DailyTech - AMD Launches "Black Edition" Athlon 64 X2 5000+

Submit News

Hardware AMD Launches "Black Edition" Athlon 64 X2 5000+
Gabriel Ikram (Blog) - September 27, 2007 11:30 AM

68 comment(s) - last by ajalbetjr.. on Oct 2 at 8:19 PM

No, it still isn't a special edition Mercedes

With Barcelona finally launched, the enthusiast community eagerly awaits the launch of AMD's Phenom desktop processors. A large gap, however, still remains between now and then, and what better way to fill that gap than with a new AMD Athlon 64 product?

Today AMD silent-launched its Athlon 64 X2 5000+ "Black Edition." The Athlon 64 X2 5000+ is AMD’s second processor offered under the Black Edition moniker; the first being the AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+.

In reality, the Athlon 64 X2 5000+ can hardly be considered a completely new product. It still features the same 2.6GHz clock speed, 1 MB of L2 cache, and 65 Watt TDP. In fact, all technical aspects of the processor are identical to its non-Black Edition counterpart. The only new feature that the Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Black Edition brings to the table is an unlocked multiplier -- allowing overclockers to increase the frequency of the processor without the need to adjust the HyperTransport clock.

It is unmistakable that AMD is attempting to entice enthusiasts and DIY PC builders with the unlocked multiplier. Thus, success of the new product centers on its overclocking performance.

According sources familiar with the new CPUs launch schedule, retail availability of the processors should come later this month, but as of right now no major supplier is selling the new processor.

AMD guidance sets the MSRP of the Athlon 64 X2 5000+ "Black Edition" at $136 in quantities of 1,000.

Comments

Threshold

Username
Password
remember me

This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled

RE: Wow...

By OrSin on 9/27/2007 11:58:08 AM , Rating: 5

Unlocked for $136 is not bad if you need an upgrade. If you buying new Intel might be better. The CPU for intel are nice but I'm not fan of chipsets right now.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By defter on 9/27/2007 12:39:55 PM , Rating: 2

This is available only for AM2 socket. Considering that AM2 was released less than 1.5 years ago, how many people:
- have single core AM2 systems?
- want already upgrade their AM2 systems?

Parent

RE: Wow...

By mmntech on 9/27/2007 12:49:08 PM , Rating: 4

If you're still using something like an X2 3800+ like I do, a 5000+ for $136 is a big upgrade for such low cost. Unfortunately my system is Socket 939 so I can't buy this. I'm sure some guy would try to rip me off on eBay for the 939 version of the same thing.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By retrospooty on 9/27/2007 1:06:51 PM , Rating: 5

"Unfortunately my system is Socket 939 so I can't buy this. I'm sure some guy would try to rip me off on eBay for the 939 version of the same thing."

exactly the issue... AMD blew it with canceling the 939 CPU's. Alot of people had 939 boards, and if newer faster 939 CPU's were available, they could have sold plenty CPU upgrades... BUT, since to go from 939 to AM2, you needed a new CPU, mobo, and RAM. At that time (and still true today) if you are going to buy a new CPU, mobo, and RAM, Intel is a way better option, so many people switched back to Intel.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By designdp on 9/27/2007 1:16:45 PM , Rating: 2

Unfortunately my system is Socket 939 so I can't buy this. Me too

Parent

RE: Wow...

By softwiz on 9/27/2007 2:15:55 PM , Rating: 2

I'd have liked to get X2 4800+ 939 if they were in stock anywhere.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By 1078feba on 9/27/2007 5:05:22 PM , Rating: 2

Snagged an FX-60 just before 939 went the way of the dodo. I know that the Egg doesn't stock them anymore, but I'm pretty sure that you can find them elsewhere.

Got mine at 3.2 stable (stock 2.6, just like this Black edition +5000) on a Coolit Freezone. While it still bottlenecks my dual Ultra's, it's better than nothing while I wait to see how Phenom stacks up against Core 2 and Penryn.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By Sunrise089 on 9/27/2007 2:41:18 PM , Rating: 2

Wait...you aren't the first person I've heard saying this, but last time I checked plenty of s939 Opteron dual-cores were available. So what's the problem?

Parent

RE: Wow...

By retrospooty on 9/27/2007 3:42:07 PM , Rating: 2

Instead of upgrading to a faster 939 CPU, I (and most people who upgraded) moved on to the batter platform. Dual core Opt's are expensive as hell.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By Dactyl on 9/27/2007 8:14:58 PM , Rating: 2

Dual core Opt's are expensive as hell.

I'm considering buying a dual-core S939 2.4GHz Opteron from Newegg for $160.

That's just a little bit more in price than this "Black Edition" CPU and I would get 2x1MB of cache.

Dual core Opterons, while they last, are no longer expensive as hell.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By retrospooty on 9/28/2007 10:24:45 AM , Rating: 2

Yes, but the high end AM2 processors are at 3.2ghz. The point was that AMD should have been making faster 939's as well. If they did you could buy a 3.2ghz 939, and that is a nice upgrade.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By Sunrise089 on 9/27/2007 11:51:53 PM , Rating: 2

Maybe in Canada. In the U.S., my 2.7ghz in 5 minutes Opty was less than $100.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By mmntech on 9/27/2007 7:25:52 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
Wait...you aren't the first person I've heard saying this, but last time I checked plenty of s939 Opteron dual-cores were available. So what's the problem?

I'm from Canada and that sort of stuff is not widely available here anymore. NCIX only has a few left in stock, mostly lower end ones. And yes, Opties are still expensive as hell. I don't like buying valuable stuff from the States either since I'm always worried customs is going to trash it. As for simply upgrading to a new platform, I'm a university student and just spent $500+ on text books. I just don't have the cash so I stick with what I've got.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By calyth on 9/27/2007 2:44:24 PM , Rating: 5

Fact of the matter is, by moving the memory controller to the CPU die, whenever you change the memory technology, you probably need a socket change.

Could they have stuck with releasing both 939 and AM2 parts, yes, but I don't think they could get away with not releasing AM2 parts. Mainstream users would tend to say, oh, "Intel is using DDR2, and AMD's still using DDR, so I'll go for Intel" - not quite realising that early DDR2 clock speed isn't enough to make up for its latency, and DDR would work just fine. AMD had to move to DDR2 some point, and eventually they will have to kill off 939.

It isn't like Intel doesn't have similar problems. In fact, they have a worse track record IMO in terms of changing sockets and screwing people.

I'm still interested in the black edition, simply because i'm on a 4000+ and I wouldn't mind moving to an unlocked piece. I do agree withe the comment that AMD should just release unlocked parts to stay in the game. That would definitely entice OCers.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By omnicronx on 9/27/2007 3:15:03 PM , Rating: 2

The memory controller has been on the cpu since a64 came out. As for the DDR2, i still really doubt that a socket change was needed, especially since the cpu barely changed (only added one pin which made it 940). Added features such as virtualization probably warranted a socket change, but i really doubt ddr2 was the sole reason for changing sockets.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By AMDfreak on 9/27/2007 4:06:29 PM , Rating: 2

Exactly the reason, despite my screen name, that I am now building a Q6600 system.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By Zagor on 9/27/2007 2:08:28 PM , Rating: 2

I almost got excited when I saw this and then I remembered that my three systems are all 939. What a let down. I will be upgrading this fall but as already stated, new mb and new RAM means going back to intel. What a big mistake by AMD.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By defter on 9/27/2007 3:33:11 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
If you're still using something like an X2 3800+ like I do, a 5000+ for $136 is a big upgrade for such low cost.

Really?
1. 3800+ runs at 2GHz, this new CPU has only 30% higher frequency (and a bigger cache), thus I wouldn't count this a big upgrade.
2. Ordinary 5000+ has been available for ages, now it's availble for $107 according to pricewatch. Only advantage of this "black edition" is unlocked multiplier.

Thus, this 5000+ black edition is neither cheap, not a big upgrade to 3800+.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By sdifox on 9/27/2007 3:38:22 PM , Rating: 2

quote:
Really?
1. 3800+ runs at 2GHz, this new CPU has only 30% higher frequency (and a bigger cache), thus I wouldn't count this a big upgrade.
2. Ordinary 5000+ has been available for ages, now it's availble for $107 according to pricewatch. Only advantage of this "black edition" is unlocked multiplier.

Thus, this 5000+ black edition is neither cheap, not a big upgrade to 3800+.

Huh? a 30% bump on CPU speed for 136 while keeping everything else is not a big deal? Granted, you probably can't OC much out of this anyway, but unlocked is not bad is it?

Parent

RE: Wow...

By clovell on 9/27/2007 4:22:00 PM , Rating: 2

How do you figure only 30%? The multiplier is unlocked - you can raise it to whatever you want (although it may not be stable). If this thing has a TDP of 65w vs the 89w 3800+, I'd imagine it has far more headroom as well (since it would use less power). Multiplier OC'ing is more stable than 'FSB' OC'ing anyway, so I'm not certain where 30% is coming from - I hit 37.5% OC on my 3800+.

And a 30% increase in clock speed isn't going to earn you 1337-0C'3r tags, but it's pretty respectable.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By Mitch101 on 9/27/2007 12:58:53 PM , Rating: 3

Mine are mostly 939 sockets so I would have to invest in a mobo and ram for this so it doesnt appeal to me. If I have to buy a new mobo and ram then Im looking at either getting a Phenom or an Intel Dual/Quad core at this point.

Maybe they should have also made this in a socket 939 package as a last stand thanks for all who feel abandoned and for no performance increase going to DDR2 unless you went to a Conroe which most did instead.

I would consider upgrading 3 of my current 939 machines with this if it were a 939 package instead of AM2. Sorry AMD.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By Felofasofa on 9/27/2007 5:27:29 PM , Rating: 1

quote:
but I'm not fan of chipsets right now.

Yeah they are just dreadful. The P35, I can only get to 3ghz on stock cooling with 1.225v on a q6600 g0. Runs annoyingly cool and stable at that speed/voltage. Must be a junk chipset. The guys at Nordic hardware they're only getting 4ghz+ with the new QX9650, more crap chipsets. Gee when will Intel get their shit together.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By jajig on 9/27/2007 6:34:26 PM , Rating: 1

A chipset isn't a processor.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By Felofasofa on 9/27/2007 6:53:44 PM , Rating: 3

quote:
A chipset isn't a processor.

My mistake, they have nothing to do with each other..;)

Parent

RE: Wow...

By jajig on 9/27/2007 10:41:52 PM , Rating: 2

Obviously that's sarcasm.

OrSin said he liked the processors but not the chipsets, if the chipset is missing something he requires processor speed is irrelevant.

Parent

RE: Wow...

By Felofasofa on 9/28/2007 4:52:38 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
if the chipset is missing something he requires processor speed is irrelevant.

But what could they be missing? Todays chipsets are packed with features, heaps of USB Ports, lots of SATA's, built in raid, plenty of expansion, mature memory management, reliable and stable, overclock ridiculously easy, and are really cheap for what you get. There's a choice of vendors. I guess I found his gripe rather strange considering the above.

Parent