we'll get to know the details of...

By iXBT Labs on

Our previous review was dedicated to the Core i7-800 LGA1156 series. The conclusion was that those solutions, as well as the Core i7-900 LGA1366 series, can offer enough computing power for most tasks you may need accomplished. At least four cores and...

By iXBT Labs on

The overall score quite precisely describes processor standings which marketing specialists could have in mind when setting prices. So, formally, we can say that every processor is in its place and is worth buyers' attention. Although, considering architectural differences, you should choose...

By iXBT Labs on

AMD recently refreshed their Phenom II and Athlon II lines with six new processors. Of course it wouldn’t be any fun to just tell you about new processors without showing off what they can do, now would it? We didn’t think so either, so today we’re...

By Icrontic on
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