AMD Six Core Processor Backwards Compatible
Last month, Intel released its new Core i7-980X Extreme six -core chip. It's fast as hell, it's the first 32NM six-core ever, and it's spendy like a MoFo, as in upwards of a grand. Plus all you socket 775 users will need new boards. And RAM. And stuff.
Which makes the impending release of the new AMD six-core chip, code named Thuban, so impressive. First of all, the chip, which will come to market called the Phenom II X6, is backward compatible with older motherboards. Which means if you've got a jones for the fastest AMD chip around and you're running a Socket AM2+ or Socket AM3, you're in luck.
Even better, though, is the pricing. The top-of-the line X6 Black Edition (1090T) is priced at only $295 bucks. And while it may not pack the punch that the Intel six-core does, it's less than a third of the price, and appears to be a solid competitor when put up against the currently dominant Intel i5 and i7 chips, as Techreport shows in its in-depth article on the new proc.
Competition is good. Upgrading without swapping your entire motherboard is better. It will be interesting to see what sort of boost AMD ultimately gets from its latest and greatest release.
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