Isn't the point of Clarksdale that is has a GPU on the chip as well?

Granted that mainly just improves Intel's margins, but it could make for a cheaper PC overall.

I though Phenom II x2 sounded like a good idea for AMD, until I realized it's the same old quad-core, with just two cores running.

The point of making&selling a dual-core is to cut silicon cost while offering high performance in most every-day needs. But if you still have two extra core stuck on the same piece of silicon, you didn't cut any cost. Looking at the benchmarks, it doesn't perform that well either (except for a few games).

I think the other thing that will work very strongly in AMD's favour is the end of the Intel strong-arm tactics. Take a look at the product line-ups from Dell, HP, etc. Very few products have AMD chips. Because they're uncompetitive? Hardly. But more than the $1.2 billion settlement, the FTC action against Intel will spur many manufacturers to start designing systems around AMD chips, even if only to avoid investigation themselves. But I suspect that most of them welcome the ability to select the CPU that best meets their target markets' needs. I suspect we'll see a significant number of new-design wins for AMD, and a dramatic uptick in their CPU market share.

Did they not also announce a Phenom II 975BE clocked at 3.6 GHz? My 965 continues to tick away at 3.8GHz 24/7 on the stock cooler, so 4.0 - 4.2 should be easily within reach for the 975.

Also, I'm hoping that when the Thubans come out, we'll be seeing those at 3.4+ GHz fairly soon, as that will be a formidable competitor (at the right price point, of course, but that should be easy to do since most of the R&D cost is already covered). The TDP won't be anything to write home about, but there's a market segment that doesn't really care about that.

So wait, is Phenom II architecture really all that AMD has on the CPU side until Bulldozer?

It seems to me that AMD is tripping over it's own feet. It's obvious that the Athlon II chips are being artificially capped on clockspeed so as not to eat into Phenom II territory. Yet, the die is more profitable. If they'd release a 3.6 GHz Athlon II X4, they could perhaps make some serious margin on it. They'd cannibalize most the the Phenom II line, but the larger die Phenom II ain't making the same margin.

With all of the Phenom II chips fetching less that $200, the shrewd move would be to completely kill the Phenom II - save those large chips for the Operteron - and let the Athlon II take over.

People buy Phenom IIs because they are happy with "fast enough", and the Athlon II still delivers that. Get rid of Phenom II and make better margin.

Mixed opinions on this. The X2 255 doesn't impress me that much since it seems to rival the E5400 which is already at that RRP, actually slightly less.
The X4 635 is a decent value product since it's cheaper than any Intel quad, but there's a reason for that, it's slower than any Intel Quad...
The X4 910e is the cheapest 65W Quad core you can buy. That says something. It's still not cheap though, unless the extra watts are vital, 15W less for the extra cost and reduced performance seems a bit naff. The same criticism applies for the Q8200S from Intel, moreso in fact since it costs far more.
The X2 555 is quite cheap for what it is, but this article is put into context of the i3 CPUs, even the cheapest of which decimates every AMD dual core ever made, and at a pretty reasonable price tag too.
Comparing dual core CPUs to quad cores in like to like fashion annoys me. I think the cheap AMD quads sell on their own merits for low-budget workstations where more cores is better than higher performance.
For low-midrange systems for normal usage and games, it's an i3 any day unfortunately. Much like before, the only advantages AMD have are in the sectors where Intel prices simply don't fall to.

I think the Athlon II X2 255 should have 2 MB of L2 cache instead of 1 MB.

4 core phenom II that runs at 65w doesnt seem bad

Good for AMD.

However, I'm still waiting to actually see the 45W Athlon II X4 models that where realeased many moons ago. None of the e-tailers that I frequent have ever carried them (Newegg included).

[offtopic] H55 shootout - finally!

http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/view.php?cid=6&id=3119

[/offtopic]

I was wondering when AMD was going to release some CPUs with lower than 95W TDPs. Now if only they had an answer for Intel's mobile processors that are not one generation behind. That Phenom II X4 910e looks so good that I may have to reconsider getting a Core i5 for my next build. Core i3, uh why get one again?

Benched at AT: http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3726

Nevermind, beaten to it :p.