Skip to main content

AMD Phenom II X6 Brings Six Cores to Desktops

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Folks looking to put more oomph in their desktop systems have a brand new option from chipmaker AMD: the Phenom II X6 processor that boasts six independent processor cores, and features Turbo Core technology that can crank up three of those cores to even higher clock speed. AMD is pitching the chip to both gamers and digital content creators—especially folks who worth with 3D modeling software that can leverage all six cores—coupled of course with its ATI Radeon HD 500 series graphics card for an end-to-end 3D experience.

Recommended Videos

“With AMD Phenom II X6 processors, discerning customers can build an incredible, immersive entertainment system and content creation powerhouse,” said AMD client platform marketing director Bob Grim, in a statement. “AMD is answering the call for elite desktop PC performance and features at an affordable price.”

The AMD Phenom II X6 is built on AMD’s 45nm processor, which is considered a little bulky compared to the 32nm processes employed by other chipmakers. But AMD is hoping to make up for that in performance and pricing: the chip features 6 MB of joint L3 cache shared between the cores—they also have their own isolated 512K L2 caches, meaning a total of 9 MB of data can be stored on the chip itself without running out to main memory…although an individual core might have to look for data in as many as seven places. The Phenom II X6 also leverages technology from AMD’s 12-core and 6-core server chips, with native DDR3-1600 dual channel memory support and a HyperTransport 3.1 connection to the chipset that should improve processor throughput considerably.

The Phenom II X6 should compete in the marketplace alongside rival Intel’s high-end Core i7 processors—and clock speeds are right in line, with the top-end Phenom II X6 part running at 3.2 GHz, barring core-specific overclocking provided by AMD’s Turbo Core technology. Although the Intel Core i7 chip has the performance advantage, AMD will be beating it on price: AMD is offering the parts to manufacturers in the $300 price range. The company is also providing enthusiasts the tools to overclock and tweak the processors on their own rigs: reports have the high-end “Black Edition” Phenom II X6 chips running around 4 GHz on properly-cooled well-designed boards, which might give AMD an edge amongst folks who want to jack their gaming rigs without spending enormous amounts of money.

The downside of a six-core chip, however, is that precious few applications are well-designed to run on multicore processors, let alone six-core chips. While there are a number of exceptions in video editing, 3D rendering, and even gaming, most everyday applications simply don’t leverage the capability, meaning most of the time, these multicore powerhouses toodle along on just a portion of their true capabilities.

OEMs are busily bringing systems featureing the Phenom II X6 to market as we speak, with offerings from the likes of Maingear, iBuyPower, Boxx, Velocity Micro, and NCS Technology available now.

Geoff Duncan
Former Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
Topics
AMD brings back 3D V-Cache chips for gaming laptops
The AMD Fire Range laptop CPU announced at CES 2025.

AMD just announced over a dozen new laptop CPUs, which will appear in over 150 new laptops being announced at CES 2025 and later this year, including a new 3D V-Cache chip for gaming laptops and some really impressive graphics in its new Ryzen AI Max+ halo chips.

Let's start with Fire Range. These chips are for high-end gaming laptops, a successor to Dragon Range line, catering to enthusiast gamers and, so far, only enthusiasts are going to be happy, as those laptops likely be quite expensive. On the other hand, the CPUs sound mighty powerful. The lineup includes, first and foremost, the next big 3D V-Cache chip, dubbed the Ryzen 9 9955HX3D.

Read more
There’s some great news about AMD’s next-gen Zen 6 CPUs
The AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D CPU.

AMD’s upcoming Zen 6 “Medusa” desktop processors are likely to continue with the current AM5 socket. This information was shared by Kepler_L2 on X, who also speculates that Zen 6 may not arrive before late 2026 or early 2027. However, AMD has yet to confirm these reports officially.

The AM5 socket, which launched with the Ryzen 7000 series in 2022, has become popular among enthusiasts for its extended support commitment. Should this leak prove accurate, it would mean the AM5 platform could support a third generation of processors. This move would also notably follow AMD’s strategy from the AM4 socket era, which continues to support multiple generations of Ryzen CPUs and helped build user trust in AMD’s platform longevity.

Read more
AMD Ryzen 5 9600X is now almost $50 cheaper than it was two months ago
The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X between two finger tips.

AMD's Zen 5 processors are still fresh out of the oven -- they were only released a little over two months ago. As they struggle to find their footing among some of the best processors, they've been getting discounted regularly ever since, and that certainly helps. Today's deals bring the Ryzen 5 9600X down by nearly $50 when compared to its recommended list price.

The Ryzen 5 9600X is the most budget-friendly chip in the new lineup. It started out with a recommended price (MSRP) of $280, which is $10 less than its predecessor.  That adjustment was nice to see, but the 9600X was still much pricier than the 7600X upon launch, as the Zen 4 chip received numerous price cuts since it first hit the shelves. Right now, it's priced at $225, but I've seen it sell for much less.

Read more