APU with an additional GPU vs CPU + APU

[EZ Ki11]

I am currently buying components here and there to build a new semi-gaming rig desktop, and i was wondering how the new APUs would differ than getting a Phenom II x4 @3.2ghz. with a radeon hd 6790 card.

If i got the Current APU it would be the AMD A8-3850 Llano 2.9GHz 4MB L2 Cache Socket FM1 100W Quad-Core Desktop APU AD3850WNGXBOX

(i belive that is the highest end one currently released, correct if i am wrong),

and i would crossfire that with the highest card that i could

(question: would I be able to crossfire it with the 6790? i haven't been able to find any info on crossfiring with the new APUs)

My questions are: For a average gamer, what would give me the performance i need for decent/high gaming experience while giving me a decent amount of processing power (I only do a bit of Handbraking, and dvd ripping and other slightly intensive processes currently, but i dont want a weak cpu by any means).

How energy efficient is the APU i selected, and is there any better ones currently available?

Is there any info on crossfiring with the APUs?

What is more future proof?

 

[EZ Ki11]

bump

 

[simon12]

I would wait until cheaper mother boards are on sale until you consider Llano at all. Even then I think a Phenom 955 BE & a Radeon 6850 will blow away anything Llano can do unless you are very worried about power consumption.

 

[EZ Ki11]

will the Trinity run on the FM1 interface though?
Because, I could always get Llano now and upgrade to trinity later

 

[simon12]

Its rumoured that Trinity will be socket FMX which will be incompatible with FM1, AM3+ and any other current socket but I don't think this is known for sure. I suggest AM3+ is the best build at the moment especially with the low prices on the 955BE that may go even lower when bulldozer is released.

 

[jaguarskx]

I am currently buying components here and there to build a new semi-gaming rig desktop, and i was wondering how the new APUs would differ than getting a Phenom II x4 @3.2ghz. with a radeon hd 6790 card.

.
.
.

(question: would I be able to crossfire it with the 6790? i haven't been able to find any info on crossfiring with the new APUs)

My questions are: For a average gamer, what would give me the performance i need for decent/high gaming experience while giving me a decent amount of processing power (I only do a bit of Handbraking, and dvd ripping and other slightly intensive processes currently, but i dont want a weak cpu by any means).

.
.
.

From what I've read, you can only benefit from asymmetrical Crossfire if the video card you are going to install is no more than twice as powerful as the graphics core in the APU. In your case, the Radeon HD 6790 is definitely more than twice as powerful as the Radeon HD 6620G (I think that's what it is called) in the Llano A8-3850 APU. Therefore, the graphics core will be switched off and your games will be solely driven by the HD 6790. I think the graphics core of the A8-3850 APU is roughly equivalent to the HD 5570 / HD 6470.

The CPU core of the A8-3850 only goes up to 2.9GHz (from the best of my knowledge) and it is based on the Athlon II CPU core rather than the Phenom II core. That means it is overall slower than the Phenom II X4 3.2GHz. Having said that, any CPU intensive process like Handbraking will be slower on a Llano APU compared to a Phenom II CPU.

You are better off building your PC with a Phenom II (or Core i5 CPU for better results). The Llano APUs are designed for a low end all-in-one solution so on the desktop end, there is not too much appeal for these APUs. However, it's different on the value laptop side of the business since you can get a decent integrated graphics core for games without having to spend too much money.

 

[Mousemonkey]

bump

Don't...
Bump posts
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/283384-33-read-first

 

[mdd1963]

In my opinion, one should not choose one of these Athlon II equivalent rigs for any sort of intended gaming system, unless content to play Quake3 and old MOHAA (still a great game, BTW!)

 

[BaronMatrix]

I am currently buying components here and there to build a new semi-gaming rig desktop, and i was wondering how the new APUs would differ than getting a Phenom II x4 @3.2ghz. with a radeon hd 6790 card.

If i got the Current APU it would be the AMD A8-3850 Llano 2.9GHz 4MB L2 Cache Socket FM1 100W Quad-Core Desktop APU AD3850WNGXBOX

(i belive that is the highest end one currently released, correct if i am wrong),

and i would crossfire that with the highest card that i could

(question: would I be able to crossfire it with the 6790? i haven't been able to find any info on crossfiring with the new APUs)

My questions are: For a average gamer, what would give me the performance i need for decent/high gaming experience while giving me a decent amount of processing power (I only do a bit of Handbraking, and dvd ripping and other slightly intensive processes currently, but i dont want a weak cpu by any means).

How energy efficient is the APU i selected, and is there any better ones currently available?

Is there any info on crossfiring with the APUs?

What is more future proof?

Right now the highest GPU for Dual Graphics is the HD6750, which will provide up to 50% better frames. Since the Bulldozer based APU will fit in the same socket, you can get that next year and be able to push the GPUs even higher. The Trinity APU (Bulldozer) will have the newer GPU (Cayman) and be even faster still.

AMD will probably release faster A8 APUs before then and they'll be as cheap so either way you've got a good upgrade path for 2 years.

 

[mdd1963]

Since the Bulldozer based APU will fit in the same socket, you can get that next year and be able to push the GPUs even higher. The Trinity APU (Bulldozer) will have the newer GPU (Cayman) and be even faster still..

Are you sure about this?

http://news.softpedia.com/news/AMD-2012-Trinity-APUs-to-Use-the-FMX-Socket-206052.shtml

If not sure, I'd not be recommending someone adopt an AthlonX4 635-equivalent w/low end graphics system (APU) for a gaming build, only to find out later it is not remotely compatible with later Trinity compatible motherboards...especially not to pay even more for it than a faster 990Fx/Phenom X4-955 would cost. (At least we do 'know' the basic BD will work on AM3+ 990 chipset mainboards)

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey