AMD AM3 Phenom II processors launch, get tested

AMD have announced their new socket AM3 CPUs as well as their first triple-core 45nm Phenom II processors, in an attempt to take on Intel's Core 2 Quad range.  Five new chips are on offer, two of which are OEM only, and all are priced at under $200 (in 1,000 chip quantities); they scale from the Phenom II x3 710 2.6GHz (with 1.5MB L2 cache and 6MB L3 cache), up t the Phenom II x 910 2.6GHz (with 2MB L2 cache and 6MB L3 cache).

The full range of new AM3 socket chips are as follows; however note that AMD has also made them AM2+ compatible, meaning they'll work in the old socket style too:

Phenom II x3 710 @ 2.6 GHz, 1.5MB L2 cache, 6MB L3 cache

Phenom II x3 720 BE @ 2.8 GHz, 1.5MB L2 cache, 6MB L3 cache

Phenom II x4 805 @ 2.5 GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 4MB L3 cache (OEM only)

Phenom II x4 810 @ 2.6 GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 4MB L3 cache

Phenom II x4 910 @ 2.6 GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 6MB L3 cache (OEM only)

Desktop Review have been testing out two of the chips, the Phenom II x3 720 BE @ 2.8 GHz and the Phenom II x4 810 @ 2.6 GHz, against a number of existing Core 2 Quad, Phenom II and Core i7 processors.  They've also overclocked the 720 BE to 3.8GHz, which is reportedly very straightforward to do.

End result is a good selection of well-performing chips which, thanks to their backward socket compatibility, offer a cost-effective way of upgrading an existing system.  What remains to be seen is what price system builders put on new PCs.