AMD Has Four New Business Phenoms

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Sunnyvale (CA) - AMD announced four new "business class" Phenom processors, which essentially means that these processors are made available for a platform that won’t change for at least two years and include a 3-year warranty.

The four new Phenom processors extend AMD’s B-series platform, which also includes a motherboard carrying either AMD’s 780V or Nvidia’s MCP78 chipset, to a total of 11 processors. The new models include the Phenom X4 9750B (2.4 GHz/95 watt), the Phenom X3 8750B (2.4 GHz/95watt), the Athlon X2 5600B (2.9 GHz/65 watt) and Athlon X2 4850B (2.5 GHz/45 watt) processors.

Pricing was announced, but we expect AMD to continue its business class pricing strategy, which means that these processors will be offered with a premium of close to 20% on the high-end and about 10% on the lower end when compared to non-B-series processors of the same main product family and comparable clock speeds.

It is interesting to note that AMD has changed its naming strategy of Phenom processors, which is now consistent with the rest of the Phenom product family, but inconsistent with the first batch of Phenom B CPUs. As mentioned in a, AMD has chosen to designate its TLB bug-free B3 series Phenom processors with a XX50 number, which clearly indicates that these latest Phenoms (9750, 8750) are in fact B3 series and TLB-bug free processors.

In contrast, the sequence numbers of the preceding B2-series, which included the TLB bug, ended on full hundreds. The first B-series Phenoms were the 9600B and 8600B, which indicated that these are processors with the B2-series core. However, AMD told us that the 9600B and 8600B processors are actually B3-series CPUs. As if the sequence numbering system isn’t already confusing enough, AMD has now some inconsistencies of B2/B3 markers within the same product family, which does not necessarily make a purchase decision much easier, especially, if you are trying to figure out which processors have the TLB bug and which do not.

Guys, why don’t you rename the 9600B and 8600B to 9650B and 8650B, if these are TLB bug-free chips?

Wolfgang Gruener
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5 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Ummm - explain please the "business class". I get the "platform" idea and the "3 yr warranty" idea - but are these cpu's different, other than they have a B in the name? Or is it just that they are marketing to business and offering a 3-year comforting warranty? Isn't warranty usually 1-year?

    I think I am asking you to explain the "business" angle. ? This is interesting to me; but somewhat of a foreign concept, since I am mainly a gamer type user.

    It seems the warranty and usage class are the main considerations - in otherwords, business apps like Office, etc. are not softwares that demand, or even need, high performance processing. Although multitask would be good with multicore.

    What's the overview on this area? I feel unclear re this area. Will these be available through typical retail?
    Reply
  • I had the same initial reaction as Mystic. I have to think these are the SAME CPU's with a longer warranty, however as most chips are reliability tested to last for over 3 years anyway, this seems like a rather empty "extra value" promise.

    The only thing I can see is the commitment to build these models for at least 3 years (I believe Intel does similar with their business based chips too).

    This seems like a bit of a scam to charge businesses more money for the same chip. If you are using enough chips where you have to be worried about having a 3 year supply guarantee then the premium is going to really get you and why not buy the non-B series?

    In any event, it is not clear why this is a "news" story on Tom's. What exactly is the news? This seems like a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing.
    Reply
  • Ree-Zun
    There is at least one significant differentiation:

    The 9870B 2.4 GHz boasts a thermal power of 95W – or a 24% reduction – while there is at least one non-Business variant (HD9750XAJ4BGH) rated at 125W – or 31% greater.
    Reply
  • The last poster neglects the fact that there is a 95Watt DESKTOP 9750 as well (the 97XX series is 2.4GHz). These business chips are not "improved" they are "marketed" - the reductions quoted in the above comment are bunk as there is a 95Watt desktop as well at 2.4GHz. The 125Watt bin is simply for flexibility as AMD's thermals start falling off the cliff at 2.4GHz on 65nm quads (as evidenced by steps to 125W and then to 140W on successive 100MHz speed bins)

    http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_15331_15332%5E15347,00.html

    I suspect the 95Watt desktop will now suddenly be in short supply as 95Watt "B" chips suddenly 'show' up as someone spends a lot of time engraving a "B" on the back of some the existing 95Watt 2.4GHz 9750 chips.

    Tom's - please actually do some research before simply publishing company press releases. Is there really any news here? (I don't consider a 3year warranty to be newsworthy)
    Reply
  • zenmaster
    Well, It is news.
    AMD a major Chip Company released 4 new Chips.

    However, It's not Tom's Fault that the new Chips are a sad joke if all they offer is a higher price tag and a free letter "B" tossed into the product name.
    Reply