AMD Unleashes 2nd-Gen A-Series APUs for Laptops, Desktops
AMD has released 13 new A-Series APUs for desktops and laptops.
On Tuesday AMD officially announced a refresh of its A-Series of APUs for notebooks and desktops. The updated APUs not only bring speed and performance improvements over the previous generation, but allows desktop users to tune both x86 and graphics settings in a single processor for boosted performance. The new chips also offer AMD Dual Graphics for an up to 144-percent visual performance boost when a select APU is paired with a select AMD Radeon HD 6500 Series graphics card.
"The new AMD A-Series family of APUs improves the first generation of highly successful and revolutionary desktop and notebook processors, providing an outstanding experience for consumers seeking more responsive multitasking, long battery-life, vivid graphics, lifelike games, lag-free videos and the ultimate multimedia performance," the company said.
According to AMD, the updated A-Series APUs combine up to four x86 CPU cores with up to 400 Radeon cores, delivering DirectX 11-capable, discrete-level graphics and dedicated HD video processing on a single chip. Also included is AMD's Steady Video which is designed to stabilize videos during playback, making unsteady, jumpy content look steady and smooth as you watch. Select systems using AMD A-Series APUs will also receive an AMD Steady Video plugin for Internet Explorer 9, unlocking one-click control "to simplify access to the premium AMD Steady Video feature for video stabilization."
AMD said that the new desktop A-Series APUs in the component channel as well as systems based on the new APUs will hit the retail market over the next several weeks. In the meantime, here is an official list of the new A-Series APUs, broken into desktop and notebooks categories:
AMD A-Series Desktop APUs
* A8-3870K: Four CPU cores, 3.0 GHz CPU base (unlocked), 100W TDP, 400 Radeon cores, 600 MHz GPU base (unlocked), 4 MB L2 cache
* A8-3820: Four CPU cores, 2.5 GHz CPU base (2.8 GHz Turbo Core), 65W TDP, 400 Radeon cores, 4 MB L2 cache
* A6-3670K: Four CPU cores, 2.7 GHz CPU base (unlocked), 100W TDP, 320 Radeon cores, 600 MHz GPU base (unlocked), 4 MB L2 cache
* A6-3620: Four CPU cores, 2.2 GHz CPU base (2.5 GHz Turbo Core), 65W TDP, 320 Radeon cores, 4 MB L2 cache
* A4-3420: Two CPU cores, 2.8 GHz CPU base, 65W TDP, 160 Radeon cores, 1 MB L2 cache
AMD A-Series Notebook APUs
* A8-3550MX: Four CPU cores, 2.0 GHz CPU base (2.7 GHz Turbo Core), 45W TDP, 400 Radeon Cores, 4 MB L2 cache
* A8-3520M: Four CPU cores, 1.6 GHz CPU base (2.5 GHz Turbo Core), 35W TDP, 400 Radeon Cores, 4 MB L2 cache
* A6-3430MX: Four CPU cores, 1.7 GHz CPU base (2.4 GHz Turbo Core), 45W TDP, 320 Radeon Cores, 4 MB L2 cache
* A6-3420M: Four CPU cores, 1.5 GHz CPU base (2.4 GHz Turbo Core), 35W TDP, 320 Radeon Cores, 4 MB L2 cache
* A4-3330MX: Two CPU cores, 2.2 GHz CPU base (2.6 GHz Turbo Core), 45W TDP, 240 Radeon Cores, 2 MB L2 cache
* A4-3320M:Two CPU cores, 2.0 GHz CPU base (2.6 GHz Turbo Core), 35W TDP, 240 Radeon Cores, 2 MB L2 cache
* A4-3305M:Two CPU cores, 1.9 GHz CPU base (2.5 GHz Turbo Core), 35W TDP, 160 Radeon Cores, 1 MB L2 cache
* E2-3000M: Two CPU cores, 1.8 GHz CPU base (2.4 GHz Turbo Core), 35W TDP, 160 Radeon Cores, 1 MB L2 Cache
AMD don't care about you. Seriously, they don't make CPU for you only. You're not going to bring them lots of money ....
For normal computer usage that 99% of people does, they are perfect CPU. The GPU will decently play casual game and video, while the CPU, even if it is not to par with Intel, will probably run at 800MHz 90% of the time thank to cool 'n quiet.
I've once been deceived about a laptop that had great Intel CPU and crappy graphic. Now, I don't care about CPU as they are perfectly powerfull enough for normal task, but rather take AMD graphic over Intel anyday. Sure, gaming or professionnal stuff is an other story... But I'M sure that AMD did not have this market in mind when they release their APU.
Ivy Bridge = 3xxx
Llano = 3xxx
2nd-Gen A-Series = 3xxx
This is getting confusing
amd keeps offering quad core mobile cpus at levels intel cannot match.
Otacon72, in the mobile space this is waaaayyyy ahead of Intel, I agree AMD is way behind in desktop processing strength, but for a mobile, low cost, long battery-life, compact product AMD Llano is great.
Ivy Bridge = 3xxx
Llano = 3xxx
2nd-Gen A-Series = 3xxx
This is getting confusing
The A8-3850, the processor the 3870K's replacing, is $140. So I would expect a similar price for the A8-3870K. This isn't "cheaper than intels i3", it's about $15 more.
Still, I expected to see their new bulldozer based apu with updated gpu. And the codename of their 2013 platform is "Steamroller". That says something
AMD don't care about you. Seriously, they don't make CPU for you only. You're not going to bring them lots of money ....
For normal computer usage that 99% of people does, they are perfect CPU. The GPU will decently play casual game and video, while the CPU, even if it is not to par with Intel, will probably run at 800MHz 90% of the time thank to cool 'n quiet.
I've once been deceived about a laptop that had great Intel CPU and crappy graphic. Now, I don't care about CPU as they are perfectly powerfull enough for normal task, but rather take AMD graphic over Intel anyday. Sure, gaming or professionnal stuff is an other story... But I'M sure that AMD did not have this market in mind when they release their APU.
Obvious comment is obvious...and by obvious I mean John Madden. Of course dedicated will be better. These are made to reduce power consumption while still having decent graphical smack and to make it easier to move heat out of the machine.
I'd love one of these just for work (and a little play).
Like: " my I3 rendered my HD home movie fast.. now, let's move to my AMD equipped machine to watch it without choppiness.."
Cheers!
Except that those 4 cores barely reach the performance of 2 SNB mobile cores.
In terms of SoC, and efficiency yes, but if you're still wanting CPU performance, Intel still holds the crown, especially if you're looking at a gaming laptop, you'd want a discrete GPU and then Intel would be the way to go. I'm curious to see how Ivy Bridge in the mobile space plays out, lower power draw plus 3x(ish) GPU performance over their last gen, could put it on equal terms as the Llano line for SoC.
It's Llano.
Same stepping as far as I can tell.
You are so right... for Intel to match the power of these cores they'd need to go and develope a Pentium 4 Quad core...
For the casual user these are fine but so is the intel HD3000 integrated GPU's. For the serious game though, theyre still stuck spending a thousand bucks for a system with a dedicated GPU.
the fact that even the old cpus, the core 2 and core quad are still viable options today, mean that single core is fast enough.
multi core, intel has an advantage, for now, at least till bulldozer gets a revision 2 and properly implemented.
people dont like hearing that though... dont know why.
an amd quad core beats out an i3 hands down. but thats not all. the amd also has a gpu on it correct, which beats the crap out of intel too...
um... amd easily beats intel in graphics, and a per core, the i3 line is only slightly ahead of amds offerings at same price, but lets put it this way, better gpu beats out 5 seconds off a one time task.
most people get a laptop for... i dont know... NOT PLAYING VIDEOGAMES...
a mobile gameing laptop is out there, and reguardless of who/what you get, they cost several thousand$
these are for the sub 1000$ markets, and most likely sub 600$ and extend battery life too, for a comparable cpu/gou combo.
actually the gpu, i believe it was demoed running final fantasy 14 at one point, and smoothly, game asside, its graphics are a few steps above most casual games.
and to be honest, for most, if not nearly all applications, even bulldozers current preformance is good enough. here let me explain
the p4, once it hit 3ghz, that was the mark... that was where everything runs just fine at. and today, most if not all cpus even at half clock run at least as good as that... that is the mark you want to hit minimum.
Llano and Ivy Bridge are not SOC's. The first x86 SOC's in this market segment will be the mobile versions of Haswell in 2013.