Overlocking By 13.04% - 2.60 GHz

Our Phenom 9600 Black Edition review sample uses a stock core voltage of 1.250 V. We were able to increase the CPU's frequency from 2.30 GHz to 2.60 GHz without having to raise the voltage. Overclocked by 13.04%, our Phenom 9600 Black Edition was completely stable.

Prime95 stable at 1.250 V

At its default frequency of 2.30 GHz, the Phenom 9600 uses a memory divider of 7, resulting in a memory frequency of DDR2-766. Overclocking the CPU to 2.60 GHz does not yet allow us to use the next smallest divider, so the memory speed drops to DDR2-742. An internals protection mechanism incorporated into the CPU prevents the memory from running at more than DDR2-800 speed.

Of course, you are still able to reach a higher memory clock speed by overclocking the FSB / Hypertransport bus. However, since the Black Edition processors come with an unlocked multiplier, this method does not make much sense. The Phenom's memory controller also supports SLI functionality for memory if the RAM offers it. This feature is exclusive to the more expensive modules, though.

Since the CPU limits the memory speed to a maximum frequency of DDR2-800, the memory speed defaults to DDR2-766 at 2.3 GHz, and DDR2-742 at 2.6 GHz.

The memory runs 12 MHz (24 MHz DDR) slower as a result of the Phenom 9600 BE being overclocked to 2.60 GHz.