AMD Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition

Introduced with the rest of the 2008 Phenom line-up, the AMD Phenom X4 9850 BE (Black Edition) hit a new clock speed high. With the last top-of-the-line 9600 set at only 2.3GHz, this step was considered AMD's number one obstacle to become competitive against Intel's offerings.

Sadly, hurtling this obstacle came at a price of energy efficiency and thermal output. With a TDP of 125W, the 9850 is just barely at par performance wise with Intel's budget quad core, the 6600, itself with a TDP of only 90W in comparison. Similar to the other Black Edition chips, the 9850 BE has an unlocked multiplier, enabling computer enthusiasts to push the physical limits of their hardware.