AMD have been playing catch-up with Intel ever since Intel's Core architecture reared it's not so ugly head. With the X2 range of processors lagging behind their Core2 counterparts and Intel releasing a Quad Core, AMD had to get a chip out and fast.
Unfortunately, they didn't manage fast, but they did manage to get one out. Phenom is a native Quad Core chip which is fantastic, but it's launch was marred by reactively low clock-speeds. The Phenom 9600 we have here today kicks us off at 2.3GHz and there is a 2.4GHz Phenom 9700, a 2.6GHz par - Phenom 9900 as well as a 2.22GHz Phenom 9300.
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*Review: OC3D (
http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews.p...d_core_cpu/1)*
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