True Quad Core processor with an extra L3 cache for faster performance

Category: Review on Asus M2N68-AM Motherboard

Posted by: 27-Jul

Strengths: True" quad-core design, handles data efficiently

Weaknesses: Clock speed not fast enough

AMD Phenom 9600 is a Quad Core processor. Compared to other processors it is less expensive. The architecture is based on the Barcelona core. AMD's Phenom is the first processor to include four cores which share at least one level of the cache unlike Intel's Core 2 Quad design which combines two dual-core chips together. AMD Phenom 9600’s unified L3 cache provides data store, the size of which changes according to the amount of incoming data. Phenom 9600 has new, faster multimedia instructions which are called SSE4a. This processor is available in a Silver color.

This model includes an additional 2MB of L3 cache to enhance the speed of memory accesses. These processors feature a 65nm manufacturing technology, the main characteristic for the K10 architecture. According to AMD, the six key features included in the processor gives it an advantage over its competitor, the Intel processors. AMD Phenom 9600 is the first among the processors to use the HyperTransport 3.0 protocol for I/O.

The new memory controller is almost the same as that of the Athlon X2 CPUs, it still supports DDR2 memory. AMD Phenom 9600 requires more clock speed. Though it does not have the performance to compete with Intel, it can be a good choice for those looking for a quad processor. Though, the AMD Phenom 9600 processor has a number of advanced features, it still lags behind its competitors.