AMD Phenom II X4 945 Deneb 3.0GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor - Retail

Cool Power , Cooler Price

Reviewed By: chrizd on 8/18/2009

Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week

This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: Runs faster and cooler at the stock clocking than a Phenom II940x4 BE. I have a Dell XPS625 that came with a CPU heat sink and fan that would require me to pull the motherboard to swap out. So I am stuck with what I have for CPU cooling until I have a very good reason to pull the motherboard.

My Phenom II 940 ran at about 45-50C at idle and approached 55C under a load, even when the CPU and system fans were running loudly. When I dropped the 95W 955 in, the idle temp dropped to 28C.

The HyperTransport speed went from 1800 MHz to 2000MHz.

The default CPU volts went down to 1.3V from 1.4V. I had about a 10% improvement in memory throughput due to the higher north bridge speed of the AM3 CPU over the AM2+ 940.

I am thrilled with this CPU. Awesome bang for the buck.

Cons: None.

Other Thoughts: Putting an AM3 CPU in an AM2+ socket has worked very well. I was a little bit worried about compatibility until I tested and confirmed it worked correctly.

I have had the 945 in a Dell XPS625 and a GA-MA790GP-UD4H motherboard. Both systems have 8GB PC21066 memory.

Both systems ran faster and cooler with the 945 over the 940 at the same clock speed.

I am interested in having the power and speed when I need it with a system that runs cool and quietly. I run VM tools VMWare Server and VirtualBox to run Linux and Windows server VM machines.

I am surprised that AMD does not charge more for the 95W version of the 945. Great value.

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Reviewed By: on 10/21/2009

Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: 1 day to 1 week

This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: - Fast!
- Runs 10C cooler than my old 2.5ghz phenom X4

Cons: none yet

Other Thoughts: if you're looking at the 125W version, don't get it! get this one! Less heat is always good!

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Awesome CPU!

Reviewed By: Joshua on 2/9/2010

Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: 1 month to 1 year

This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: Idles at 33-32C in my CM 690. Loads at about 45-50ish.

Cons: Stock heatsink sounds like a dying cat when under heavy load.

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Reviewed By: on 2/7/2010

Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 month to 1 year

Pros: This is the PERFECT CPU for the Shuttle Barebones Computer! It's a Phenom II that only uses 95w at 3.0Ghz! It will transform a Shuttle into a lean mean toaster gaming machine!

Cons: What Cons? This is AMD Pride Here!

Other Thoughts: AMD continues to push for reliability, efficiency, and price/performance ratio much better than intel does. Ultimately, AMD will pull out something to rival intel clockspeed, they are just abiding their time.

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AMD Phenom II X4 945

Reviewed By: Bill on 2/7/2010

Tech Level: average - Ownership: 1 week to 1 month

This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: A wonderful buy, have this beauty cruising at 3.5GHz on stock air-cooling with a meager bump on Vcore to 1.32, stock BIOS setting had it running 1.28, easily within posted limit of 1.425. The cost to value ratio on this Processor is runs high.

Cons: None so far, AMD keeps it that way. :)

Other Thoughts: A look at cost benefit; running this 945 @ 3.5 gives a core speed faster than the 955 @ 3.2 and 965 @ 3.4, processors a bit more expensive and also the 945 runs on a 95W footprint, where the 955 and 965 run on the 125W.

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