BE price is very accessible and as bonus you will get unlocked multiplier. This will allow you possibility to fine tune relation between FSB and CPU multiplier and that is something what will overclockers appreciate.

Naturally, CPU is Socket AM2+ compatible and like its predecessors manufactured at 65 nm. Default frequency is 2500 MHz with multiplier from 12.5x. Of course, this is not utmost limit for Phenom X4 9850 BE but we first need to say something about rest of specifications. Inside CPU case there are four times 512 KB L2 cache memory for each core and shared 2 MB L3 cache with higher latency then L2 cache. There is also major part of North Bridge, more exactly memory controller which can be separately overclocked because it works in asynchronous mode related to CPU core.

All supported advanced CPU instruction sets are listed on specification page. This model has HT bus at 2 GHz as difference to 1.8 GHz for slower models. Phenom X4 9850 BE is from last B3 stepping and it’s obvious that AMD is “ironing” bugs in K10 CPUs, so according to this overclock margin is moving higher. Our test CPU reached stabile operation at 3 GHz. Overclocking results can be even higher with adequate air or water cooling system. Often these CPUs can reach even 3.2 -3.3 GHz.