AMD Phenom II X4 905E review

AMD promises performance and efficiency from this low-power quad-core chip

AMD Phenom II X4 905E
The 905E is a solid player, if hardly spectacular

TechRadar Verdict

An interesting take on low-power performance, but less convincing than the Athlon II X4 610E

Pros

  • +

    An attractive all round package

  • +

    Uses AMD's best quad-core die

Cons

  • -

    Mediocre performance for the price

  • -

    Jury is out on the power efficiency

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

How much are you willing to pay for improved power consumption and lower thermals? If you're a home cinema addict, reduced noise and smaller form factors are certainly desirable. For a price, the AMD Phenom II X4 905E promises to make all that possible.

Like its Athlon II X4 610E sibling, the 905E is a low-power variant of a familiar AMD processor. In this case, it's the full-on Deneb die found in high performance processors like the Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition. You therefore get all four cores and the full 6MB of L3 cache memory.

What you don't get is high clockspeeds. The Phenom II X4 905E runs at 2.5GHz. However, it's also rated at 65 Watts. That's a small fraction of the 140 Watt TDP of a high end quad-core AMD processor.

TOPICS

The TechRadar hive mind. The Megazord. The Voltron. When our powers combine, we become 'TECHRADAR TEAM'. You'll usually see this author name when the entire team has collaborated on a project or an article, whether that's a run-down ranking of our favorite Marvel films, or a round-up of all the coolest things we've collectively seen at annual tech shows like CES and MWC. We are one.

Latest in CPU
AMD Ryzen AI
New leak suggests AMD's working on an Arm-based processor to rival Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series
AMD Ryzen 9950X3D chip next to its packaging on a pink table
Asus' AI Cache Boost promises to "pump up" your AMD Ryzen 9000 processor's AI performance
An AMD Ryzen processor slotted into a motherboard
Future AMD-powered gaming handhelds and notebooks could miss out on a key feature – and it might be a deal breaker for gamers
John Loeffler holding the Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Great news! The best gaming CPU ever made is finally available for its original launch price again
The Ryzen AI Max+ 395 could power the latest generation of powerful mini PCs
The AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 dominates as the "most powerful" APU on the market, but its competition is questionable
Intel Lunar Lake concept
Intel's Panther Lake processors won't arrive until Q1 2026 - corroborates previous delay rumors despite former Intel CEO's promise of 2025 launch
Latest in Reviews
The Kiwi design K4 Boost Battery strap being worn by Hamish
I test VR headsets for a living, and this affordable headstrap is the first Meta Quest 3 accessory you should buy
Both Kiwi design G4 Pro Performance Controller Grips
I thought VR controller grips were pointless until this Meta Quest 3 accessory proved me wrong
The Kiwi design H4 Boost Halo Battery Strap
Want to upgrade your VR headset? Look no further than my new favorite Meta Quest 3 headstrap
WithSecure Elements EPP and EDR main image
I tested the WithSecure Elements EPP and EDR - read how I rated this Endpoint Protection for small business
The RIG M2 Streamstar.
I wanted to love the new RIG M2 Streamstar, but this pricey gaming microphone fails to deliver
Bambu Lab H2D Vs X1C
I've been reviewing the hotly anticipated Bambu Lab H2D for a month, and it's the most versatile machine I've ever used