AMD Phenom II X6 1100T BE Review

Introduction

If you’re in the market for a new computer this Christmas, there are so many questions to ask. How long will the X58 platform be king for? Should I wait for Intel’s Sandy Bridge? Or in this game of Intel vs AMD Roulette, should I place £200+ on green?

In April we had already come to realise that AMD’s range topping Hex Core processor could exchange punches with the value for money (and critically acclaimed) Core i7 930. Only once one ignores that AMD need six of their finest cores to fend off Intel’s quads, it really becomes clear that these processors are a reasonable alternative to the Core i7. Particularly when you factor in the rising GPU dependency in games and the lower platform acquisition costs of Socket AM3, it suddenly seems as though the Phenom II X6 is holding its own rather well.

There are problems however. Within a month, Intel are due to release a range of new Core i5/i7 processors with higher clock speeds and even more architectural tweaks. Meanwhile AMD’s Socket AM3 is set to be axed in favour of AM3+, where you will have to purchase a new motherboard for “Bulldozer” CPU support next year. On the flipside, Phenom II is proven technology and available now for 2010’s Christmas season. So many decisions, indeed…

As the name of the review suggests, there is a new king in town. AMD have been kind enough to retain the 1090T and drop its price just shy of £200, leaving space for the new flagship processor. At 3.30GHz, the 1100T only offers a modest improvement over it’s displaced sibling but in lieu of the Core i7 950 replacing the 930 in the £225 price range, every additional burst of clock cycle frequency counts.

Well lets get this show on the road, shall we?