El Reg writers have a habit of forgetting that the energy used by the AMD chips includes the memory controller, which is one of the higher consumers of memory on an Intel motherboard (usually right behind the peripheral bridges). Other than for purposes of localized heat dissipation, the only useful measurement is for the whole board anyway, as the core logic and bus management chipsets can also have different power characteristics. At least compare AMD chips to Intel chips + the memory controller.

"The 8750 Black Edition, perhaps with a Western Digital Caviar Black naming influence"

Pretty sure AMD's 'Black Edition' products have been around longer than Western Digital's Caviar Black.

And a Black Edition AMD chip merely has an 'unlocked multiplier', as it is called, which allows the speed to be set manually by those who know how, and if the chip can handle it. And if it can't, AMD isn't liable to replace the chip because doing so is what those in the industry call 'Overclocking' and all companies have a policy where 'Overclocking' voids the warranty, because this kind of activity pushes chips beyond their intended use.

I suspect this is what the bit about a 'Clock Multiplier Control' refers to. It may also refer to elements of the revised AMD Overdrive program, which is still 'Overclocking' and is offered 'as-is', as these companies say. It is not uncommon to offer Overclocking software with major, high-end computer components, especially graphics cards, but even if there is official software, it is not considered a 'supported' function of the card or software- again, 'as-is'. It's supplied, but the user utilizes the software tools at their own risk. As well, it's not so much because of the 790GX, it's because of a secondary chipset called the SB750 that is also being fitted onto motherboards with 790FX chipsets for the highest-end hardware (GX is technically a step down from the FX).

Re Overclocking .... It may be Probable that "assymetric factory chip performance tuning" ..... which is Remote Proxy Beta Control Input to Phormed* Future Memory Providers/Advanced Network Internetworked MetaDataMining Exchange ..... replaces/eclipses the present "hot-wired" approach to increased Consumer/OS/Driver Performance Needs/Feeds.

This would also allow for Chip Manufacturers/SMARTer Engine Designers, to launch/float User Champions as Live Beta Test Beds Spreading Future Memory for Present Building...... thus Creating Novel InfraStructure DynamIQs

...similarly, haven't Mercedes Benz/AMG had a "Black Edition" CLK63 for some time, too?

A quick Google for the phrase brings up a raft of hits pertaining to AMD, some for Samsung and a handful for WD, but none of these appear earlier than 2008.

MB, OTOH, seem to have coined the term at least 18 months ago.

The Marketing weasels must have a new toy to play with. "But black is the new black, daaahling" or some such tosh.

Pfft...

Hi, AMD 780G is low end system but very fast coupled with HD3450 video card. AMD 790GX is is medium end system with Crossfire/Hybrid capable with HD 3650 or up to two 4870 cards. 790FX is high end system with multiple Crossfire cards but no Hybrid mode.

Hi, AMD 780G is low end system but very fast coupled with HD3450 video card. AMD 790GX is is medium end system with Crossfire/Hybrid capable with HD 3650 or up to two 4870 cards. 790FX is high end system with multiple Crossfire cards but no Hybrid mode. Something for every wallet with best bang for the buck!

Black edition GeForce 9800 GTX (june)

The Mars bar had limited edition Mars Midnight

Samsung's Black Edition 1.8-inch Harddrives.(june ?)

50 Europe-only Hummer H3 Black Edition's (end of last year)

Hang on this is crazy

Nokia E90 Black Edition

MB SLK 55 AMG Roadster

The Vauxhall Corsavan Black Edition is based on the Sportive 1.3CDTi

The Vauxhall Astravan Black Edition features 18-inch Sports Star (April)

Bimota are doing a limited run of the DB7 Black Edition

2008 Project Kahn Bentley GTS Black Edition

Need for Speed Most Wanted Black Edition game

etc etc etc

Black edition's everywhere did everyone go to the same meeting ?

AMD released performance data for AMD Opteron processors with AMD-Virtualization together with Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V this past Wednesday. You can find the related announcement and download the data at http://eon.businesswire.com/portal/site/eon/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080917005340&newsLang=en