AMD Athlon X2 6400+ Black Edition Teaser
When ever I see a Fed-Ex truck I instinctively run outside. The rules are simple: If there’s nothing for me, there’s going to be trouble.
There was no need for trouble this time. He handed me a package containing the Black Edition CPU from AMD.
It’s a beast. Here are the specs:
- AMD X2 (Dual Core) 6400+ @ 3.2 GHz
- 2 MB L2 Cache (1 MB per core)
- 28 KB of L2 cache (64k per core)
- Maximum temperature: 55 - 63 degrees C
- HyperTransport speed is up to 2 GHz
- Socket AM2
- Unlocked Multiplier
It’s fast. That could have been the end of the article but I’ll give you a little more.
The unlocked multiplier is a huge deal. It really breaks down the overclocking barriers to truly make this an enthusiast CPU. What that really means is that you have way more control over the multiplier and the FSB to make it extremely overclockable (is that a word?). I have yet to test it myself but I will be soon and I’ll post a video on my findings.
AMD states that their CPU performs better than the similarly priced Core 2 Duo CPU’s. I don’t doubt it for a second. I would even go so far as to bet that this CPU fares better in gaming than even the Intel Q6600 Quad Core. It’s also a lot less expensive too.
It’s also nice to see this packaged without a fan. If you are building a gaming system you want a good third party cooler. They have also advertised the maximum temperature as 55 - 63 degrees C well.
I get a lot of e-mails from gamers. Lately it seems that a lot of them are switching to Intel based motherboards because they have heard that the new Intel CPU’s are faster. Well, keep your AM2 motherboard. This CPU is a monster.
Here’s a little video of goofing off while unboxing the product:
/Logan
BioStar has a board on the way for Logan’s testing. Keep watching and learn all about Logan’s experience with the new AMD Black Edition!
so does it *really* have an unlocked multi? and if so, shouldn’t it already be pretty much maxed out at stock speed? these unlocked/locked-multi rumors are confusing :o
Good PR for trying to promote this processor.
You need to know that today the motto is “save on power and have all the performance you want”
Intel does that better anyday now than AMD. The only reason to have this processor is to make a last dying effort to gasp for air. Today’s Intel processors need no fan as well as no cooler. On the other hand AMD’s processor like this one needs a cooler but won’t last with a fan. Certainly not effecient for my gaming setup.
Intel’s cpu’s need no fan or cooler? Show me one Intel cpu that is as fast as this one and doesn’t need cooling. Any good intel CPU will overheat in a matter of seconds without cooling. I can’t even turn the computer on without a fan.
It’s true that the Intel quad is a monster but that is not in the same range. The fact is this: it is a great part for the money and if someone has an AM2 board they can get some awesome results with this.
This is a great product from AMD… Intel has some awesome products too. It pays to be impartial.
It is an unlocked multiplier… so with good cooling you might be able to crank a few hundred mhz more out of it… It is based on the 90nm design so who knows how far someone could take it.
Its a very good chip .I bought it for 200$ and attached a zalman 9500 cooler for 50$ . I have a 38C temperature in standby and 50 MAX at full load.Room temp is about 20-22 C.
And now i have a machine more powerful then all regular Core 2 Duo’s and even the some Extreme core 2 duo’s based PC’s .
That’s more then a good result and i didn’t even overclock it !
And the multiplier is unlocked ,so if i will want to ,I will just buy a water cooling block and make it even more powerfull!
This CPU doesn’t have a competition not only in its price range ,but even higher!
yo i was thinking about getting this for my first computer that i am building but is their anything cheaper that i can get but still be able to play games.
I have one of these CPU’s. I bought it cos I heard it was multiplier unlocked, BUT IT IS NOT!!!
I emailed AMD about it and they said that “The Black Edition suffix does not imply that it is multiplier unlocked” even though every other Black Edition CPU is!
I asked them what I can do about it, and they said that if i wanted a dual core AM2 which is unlocked, to get a Black Edition 5000…which would defeat the point!
I’ve got the 6400+ overclocked to 3664MHz/core which is sweet as :P and that’s with a Scythe Mine cooler and Arctic Silver 5 :)
Mobo is Asus M2N32 SLI Deluxe WiFi AP.
RAM is generic Geil DDRII 800.
When running distributed.net for a few hours, I come back to a 56°C CPU, but that’s in a warm room. /me needs air con :)