As you might have read AMD had planned to launch AM3 versions of Phenom II processors not long after the Socket AM2+ version was launched last month. Well today they have done just that launching the Phenom II X4 810 and the triple core Phenom II X3 720 as well as three other processors.

The processors being released at retail are the Phenom II X4 810 at $175, Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition at $145, Phenom II X3 710 at $125 all in one thousand units and the X4 910 and 805 available for tray only.
 

If you weren't already in the know these new Socket AM3 processors are also Socket AM2+ backwards compatible and should work in a number of Socket AM2+ motherboards with a BIOS update with no need for DDR3. That said though vendors are also going to start putting out Socket AM3 motherboards for use with DDR3 though we won't be testing that today. This should be great for current Socket AM2+ owners or those who simply don't want to pay more for DDR3 memory but allowing them to transistion to DDR3 if prices do start to come down. This is the only thing these processors bring from the previously released Phenom II processors.

The X4 810 ships at 2.6GHz and features 4MB of L3 cache which is down from 6MB L3 of the X4 940 Phenom II. The X3 720 BE does feature 6MB of L3, however, and runs at 2.8GHz The X3 710 also runs at 2.6GHz with 6MB of L3, the X4 910 at 2.6GHz with 6MB of L3, and the X4 805 at 2.5GHz with 4MB of L3. All are of course 45nm and feature the many enhancements of the Phenom II architecture. Here's the AM3 processor specs from AMD:

Common AM3 Processor Specifications: (for CPUs launching Feb. 9th)

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 for X4s / 1.5MB total L2 per processor for X3s)

L3 Cache Size: 4MB or 6MB (shared)… See above

Memory Controller Type: Integrated 128-bit wide memory controller *

Memory Controller Speed: Up to 2.0GHz with Dual Dynamic Power Management (all current AM3 processors)

Types of Memory Supported: Support for unregistered DIMMs up to PC2 8500 (DDR2-1066MHz) -AND- PC3 (DDR3-1333MHz)**

HyperTransport 3.0 Link: One 16-bit/16-bit link @ up to 4.0GHz full duplex (2.0GHz x2)

Total Processor Bandwidth: Up to 33.1 GB/s total bandwidth

Packaging: Socket AM3 938-pin organic micro pin grid array (micro-PGA)

Fab location: Fab 36 wafer fabrication facilities in Dresden, Germany

Process Technology: 45-nanometer DSL SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technology

Approximate Transistor count: ~ 758 million (45nm)

Approximate Die Size: 258 mm2 (45nm)

Max Ambient Case Temp / X4 CPUs: 71o Celsius

Max Ambient Case Temp / X3 CPUs: 73o Celsius

Nominal Voltage: See above

Max TDP: 95 Watts (all current AM3 processors)


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

**Note: for DDR3-1333, AM3 boards will support 1-DIMM-per-channel @ 1333MHz