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AMD Phenom 2 X4 980 Black Edition 3.7GHz Socket AM3

Based on 18 reviews

Excellent:

2
Good:

7
Average:

3
Bad:

6

Pros

Decent performance.
Good price.
Multiplier unlocked.
Lots of computing power in multithreaded applications.
Works with older chipsets, AM2 socket, and DDR2 memory.

Cons

Limited overclocking with our sample.
A bit on the expensive side.
High power consumption under load compared to Intel's rivals.
Unlocked multiplier adds little practical value.
Not the best choice for hardcore gamers.

By Bit-tech.net on July 13, 2011

AMD’s last Phenom-branded CPU is a mixed blessing. In effect, it’s the last of a generation ofCPUs that enables us to look forward to AMD’s new offerings. However, it also reminds us that AMD is currently lagging far behind Intel, not...

63
By DigitalVersus on July 12, 2011

The AMD Phenom II X4 980 is a mid-range CPU that does its job well. It's particularly good for...

60
By TechRadar on July 02, 2011

While Intel has the performance end of the CPU market sewn up, AMD has been looking out for the little guy, focussing squarely on the mainstream market and cheap chips with competitive processing chops. The Sandy Bridge family might be your go-to guys...

80
By Rbmods.com on May 31, 2011

This CPU is here to replace the 975BE CPU that has dropped down a notch in price and performance. To cover this specific price range they have decided to release this CPU. For 150$ you get quite a bit of performance BUT it doesn’t overclock much,...

-
By Metku.net on May 28, 2011

There isn't really anything ground breaking about the 980. It uses the same Deneb core as the earlier quads we've reviewed, and the performance is exactly what we expected. A bit higher than the previous 3,6 GHz flag ship Phenom X4 975. In the...

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By techPowerUp! on May 16, 2011

And yet again, AMD has served us a Deneb based Phenom II X4 processor, with just another 100 MHz speed bump over its predecessor. No new technology implementations like Turbo Core, no significant performance increases, in fact, Phenom II X4 980 Black...

84
By PCPer on May 03, 2011

The Phenom II has had a long and active life for AMD. It is hard to believe that it was over two years ago that the first Phenom II X4 940 came rolling off the lines. Since then we have seen the clockspeed go from 3.0 GHz to 3.7 GHz. In this day...

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By Hi Tech Legion on May 03, 2011

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and no one is trying to here. The Phenom II X4 980BE is a speed bump in a very stable and successful existing platform. There is no new technology incorporated, just more speed…..and there is...

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By Neoseeker on May 03, 2011

Now that Sandy Bridge is here, it continues to be tough to recommend the top-end Phenom II processors. For the approximately the same price as the Phenom II X4 980, one can get the Core i5-2500 or 2400. These offer better performance in nearly every...

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By HardwareHeaven on May 03, 2011

It is fair to say that AMDs latest Phenom 2 X4 CPU presents us with no real surprises. It follows their trend of releasing new models at an existing price point and so offers consumers higher performance than the older 975 Black Edition for the same...

90