AMD announces Phenom X4 9950 Black Edition

Posted at: 12:06pm 1st July 2008 by Ben Hardwidge

Top end quad-core CPU runs at 2.6GHz and features an unlocked multiplier

After a shaky start, AMD’s higher-clocked Phenoms are gradually starting to trickle out now. Soon after announcing the 2.5GHz Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition in March, AMD has now announced its successor – the Phenom X4 9950 Black Edition. Clocked at 2.6GHz, the new chip is the flagship of AMD’s Phenom X4 range, and it also has an unlocked multiplier for flexible overclocking.

AMD claims that the chip has a TDP of 140W, and it’s currently slated to cost $235 US (£117.54), although, as always, there’s likely to be a bit of mark-up on that by the time it reaches the UK. A 2.5GHz Phenom 9850 Black Edition currently costs £146.75 inc VAT from Scan.

As well as the new top-end chip, AMD has also announced two cheaper quad-core Phenom X4 CPUs, which the company claims will have a TDP of just 65W. The Phenom X4 9350e will be clocked at 2GHz, with a price of $195 US (£97.51), while the 1.8GHz Phenom X4 9150e will cost  $175 US (£87.51).

The CPU maker says that these low-power chips ‘are designed for mainstream and energy-conscious users, and for digital media enthusiasts looking for enhanced digital content creation and consumption capabilities with energy efficiency.’