AMD Phenom-II X4-965 BE HDZ965FBK4DGM

In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the newly re-vamped AMD Phenom-II X4-965 BE desktop processor. For all intent and purpose, the AMD Phenom-II X4-965 Black Edition processor has not changed. The model number is now HDZ965FBK4DGM, and the total TDP is down from 140W to 125W. The X4-965 CPU still honors the AM3 socket, and uses a 45nm process to construct the 258mm² die. GlobalFoundries FAB1 has added C1E implementation on the hardware level, and DDR3 is now supported at 1333MHz for 'Heavy' loads. Ultimately though, the 3.4GHz is still the same overclocking beast it always has been, and performance is relatively unchanged.

To some degree, there really isn't much more to be said about the new X4-965 HDZ965FBK4DGM-model processor. AMD, like any good company worth their reputation, updates their product line whenever possible. Benchmark Reviews, like any good hardware website, seeks to discover the value locked away inside this product. But the AMD Phenom-II X4-965 BE processor is really a true dichotomy: it offers unlocked overclocking potential, while at the same time improves energy efficiency and conserves electricity. So which will it be?

That's the real question, and in more ways than one. Although the AMD X4-965 is priced a few dollars less than the Intel Core i5-750, these two processors have very different clock speeds. The more-expensive i5-750 operates at 2.66GHz, while the less-expensive Black Edition 965 operates at 3.4GHz. Quite the conundrum, considering that a real apples-to-apples comparison would involve the 3.33GHz Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition CPU... to the tune of $999.99. In reality, the Core i5-750 makes a better comparison product, since five brand new Black Edition 965's cost the same as only one Intel Core i7-975.

Back in April (2009), Benchmark Reviews covered the release of AMD's flagship quad-core processor, the Phenom-II X4 955 BE. The X4 955 was an outstanding product, and ushered in the era of the Phenom-II process. A few months later in August, AMD revealed the X4-965 Black Edition processor (model HDZ965FBGIBOX). With the publication of this article (November), AMD refreshes their Phenom-II X4-965 BE flagship processor just in time to compete against Intel's recently launched Core i5 series. Coming in at 3.4GHz the AMD X4-965 happens to be the highest clocked CPU on the market, but is it the best at its price point?

Aside from some small fabrication refinements and the inclusion of hardware-level C1E implementation, the 3.4GHz Phenom-II X4-965 isn't much different than its 140W counterpart. You can also expect the same architectural benefits, including socket AM2/AM2+/AM3 compatibility, 8MB total cache (L2 and L3), and a 128-bit DDR2-DDR3 memory controller. Of course, the Intel Core i5-750 Processor BX80605I5750 isn't designed to run in the face of competition.

About Advanced Micro Devices, Inc (AMD)

Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) is an innovative technology company dedicated to collaborating with customers and partners to ignite the next generation of computing and graphics solutions at work, home, and play.

Over the course of AMD's three decades in business, silicon and software have become the steel and plastic of the worldwide digital economy. Technology companies have become global pacesetters, making technical advances at a prodigious rate - always driving the industry to deliver more and more, faster and faster.

However, "technology for technology's sake" is not the way we do business at AMD. Our history is marked by a commitment to innovation that's truly useful for customers - putting the real needs of people ahead of technical one-upmanship. AMD founder Jerry Sanders has always maintained that "customers should come first, at every stage of a company's activities."

We believe our company history bears that out.

Phenom-II X4-965 BE Features

AMD64 with Direct Connect Architecture

• Helps improve system performance and efficiency by directly connecting the processors, the memory controller, and the I/O to the CPU.
• Designed to enable simultaneous 32- and 64-bit computing
• Integrated Memory Controller
  • Benefits: Increases application performance by dramatically reducing memory latency
  • Scales memory bandwidth and performance to match compute needs
  • HyperTransport Technology provides up to 16.0GB/s peak bandwidth per processor-reducing I/O bottlenecks
  • Up to 37GB/s total delivered processor-to-system bandwidth (HyperTransport bus + memory bus)

AMD Balanced Smart Cache

• Shared L3 cache (either 6MB or 4MB)
• 512K L2 cache per core
  • Benefit: Shortened access times to the highly accessed data for better performance.

AMD Wide Floating Point Accelerator

• 128-bit floating point unit (FPU)
• High performance (128bit internal data path) floating point unit per core.
  • Benefit: Larger data paths and quicker floating point calculations for better performance.

HyperTransport Technology

• One 16-bit link at up to 4000MT/s
• Up to 8.0GB/s HyperTransport I/O bandwidth; Up to 16GB/s in HyperTransport Generation 3.0 mode
• Up to 37GB/s total delivered processor-to-system bandwidth (HyperTransport bus + memory bus)
  • Benefit: Quick access times to system I/O for better performance.

Integrated DRAM Controller with AMD Memory Optimizer Technology

• A high-bandwidth, low-latency integrated memory controller
• Supports PC2-8500 (DDR2-1066); PC2-6400 (DDR2-800), PC2-5300 (DDR2-667), PC2-4200 (DDR2-533) or PC2-3200 (DDR2-400) SDRAM unbuffered DIMMs - AM2+
• Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2 8500 (DDR2-1066MHz) and PC3 10600 (DDR3-1333MHz) - AM3
• Up to 17.1GB/s memory bandwidth for DDR2 and up to 21GB/s memory bandwidth for DDR3
  • Benefit: Quick access to system memory for better performance.

AMD Virtualization (AMD-V) Technology With Rapid Virtualization Indexing

• Silicon feature-set enhancements designed to improve the performance, reliability, and security of existing and future virtualization environments by allowing virtualized applications with direct and rapid access to their allocated memory.
  • Benefit: Helps virtualization software to run more securely and efficiently enabling a better experience when dealing with virtual systems

AMD PowerNow! Technology (Cool'n'Quiet Technology)

• Enhanced power management features which automatically and instantaneously adjusts performance states and features based on processor performance requirements
• For quieter operation and reduced power requirements
  • Benefit: Enables cooler and quieter platform designs by providing extremely efficient performance and energy usage.

AMD CoolCore Technology

• Reduces processor energy consumption by turning off unused parts of the processor. For example, the memory controller can turn off the write logic when reading from memory, helping reduce system power.
• Works automatically without the need for drivers or BIOS enablement.
• Power can be switched on or off within a single clock cycle, saving energy with no impact to performance.
  • Benefit: Helps users get more efficient performance by dynamically activating or turning off parts of the processor.

Dual Dynamic Power Management

• Enables more granular power management capabilities to reduce processor energy consumption.
• Separate power planes for cores and memory controller, for optimum power consumption and performance, creating more opportunities for power savings within the cores and memory controller.
  • Benefit: Helps improve platform efficiency by providing on demand memory performance while still allowing for decreased system power consumption

HDZ965FBK4DGM Specifications

• Model Number & Core Frequency: X4-965 / 3.4GHz (Black Edition)
• OPN: HDZ965FBK4DGM ("M" indicates new revision)
• L1 Cache Sizes: 64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (512KB total L1 per processor)
• L2 Cache Sizes: 512KB of L2 data cache per core (2MB total L2 per processor)
• L3 Cache Size: 6MB (shared)
• Total Cache (L2+L3): 8MB
• Memory Controller Type: Integrated 128-bit wide memory controller *
• Memory Controller Speed: Up to 2.0GHz with Dual Dynamic Power Management
• Types of Memory Supported: Unregistered DIMMs up to PC2-8500 (DDR2-1066MHz) -AND- PC3-10600
• (DDR3-1333MHz)
• HyperTransport 3.0 Specification: One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 4.0GHz full duplex (2.0GHz x2)
• Total Processor-to-System Bandwidth: Up to 37.3GB/s total bandwidth [Up to 21.3 GB/s memory bandwidth
• (DDR3-1333) + 16.0GB/s (HT3)]
• Up to 33.1GB/s total bandwidth [Up to 17.1 GB/s memory bandwidth (DDR2-1066) + 16.0GB/s (HT3)]
• Packaging: Socket AM3 938-pin organic micro pin grid array (micro-PGA)
• Fab location: GLOBALFOUNDARIES Fab 1 module 1 in Dresden, Germany (formerly AMD Fab 36)
• Process Technology: 45-nanometer DSL SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology
• Approximate Die Size: 258mm2
• Approximate Transistor count: ~758 million
• Max Temp: 62o Celsius
• Nominal Voltage: 0.825-1.4V
• Max TDP: 125 Watts
• MSRP: $195 USD (as of 4 Nov 2009 launch)

*Note: configurable for dual 64-bit channels for simultaneous read/writes

Closer Look: Phenom-II X4-965 BE

The latest series of processor from AMD offer a large 1.47 x 1.47" (37.31 x 37.31mm) integrated heat-spreader surface, which helps dissipate all 125W maximum TDP that the Phenom-II X4-965BE CPU is capable of producing. Compared to Intel's latest Core i5 series, as well as the older Core 2 Duo/Quad processors which measure 28.5 x 28.5mm, the Phenom-II AM3 processor offers 71% more contact surface area. If you compare the latest Intel Core i7 processors which measure 32 x 35mm, then the Phenom-II series still offers 24% more contact surface area. For overclockers, this means a much larger area to cool, but also much more manageable core temperatures.

The AMD Phenom-II X4-965 Black Edition processor (HDZ965FBK4DGM) is specified as having a 0.825-1.4V nominal voltage, and uses the 45nm (.045-micron) DSL Silicon on Insulator (SOI) process technology construction. AMD's 125W X4-965 is a socket AM3 938-pin organic micro pin grid array (micro-PGA) processor by design, with backwards compatibility to the AMD2+ socket. There's also "Heavy" load support for DDR3-1333, and with proper BIOS implementation the memory controller will now support up to 4x DDR3 DIMMs at 1333MHz.

The Phenom-II X4-965 BE processor offers a total cache of 8.5MB, split into three levels. The L1 cache delivers 64K of L1 instruction and 64K of L1 data cache per core (512KB total L1 per processor), while the L2 cache offers 512KB of data cache per core (2MB total L2 per processor). The final level 3 (L3) cache shares 6MB among the four processor cores.

Based on the updated 125W TDP architecture, increased cache size, and a larger IHS footprint, this 'Black Edition' Phenom-II may be exactly what hardware enthusiasts and overclockers need during an economic recession. In the following sections, Benchmark Reviews tests the 125W Phenom-II X4-965 directly against the Intel Core i5-750 to illustrate value, while also comparing performance against the original 140W AMD Phenom-II X4-965 BE. While benchmarks help separate the products, real-world experience and gaming frame rates paired with affordable product pricing will ultimately decide which CPU is really 'better'.

Testing Methodology

Unless otherwise noted, computer hardware comparisons use system memory configured to operate at 1333MHz. In regard to comparison performance testing, no overclock was given to any of the hardware and BIOS settings were matched as closely as possible.

At the start of all graphics tests, the previous display adapter driver is uninstalled and trace components are removed using Driver Cleaner Pro. We then restart the computer system to establish display adapter settings and define the monitor. Once the hardware is prepared, we begin our testing. To compare and contrast CPU- and GPU-dependency, Benchmark Reviews conducts testing at both the lowest- and highest-possible resolutions. Low display resolutions create a dependency on CPU performance, while high display resolutions place the load on GPU power.

Each benchmark test program begins after a system restart, and the very first result for every test will be ignored since it often only caches the test. Each test is completed five times, with the highest and lowest scored removed. The average results of the three remaining tests are displayed in our article.

Since all of the benchmarks we use for testing represent different game engine technology and graphic rendering processes, our battery of tests will provide a diverse range of results for you to gauge performance on your own computer system. Even though Benchmark Reviews has begun to switch over test platforms and begin using the Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System, most gamers and enthusiasts are still using Windows XP, which is the O/S used for all of these tests.

AMD X790 Test System

• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA790X-UD4P (AMD 790X Chipset) with F8 BIOS
• Processor: AMD Phenom-II X4-965 Black Edition 3.4 GHz (HDZ965FBGIBOX)
• CPU Cooler: Xigmatek Dark Knight S1283V (Tuniq TX-3 Thermal Paste)
• System Memory: 4GB (2x 2GB) OCZ 1333 MHz DDR2
• Primary Drive: WD VelociRaptor 300GB SATA HDD WD3000HLFS
• Graphics Adapter: Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 5850 Video Card 21162-00-50R (Catalyst 9.10)
• Power Supply Unit: Cooler Master UCP 900W RS-900-AAAA-A3 80-PLUS Silver PSU

Intel P55 Test System

• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P55-UD6 (Intel P55/ICH10R Chipset) with F4 BIOS
• Processor: Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield LGA1156 2.66 GHz (BX80605I5750)
• CPU Cooler: Xigmatek Dark Knight S1283V (Tuniq TX-3 Thermal Paste)
• System Memory: 4GB (2x 2GB) OCZ Dual-Channel 1333 MHz DDR3 CL 7-7-7-20 OCZ3P1333LV6GK
• Primary Drive: WD VelociRaptor 300GB SATA HDD WD3000HLFS
• Graphics Adapter: Sapphire ATI Radeon HD 5850 Video Card 21162-00-50R (Catalyst 9.10)
• Power Supply Unit: Cooler Master UCP 900W RS-900-AAAA-A3 80-PLUS Silver PSU

Benchmark Software

• Lavalys EVEREST Ultimate Edition v5.03.1900
• Futuremark PCMark Vantage v1.1 System Test Suite
• Devil May Cry 4 Benchmark Demo (DX10, Super-High Quality, 8x MSAA)
• Far Cry 2 v1.02 (DX10, Very High Performance, Ultra-High Quality, 8x Anti-Aliasing, HDR + Bloom)
• Resident Evil 5 Benchmark Demo (DX10, Super-High Quality, 8x MSAA)
• SPECViewPerf 10 (Pro/ENGINEER)
• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Operating System (64-bit Edition)

Support Hardware

• P3 International Kill-A-Watt EZ (model P4460) Power Meter

EVEREST CPU Benchmarks

Lavalys EVEREST Ultimate Edition is an industry leading system diagnostics and benchmarking solution for enthusiasts PC users, based on the award-winning EVEREST Technology. During system optimizations and tweaking it provides essential system and overclock information, advanced hardware monitoring and diagnostics capabilities to check the effects of the applied settings. CPU, FPU and memory benchmarks are available to measure the actual system performance and compare it to previous states or other systems. Furthermore, complete software, operating system and security information makes EVEREST Ultimate Edition a comprehensive system diagnostics tool that offers a total of 100 pages of information about your PC.

All of the benchmarks used in our test bed: Queen, Photoworxx, ZLib, and AES, all rely on basic x86 instructions, and consume very low system memory while also being aware of HyperThreading, multi-processors, and multi-core processors. While the EVEREST CPU tests really only compare the processor performance more than it measures platforms, it still offers a glimpse into what kind of power each platform possesses.

Queen and Photoworxx tests are synthetic benchmarks that operate the function many times over and over-exaggerate by several magnitudes what the real-world performance would be like. The Queen benchmark focuses on the branch prediction capabilities and misprediction penalties of the CPU. It does this by finding possible solutions to the classic queen problem on a chessboard. At the same clock speed theoretically the processor with the shorter pipeline and smaller misprediction penalties will attain higher benchmark scores.

Everest couldn't decide which processor it liked best, regardless of the test conducted. In CPU Queen tests, the AMD Phenom-II X4-965 series (both 140W and new 125W version) performed identical to one-another, and nudged out the Intel Core i5-750 by only 4% on average. Although Queen scores the X4-965 higher, it's too close to call.

Like the Queen benchmark, the Photoworxx tests for penalties against pipeline architecture. The synthetic Photoworxx benchmark stresses the integer arithmetic and multiplication execution units of the CPU and also the memory subsystem. Due to the fact that this test performs high memory read/write traffic, it cannot effectively scale in situations where more than two processing threads are used. The EVEREST Photoworxx benchmark performs the following tasks on a very large RGB image:

• Fill
• Flip
• Rotate90R (rotate 90 degrees CW)
• Rotate90L (rotate 90 degrees CCW)
• Random (fill the image with random colored pixels)
• RGB2BW (color to black & white conversion)
• Difference
• Crop

Although the 2.66GHz Intel Core i5-750 trailed behind in Queen, it comes up leading the PhotoWorxx results with 27% advantage over the 3.4GHz AMD Phenom-II X4-965's (which again scored identical results).

The Zip Library test measures combined CPU and memory subsystem performance through the public ZLib compression library. ZLib is designed as a free lossless data compression library for use on virtually any computer hardware and operating system. The ZLib data format is itself portable across platforms and has a footprint independent of input data that can be reduced at some cost in compression.

In the Zip library tests, the AMD X4-965's dominated the Intel Core i5-750 by such a lead that I completely re-tested the group for a second series of benchmarks. Oddly enough, the results were correct, and the Zip library tests really favored the 3.4GHz X4-965 processors, giving them a 36% lead over the Intel Core i5-750.

The AES integer benchmark measures CPU performance using AES data encryption. It utilizes Vincent Rijmen, Antoon Bosselaers and Paulo Barreto's public domain C code in ECB mode and consumes 48 MB of memory.

Throughout the entire Everest CPU benchmark series, the 140W X4-965 has matched performance with the 125W version; exactly as expected. In the AES integer benchmark, there's a modest 12% advantage over the Intel Core i5-750 processor. Overall, it seems that processor clock speed has made an impact in most tests, with PhotoWorxx being the only exception.

PCMark Vantage Results

PCMark Vantage is an objective hardware performance benchmark tool for PCs running 32 and 64 bit versions of Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows 7. PCMark Vantage is perfectly suited for benchmarking any type of Microsoft Windows Vista/7 PC from multimedia home entertainment systems and laptops to dedicated workstations and higher-end gaming computers. Benchmark Reviews has decided to use a few select tests from this suite to compare the processor performance in this article. Our tests were conducted on 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium (retail).

TV and Movies Suite

The tests in the TV and Movies Suite have been selected to represent the Windows Vista TV and Movies Consumer Scenario. The combination of test sets covers the common TV and Movies usage. The TV and Movies Suite gives a separate PCMark TV and Movies Score which does not affect the overall PCMark Score. TV and Movies Suite include the following tests:

TV and Movies 1

o Two simultaneous threads
o Video transcoding: HD DVD to media server archive
o Video playback: HD DVD w/ additional lower bitrate HD content from HDD, as downloaded from net

TV and Movies 2

o Two simultaneous threads
o Video transcoding: HD DVD to media server archive
o Video playback, HD MPEG-2: 19.39 Mbps terrestrial HDTV playback

TV and Movies 3

o HDD Media Center

TV and Movies 4

o Video transcoding: media server archive to portable device
o Video playback, HD MPEG-2: 48 Mbps Blu-ray playback

Gaming Suite

The tests in the Gaming Suite have been selected to represent the Windows Vista Gaming Consumer Scenario. The combination of test sets covers the common Gaming usage. The Gaming Suite gives a separate PCMark Gaming Score which does not affect the overall PCMark Score. Gaming Suite includes the following tests:

Gaming 1

o GPU game test

Gaming 2

o HDD: game HDD

Gaming 3

o Two simultaneous threads
o CPU game test
o Data decompression: level loading

Gaming 4

o Three simultaneous threads
o GPU game test
o CPU game test
o HDD: game HDD

Music Suite

The tests in the Music Suite have been selected to represent the Windows Vista Music Consumer Scenario. The combination of test sets covers the common Music usage. The Music Suite gives a separate PCMark Music Score which does not affect the overall PCMark Score. Music Suite includes the following tests:

Music 1

o Three simultaneous threads
o Web page rendering - w/ music shop content
o Audio transcoding: WAV -> WMA lossless
o HDD: Adding music to Windows Media Player

Music 2

o Audio transcoding: WAV -> WMA lossless

Music 3

o Audio transcoding: MP3 -> WMA

Music 4

o Two simultaneous threads
o Audio transcoding: WMA -> WMA
o HDD: Adding music to Windows Media Player

Although both AMD Phenom-II X4-965 processors performed extremely close throughout PCMark Vantage testing, the 125W HDZ965FBK4DGM model earned a small lead over the 140W version in every benchmark.

Judging by performance in the TV and Movies benchmark test Intel's Core i5-750 does well against both AMD X4-965 CPU's, but they still earn a near-20% lead over the LGA1156 product. The 2.66GHz Core i5 fights back and beats AMD in PCMark Vantage synthetic gaming performance, earning a 18% lead. Music transcoding tests have the AMD X4-965's behind the Intel Core i5-750 by 16%.

Pro/ENGINEER Benchmark

SPECviewperf 10 is a synthetic benchmark designed to be a predictor of application performance and a measure of graphics subsystem performance. SPECviewperf 10 provides the ability to compare performance of systems running in higher-quality graphics modes that use full-scene anti-aliasing, and measures how effectively graphics subsystems scale when running multithreaded graphics content. The SPECopc project group's SPECviewperf 10 is a performance evaluation software requiring OpenGL 1.5 and a minimum of 1GB of system memory. It currently supports 32/64-bit versions of the Microsoft Windows Operating System. Since the SPECviewperf source and binaries have been upgraded to support changes, no comparisons should be made between past results and current results for viewsets running under SPECviewperf 10.

The proe-04 viewset was created from traces of the graphics workload generated by the Pro/ENGINEER 2001 application from PTC. Mirroring the application, draw arrays are used for the shaded tests and immediate mode is used for the wireframe. The gradient background used by the Pro/E application is also included to better model the application workload.

Two models and three rendering modes are measured during the test. PTC contributed the models to SPEC for use in measurement of the Pro/ENGINEER application. The first of the models, the PTC World Car, represents a large-model workload composed of 3.9 to 5.9 million vertices. This model is measured in shaded, hidden-line removal, and wireframe modes. The wireframe workloads are measured both in normal and antialiased mode. The second model is a copier. It is a medium-sized model made up of 485,000 to 1.6 million vertices. Shaded and hidden-line-removal modes were measured for this model.

This viewset includes state changes as made by the application throughout the rendering of the model, including matrix, material, light and line-stipple changes. The PTC World Car shaded frames include more than 100MB of state and vertex information per frame. All state changes are derived from a trace of the running application. The state changes put considerably more stress on graphics subsystems than the simple geometry dumps found in older viewsets.

Unlike the other benchmark tests in this article, the Pro/ENGINEER 2001 targets industrial application and disregards video game performance, although the two overlap. SPECviewperf 10 tests the proe-04 viewset in seven different tests, ranging from shaded to wire- and anti-aliased line views. The results are NOT the average FPS, but are actually the weighted geometric mean for the combined performance of all seven tests.

So what can we infer from these SPECviewperf Pro/ENGINEER tests? In terms of industrial CAD applications, the 2.66GHz Intel Core i5-750 prevails over the 3.4GHz AMD X4-965. To me, it seems surprising that AMD fell so far behind in this test, especially considering that the Dragon platform was complete with 790X motherboard and Radeon HD 5850 video card.

Devil May Cry 4 Benchmark

Devil May Cry 4 was released on PC in early 2007 as the fourth installment to the Devil May Cry video game series. DMC4 is a direct port from the PC platform to console versions, which operate at the native 720P game resolution with no other platform restrictions. Devil May Cry 4 uses the refined MT Framework game engine, which has been used for many popular Capcom game titles over the past several years.

MT Framework is an exclusive seventh generation game engine built to be used with games developed for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and PC ports. MT stands for "Multi-Thread", "Meta Tools" and "Multi-Target". Originally meant to be an outside engine, but none matched their specific requirements in performance and flexibility. Games using the MT Framework are originally developed on the PC and then ported to the other two console platforms.

On the PC version a special bonus called Turbo Mode is featured, giving the game a slightly faster speed, and a new difficulty called Legendary Dark Knight Mode is implemented. The PC version also has both DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 mode for Microsoft Windows XP and Vista Operating Systems.

It's always nice to be able to compare the results we receive here at Benchmark Reviews with the results you test for on your own computer system. Usually this isn't possible, since settings and configurations make it nearly difficult to match one system to the next; plus you have to own the game or benchmark tool we used.

Devil May Cry 4 fixes this, and offers a free benchmark tool available for download. Because the DMC4 MT Framework game engine is rather low-demand for today's cutting edge multi-GPU video cards, Benchmark Reviews uses the DirectX 10 test set at 1920x1200 resolution to test with 8x AA (highest common AA setting available between GeForce and Radeon video cards) and 16x AF. The benchmark runs through four different test scenes, but scenes #2 and #4 usually offer the most graphical challenge.

Using a reference Radeon HD 5850 in each system, the AMD Phenom-II X4-965 BE series leads by 6 FPS in the two most demanding DMC4 benchmark scenes. Although 6 FPS (almost 6%) is certainly a decent advantage that might make or break some games, the difference is too close call at this point. Let's see how these processors perform in Far Cry 2...

Far Cry 2 Benchmark

Ubisoft has developed Far Cry 2 as a sequel to the original, but with a very different approach to game play and story line. Far Cry 2 features a vast world built on Ubisoft's new game engine called Dunia, meaning "world", "earth" or "living" in Farci. The setting in Far Cry 2 takes place on a fictional Central African landscape, set to a modern day timeline.

The Dunia engine was built specifically for Far Cry 2, by Ubisoft Montreal development team. It delivers realistic semi-destructible environments, special effects such as dynamic fire propagation and storms, real-time night-and-day sun light and moon light cycles, dynamic music system, and non-scripted enemy A.I actions.

The Dunia game engine takes advantage of multi-core processors as well as multiple processors and supports DirectX 9 as well as DirectX 10. Only 2 or 3 percent of the original CryEngine code is re-used, according to Michiel Verheijdt, Senior Product Manager for Ubisoft Netherlands. Additionally, the engine is less hardware-demanding than CryEngine 2, the engine used in Crysis.

However, it should be noted that Crysis delivers greater character and object texture detail, as well as more destructible elements within the environment. For example; trees breaking into many smaller pieces and buildings breaking down to their component panels. Far Cry 2 also supports the amBX technology from Philips. With the proper hardware, this adds effects like vibrations, ambient colored lights, and fans that generate wind effects.

There is a benchmark tool in the PC version of Far Cry 2, which offers an excellent array of settings for performance testing. Benchmark Reviews used the maximum settings allowed for DirectX 10 tests, with the resolution set to 1920x1200. Performance settings were all set to 'Very High', Render Quality was set to 'Ultra High' overall quality, 8x anti-aliasing was applied, and HDR and Bloom were enabled.

Although the Dunia engine in Far Cry 2 is slightly less demanding than CryEngine 2 engine in Crysis, the strain appears to be extremely close. Benchmark Reviews uses 8x AA and 'Ultra High' settings in Far Cry 2, allowing maximum strain on GPU and CPU. Using the short 'Ranch Small' time demo (which yields the lowest FPS of the three tests available), we looked for differences between platforms.

While the two AMD X4-965 processors performed virtually identical to one-another, they both scored ahead of the Intel Core i5-750 again. Although 2 FPS (4%) isn't much to talk about, there's a trend beginning to show itself here. So far, AMD's Black Edition 965 has proven itself superior in video game performance when compared against the similarly-priced Core i5-750. We've got one benchmark remaining: Resident Evil 5...

Resident Evil 5 Tests

Built upon an advanced version of Capcom's proprietary MT Framework game engine to deliver DirectX 10 graphic detail, Resident Evil 5 offers gamers non-stop action similar to Devil May Cry 4, Lost Planet, and Dead Rising. The MT Framework is an exclusive seventh generation game engine built to be used with games developed for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and PC ports. MT stands for "Multi-Thread", "Meta Tools" and "Multi-Target". Games using the MT Framework are originally developed on the PC and then ported to the other two console platforms.

On the PC version of Resident Evil 5, both DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 modes are available for Microsoft Windows XP and Vista Operating Systems. Microsoft Windows 7 will play Resident Evil with backwards compatible Direct3D APIs. Resident Evil 5 is branded with the NVIDIA The Way It's Meant to be Played (TWIMTBP) logo, and receives NVIDIA GeForce 3D Vision functionality enhancements.

NVIDIA and Capcom offer the Resident Evil 5 benchmark demo for free download from their website, and Benchmark Reviews encourages visitors to compare their own results to ours. Because the Capcom MT Framework game engine is very well optimized and produces high frame rates, Benchmark Reviews uses the DirectX 10 version of the test at 1920x1200 resolution. Super-High quality settings are configured, with 8x MSAA post processing effects for maximum demand on the GPU. Test scenes from Area #3 and Area #4 require the most graphics processing power, and the results are collected for the chart illustrated below.

Resident Evil 5 has really proved how well the proprietary Capcom MT Framework game engine can look with DirectX 10 effects. The Area 3 and 4 tests are the most graphically demanding from this free downloadable demo benchmark, and help reveal a dominant hardware platform for gamers.

These tests confirm that the AMD Phenom-II X4-965 BE processor (either 125W or older 140W versions) helps allow games to perform at their best frame rates. The 5% still doesn't sway favoritism directly towards AMD processors, but it shows that gamers and enthusiasts can expect that their unlocked 'Black Edition' processor can game just as well as it overclocks. But how well does it overclock, anyway?

X4-965 Overclock Results

This article has gone back and forth between AMD X4-965 and Intel Core i5-750, demonstrating sythetic performance and real-world gaming frame rates. That's all important information to help the budget-conscious consumer make an informed decision, but the new 125W Black Edition 965 is designed as a true enthusiast product. Hardware enthusiasts and gamers are usually both interested in overclocking, which is what makes the AMD Phenom-II X4-965 BE processor so potent. In this section, Benchmark Reviews tests the new 125W 45nm CPU (model HDZ965FBK4DGM) to see just how far we can push it.

Before we begin, please understand that a fair AMD versus Intel overclocking challenge requires the 3.33GHz Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition CPU. This is the only current processor Intel offers with an unlocked clock multiplier, and it's available at the premium price of $999.99. Since five brand new Black Edition 965's cost the same as only one Intel Core i7-975, we've decided to simply see how much fun a 'budget' enthusiast can have for under $200.

The image above and below illustrate the AMD Phenom-II X4-965 BE 125W processor (model HDZ965FBK4DGM) resting at idle using the default stock settings. Notice how core voltage is steady at 1.376V and the clock multiplier is set to 17.0 (set in the BIOS). The system bus speed and HyperTransport were both left alone for this experiment, and remain at 200- and 2000MHz respectively.

OCCT helps illustrate how cool the Deneb cores idle, generating just 26.5°C on each core (cooled by a Xigmatek Dark Knight S1283V using Tuniq TX-3 Thermal Paste). For some overclocking projects, you need hours of preparation to achieve the desired clock speed. I really wanted to overclock the new 125W X4-965 up to 4.0 GHz, and roughly two minutes later I had already reached my anti-climatic goal. Okay then, 4.0GHz was obviously too easy (all I had to do was increase the clock multiplier up to 20x, and add a tiny amount of voltage for an even 1.4 vCore volts). Next up was 4.4GHz... since I wanted to be bold.

Well, 4.4GHz was bold alright, and not entirely possible. I raised vCore to 1.5 (and later 1.55V) with no success. The Deneb X4-965 did make it through POST each and every time, but Windows 7 (64-bit) crashed to the BSOD just as consistently. Things weren't much different at 4.3GHz, where POST was a breeze but Windows 7 would crash after a second or less post-login.

Ultimately, 4.2GHz was the number for me. Yes sir, if 4200Mhz is what's for sale, then I'm buying.

CPU-Z shows that all it took was a 21.0x clock multiplier, and a bump to 1.456V to reach 4200MHz. The best part was the low idle (and loaded) temperatures.

OCCT has the idle 4.2GHz cores at around 28.25°C (up only 2°C from 26.5°C at stock). Running EVEREST Stress Test on CPU and FPU for about ten minutes lifted temperatures to 49.0°C (in a 20°C ambient room), but the Xigmatek Dark Knight S1283V had a lot to do with this. If I wanted to really get the processor a few degrees cooler, I could have used one of the front-runners from our Best CPU Cooler Performance series.

While I credit the new 125W TDP with the low temperatures (especially with 4.2GHz overclock), it was especially nice to enjoy some old-fashioned (read: simple) overclocking. Voltage, multiplier, and cooling... the things that made overclocking what it is today... and the same things that made me overclock the old Cyrix M-II processor in my first personal computer ten years ago.

Power Consumption

Life is not as affordable as it used to be, and items such as gasoline, natural gas, and electricity all top the list of resources which have exploded in price over the past few years. Add to this the limit of non-renewable resources compared to current demands, and you can see that the prices are only going to get worse. Planet Earth is needs our help, and needs it badly. With forests becoming barren of vegetation and snow capped poles quickly turning brown, the technology industry has a new attitude towards suddenly becoming "green". I'll spare you the powerful marketing hype that I get from various manufacturers every day, and get right to the point: your computer hasn't been doing much to help save energy... at least up until now.

To measure system power consumption, Benchmark Reviews uses the Kill-A-Watt EZ (model P4460) power meter made by P3 International. A baseline test is taken as the system is allowed to boot into Windows and rest idle at the login screen for three minutes before power consumption is recorded. Once the baseline reading has been taken, Lavalys EVEREST Ultimate Edition is loaded and the System Stability Test is run with 100% stress on the CPU and FPU for five minutes and the results recorded. The purpose of this test is to show the difference in power consumption between idle and loaded processor states.

The systems we've configured for power testing utilize a PCI-bus video card that draws less than 1W of power under normal 2D usage. The only components receiving power include the motherboard, processor, hard drive, and one memory module.

With the system in a powered-down 'stand-by' state, the total power draw measures 4W for either motherboard. Turning the system on and allowing it to rest at idle (0% processor usage) draws 58-60W of power. Once the AMD Phenom-II X4-965 CPU is given 100% utilization through EVEREST, power consumption rises to 85W, for a system total of 145W.

Black Edition Final Thoughts

It's not easy to sell your product when the competitions lowest-end processor matches up against your highest-end component... unless of course you throw in something that otherwise costs 500% more. Not having to pay $999.99 or more for the 'privilege' of owning an unlocked processor is something most overclockers will appreciate. Don't get me wrong, I imagine there are plenty of people out there with an Intel Core i7-975 Extreme Edition processor in their system (at least half of those people probably received theirs directly from Intel for review), it seems more likely that overclockers and hardware enthusiasts might rather enjoy the same thrill for around $200 or less.

It's been a long time since I actually got to sit down and overclock a modern processor by simply setting the voltage and clock multiplier. I sincerely miss the days when all processors were unlocked, and it was anybody's game. AMD was one of the first companies to bring CPU overclocking into the mainstream, partially because their original Athlon (socket A) processors were eating up Intel's Pentium 4 series clock for clock, and partially because they didn't cost as much. It helped that AMD etched fab and batch numbers right on the die, allowing overclockers to seek out the very best (and most tolerant) processors of the bunch. Now, once again, AMD is the underdog and fights the good fight for overclocking enthusiasts by offering a Black Edition processor at the exact same prices as Intel's lowest-end Core i5 mainstream CPU. The more things change, the more they remain the same.

At the beginning of this article I claimed that the AMD Phenom-II X4-965 BE processor is a true dichotomy: it offers unlocked overclocking potential while at the same time improving energy efficiency to conserve electricity. But there's actually another paradox brewing here: will AMD help the personal computer maintain its affordable open-ended technology for the every-man, or will Intel win out and have us all paying a premium for what was once a given? To what end will we accept $1000 'Extreme Edition' processors that offer no added enthusiast experience, when that same thing can be had for a fraction of the cost? At the end of the day, enthusiasts shouldn't allow the PC to become like the Apple Mac: an overpriced hardware clone with a proprietary recipe. But then again, perhaps that "Apple Tax" is really just another way for consumers to pay for that new locked-down Intel processor resting inside.

125W X4-965 Conclusion

Benchmark Reviews begins each conclusion with a short summary for each area that we rate. The first is performance, which considers how effective the 125W AMD Phenom-II X4-965 processor operated in relation to the closest price-point competition. While the synthetic benchmark tests were inconclusive and favored the X4-965 or i5-750 depending on the suite, but gaming performance was definitive. The difference was minor, but a 2-3 FPS advantage for the AMD X4-965 over the i5-750 in every game we tested was enough to prove the point.

AMD has done a great job refining the model HDZ965FBK4DGM AMD Phenom-II X4-965 BE 125W processor, even though the die is constructed with the same 45nm process as before. Functionality has actually improved with the new model, as GlobalFoundries FAB1 has added C1E implementation on the hardware level, and DDR3 is now supported at 1333MHz for 'Heavy' loads. Let's not forget the 'Black Edition' label, which unlocks the clock multiplier and allows for unrestricted overclocking beyond the 3.4GHz default speed. With a small voltage increase and a bump to the multiplier, Benchmark Reviews was able to reach 4.2GHz with ease.

As of early November 2009, the 140W version of AMD's Phenom-II X4-965 Black Edition sells for $195.99 at NewEgg. As of the 125W part launch (model HDZ965FBK4DGM), AMD expects that retailers will soon reduce their prices for existing 140W stock, allowing the 125W part to sell for the same price.

Synthetic benchmarks swayed back and forth between AMD and Intel, while Pro/ENGINEER 2001 CAD performance leaned heavy on the Core i5-750. This indicates that Intel offers a strong workstation processor, great for industrial applications. That's good news for the corporate environment, where engineering software will benefit. Enthusiasts aren't terribly worried about CAD/CAM performance, however. Video game frame rate performance unanimously favored the AMD Phenom-II X4-965 processor series in each of the gaming tests we conducted, and the unlocked Black Edition feature allowed for a rediculously simple overclock from 3.4 to 4.2GHz using standard air cooling. In summary, the new 125W version of the AMD Phenom-II X4-965 BE processor follows deep in the footsteps

Pros:

Cons:

- Trails behind Intel in CAD/CAM performance

Ratings:

• Performance: 9.75
• Construction: 9.50
• Functionality: 9.00
• Overclock: 9.50
• Value: 8.75

Final Score: 9.3 out of 10.

Excellence Achievement: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.

Nomination: 2009 Editor's Choice Award for Enthusiast Processors.

Questions? Comments? Benchmark Reviews really wants your feedback. We invite you to leave your remarks in our Discussion Forum.

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