PHENOMenal scores! Not.

[polobunny]

Some early Phenom benchies. :/
PC Perspective - AMD Phenom 9600 and 9900 Review: Barcelona on the Desktop
AMD Spider Platform - Phenom, 790FX, RV670 - HotHardware

[One4yu2c]

Originally Posted by Anandtech

The problem is, and I hate to ruin the surprise here, Phenom isn't faster than Intel's Core 2 Quad clock for clock. In other words, a 2.3GHz Phenom 9600 will set you back at least $283 and it's slower than a 2.4Ghz Core 2 Quad Q6600, which will only cost you $269[...]]If you were looking for a changing of the guard today it's just not going to happen.
AnandTech: AMD's Phenom Unveiled: A Somber Farewell to K8

Abu Dhabi should ask for a refund.

[gvblake22]

I feel like these first round Phenoms are following in the footsteps of the HD 3850 and HD 3870 GPUs. They use less power, and perform better than AMD's previous generation parts, but are not enough to catch the competition so they price them lower. But since most people buy performance-mainstream parts, I guess it's not all bad to have more cheaper quad cores available. But for those people looking for a new processor to replace their current Intel quad core, keep waiting. I think I'll probably stick with my trusty little E2140 for another generation of processors...

[One4yu2c]

The underlying problem is that both dollar for dollar and clock for clock, Phenom has flopped out of the gates, and AMD really needed to lead the way in at least one of those categories, if not both. After all the anticipation, this release is not only disappointing, but very possibly devastating in the grand scheme of things.

[gvblake22]

Originally Posted by One4yu2c

The underlying problem is that both dollar for dollar and clock for clock, Phenom has flopped out of the gates, and AMD really needed to lead the way in at least one of those categories, if not both. After all the anticipation, this release is not only disappointing, but very possibly devastating in the grand scheme of things.

It would have have been a great processor if they could have gotten it out the door during the first (or even second) round of 65nm Core 2 processors. But compared to a mature Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Quadro, these things are a day late and a dollar short. I really hope that they solve whatever clock speed problem they are having and can ramp these things up ASAP; 3GHz or bust!

[Athildja-x64]

Also the Phenom is not cheaper than the Intel Quads, if you can get a 2.4GHz Intel for $20 less and the performance is much better why would you spend more to get the slower part?
And when you get to the Top Speed bins on the Phenom you have TDPs that are equivalent to Intel's.
I expected more from AMD with all of the hype behind the new system.
I would like to do some testing for my self and see what things are really like in some real world applications.
I doubt that AMD will be sending me one anytime soon though...

[Capper]

Its frustrating that Paul and I have been preaching this pretty strongly over the last year, and a lot of websites completely bought into the marketing/PR stuff.

Just six months ago, Phenom was called the Core 2 Killer, and everyone was ranting and raving about how AMD would have the last laugh........

Two months ago, things started looking shakey, more delays, and the hype over Tri-Core processors........

Now today, you are seeing a lot of back talk about AMD's marketing/PR spin, and controlled reviews. Now whether thats true or not, I can't say.....we don't talk to AMD much.

Here's my opinion.

Right now, Phenom is this generations Duron, an inexpensive, and workable alternative for those who don't care for INTEL........The problem?

In the two years its taken AMD to release Phenom, INTEL has flooded the market with incredible dual and quad core processors, filling every niche from the ghetto systems to the most extreme enthusiast. And those last dingleberries clinging to AMD? They just got the wind completely knocked out of them. I honestly believe from here on out, the only people that are going to care are the diehards who just cannot let go....and even many of them will jump ship and invest in INTEL systems......and this is even BEFORE INTEL's best work ever hits the streets.

Thanks for playing AMD..........

EDIT: And while some people are looking at the silver lining in this......by pointing out "Spider", and overclocking utilities, and new chipsets.......I think they are clearly overlooking, or ignoring the fact that INTEL quite simply has put out the best chipsets around for quite sometime, and regardless of how well Phenom OCs, it still won't compete with these new INTEL processors.

[gvblake22]

You've got a great point there Rich, but I would like to add to the list of people that might buy Phenoms. That would be the average consumer who knows absolutely nothing about processor architecture and performance. The people that walk into Best Buy or go on the Dell website to buy a computer and don't care if it says Intel or AMD, as long as it works and they can get away with spending as little as possible.

[One4yu2c]

Originally Posted by Capper

Its frustrating that Paul and I have been preaching this pretty strongly over the last year, and a lot of websites completely bought into the marketing/PR stuff.

EDIT: And while some people are looking at the silver lining in this......by pointing out "Spider", and overclocking utilities, and new chipsets.......I think they are clearly overlooking, or ignoring the fact that INTEL quite simply has put out the best chipsets around for quite sometime, and regardless of how well Phenom OCs, it still won't compete with these new INTEL processors.

Very true, all of it. I had blogged my concerns for AMD back in April after the Core 2 emerged, and then recently here again on HardwareLogic. We've also talked about the big picture in several threads, and Phenom, in my mind, was a make-or-break deal for AMD. It's not that any of us want to see AMD fail (quite the contrary), but we've been around long enough to know it's a realistic possibility. No one thought 3DFX would disappear, or looking back even further, I don't know that many would have predicted AdLib's demise in the soundcard wars.

High level execs are jumping ship, AMD's in debt, Intel has awoken from their slumber, the ATI acquisition isn't bearing fruit, and now the highly anticipated Phenom gets marked as another disappointment. The storm continues, and despite the fan base's optimism, I'm not sure how much AMD can weather.

[Athildja-x64]

I have a Core 2 Quad (9650) that can OC to 4GHz quiet easily.
http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc.php?id=269576
and that is with no memory tweaks.
Everything set to Auto for memory.
Voltage is a tad high but that seems to be a borad isse.
And yes I know that ES chips OC better than retail but still a 3.6 to 3.8GHz OC on a 9650 would not be out of the expected.
Before ATi was gutted by AMD they were competative. Now, they have fallen under the missmanagment of AMD and thier other internal issues.
So we have two companies that might fall due to the lack of vision of one.