AMD Releases A6-3500 Triple-Core APU

[btarunr]

AMD released its first triple-core accelerated processing unit (APU), the A6-3500. Armed with three x86-64 cores, the A6-3500 socket FM1 APU is positioned to offer superior performance and performance per dollar compared to Intel's Sandy Bridge-based Pentium Dual Core processors. The A6-3500 features Radeon HD 6530D graphics, which is DirectX 11 compliant, and makes use of 320 stream processors. The CPU component of the A6-3500 is clocked at 2.10 GHz with 2.40 GHz in TurboCore mode, while the GPU component runs at 443 MHz.

There is 3 MB of L2 cache on the chip (1 MB per core), the dual-channel DDR3 memory controller natively supports DDR3-1866 MHz memory. The TDP of the chip is rated at 65W. AMD's A6-3500 triple-core APU is priced at US $95 in the PIB (processor in box) retail package, which includes the certified heatsink, while in 1000-unit tray quantities, it is priced at $89 a piece.

[TheLaughingMan]

Considering the GPU part of that chip is like a $65 dedicated card, that is ridiculously cheap. And I am still not sure why all the documentation says those run at 443 MHz for the GPU core when they runn at 444 MHz. I mean its only 1 MHz difference, but why has this typo not be fixed by AMD?

[suraswami]

Originally Posted by TheLaughingMan

Considering the GPU part of that chip is like a $65 dedicated card, that is ridiculously cheap. And I am still not sure why all the documentation says those run at 443 MHz for the GPU core when they runn at 444 MHz. I mean its only 1 MHz difference, but why has this typo not be fixed by AMD?

444 is an unlucky number?

[Red_Machine]

That GPU is probably the equivalent of an 8800GT. Not bad for an APU.

[Yukikaze]

Originally Posted by Red_Machine

That GPU is probably the equivalent of an 8800GT. Not bad for an APU.

No it isn't. The memory bandwidth is far, far lower.

[crazyeyesreaper]

which is why you pair it with 1866 DDR3,

it opens up performance by around 30-35% over 1066,

and when the CPU is overclocked it overclocks the GPU as well,

at full overclock an APU performs roughly on par with in this case an Athlon II X3 440 + 8800gs

still more then enough for gaming on todays console ports. surprisingly enough.

[nINJAkECIL]

so amd still salvaging defect quad-core.i'm sure we'll be able to unlock these triple core APUs.
not bad considering the price.plus you get a decent gpu which is good enough for gaming at low-medium setting.

[happita]

Originally Posted by nINJAkECIL

so amd still salvaging defect quad-core.i'm sure we'll be able to unlock these triple core APUs.
not bad considering the price.plus you get a decent gpu which is good enough for gaming at low-medium setting.

I like that they try to use all CPUs that are manufactured. This saves time, money, and most importantly at least to me, the environment
And just like you mentioned, some of us might get lucky with an unlock

[Cheeseball]

Unlock with what though? ACC doesn't exist in the A55/A75 chipsets.

[jpierce55]

Sounds like they have started an interesting new segment for sure.

[NC37]

Originally Posted by happita

I like that they try to use all CPUs that are manufactured. This saves time, money, and most importantly at least to me, the environment

Want to save the environment, have companies stop making cheap crap PCs which are literally used for a year and then thrown out. Course then PCs would have a much longer life span and it would be an upgrade market instead of all new hardware all the time. Apple used to be like this before the G5s and x86 switch. Now they churn out more cheap AIO PCs with high end CPUs and encourage more new purchases. Effectively killed the upgrade market other than those they sell as OEMs which are outrageously overpriced.

[TheLaughingMan]

You can get a quick idea of how well the 6530D performances in a few games here: http://www.futurelooks.com/amd-llano...level-pc-king/

[Jonap_1st]

80 bucks? imagine i bought cheap $60 athlon II X3 and $40 radeon card. it still good bargain anyway..

Originally Posted by Red_Machine

That GPU is probably the equivalent of an 8800GT. Not bad for an APU.

HD6530D is 25% slower than HD6550D which is on the same level with GT220/9500GT. so i think its GT210/9400GT..

[crazyeyesreaper]

ask the ppl that have run the APU

stock its slow yes

but going from 1066mhz DDR3 to 1866 offers a 25% or more performance boost

overclocking the core also can offer another 15-20% in which case the APU
which offers CPU + GPU for $140 give the same performance as a Phenom II 955 + 8800gs / 8800gt.

the High End APU with decent RAM kit has performance favorable to a 3850 which is in between 8800gs and 8800gt performance

even with the cheapest intel dual core + gt 240 you still wont get performance at the same price as the APU at $130

In far cry 2 which was never really a Pro AMD title an APU for $130 overclocked offers performance between a 5670 / 5770

a Athlon II x4 + 5670 will cost you $170 ish so yea... obviously its performance is there in the APU's just have to overclock to get it,

and the APU is much like sandybridge in that they pretty much all hit the same wall due to the clockspeed increase overclocking both cpu + gpu,





so by cross referencing reviews around the web it would indeed appear that an overclocked APU system offers Phenom II 955 / Q9550 cpu performance + 8800gt performance. for $130 thats good bang for buck on the 3850

the 3500 APU should come in around 8800gs performance other gpus of similar performance lvl

8800gs 9600gt 9600gso
4670

stock clocks yea there not much to right home about but considering im looking at this from a techpowerup! user perspective, the cost of an APU is pretty good when comparing the cost of a seperate cpu + gpu when overclocking the APU,

[TheLaughingMan]

Originally Posted by Jonap_1st

80 bucks? imagine i bought cheap $60 athlon II X3 and $40 radeon card. it still good bargain anyway..



HD6530D is 25% slower than HD6550D which is on the same level with GT220/9500GT. so i think its GT210/9400GT..

Well that is subjective and based on release/support only drivers for the APUs.

Also the Athlon II X3 chips are at least $70. And the closest 6000 series card to that price range is around $50. Unless you want to sacrifice efficiency or deal with the 210 lack luster HD playback support.

[crazyeyesreaper]

yea in the HQV video benchmarks AMD cards tend to win in HD video playback from low to high end where as nvidia's support jumps around with cards like the GTX 470 performing worse in HD video then say a 9800gt there all over the place,

the APU definitely isnt end all be all but for moron users that know next to nothing, they can do far worse then an APU lol if they want to play there facebook games, watch hd video, and play WoW lol

[cadaveca]

makes for a good HTPC, too. I'm actually pleasantly surprised with the APUs when overclocked, and getting them there to that overlcock is pretty fun too, if you have the right board.


I'm working on more APU board reviews, and a couple of Z68 reviews. At the desktop, when paired with a SSD, the APU isn't really that slow...at all...would be hardpressed to really notice that perhaps the APU doesn't have the best CPU performance, but for it's cost, you've gotta expect that.

[TheLaughingMan]

Originally Posted by crazyeyesreaper

yea in the HQV video benchmarks AMD cards tend to win in HD video playback from low to high end where as nvidia's support jumps around with cards like the GTX 470 performing worse in HD video then say a 9800gt there all over the place,

the APU definitely isnt end all be all but for moron users that know next to nothing, they can do far worse then an APU lol if they want to play there facebook games, watch hd video, and play WoW lol

Exactly. I am not sure how this discussion even got my attention. We are in a price segment were everything you can put together (CPU + GPU) for under $100 will be completely crushed under the weight of any real game. No matter what system you build to compare here, its not like you will be playing BFBC2 with us.

Would I recommend gaming with this A6-3500? Yes, if the games were DX9c titles. You want to play Valve games, Indie titles, Fallout New Vegas, Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age Origin/Awakening, Resident Evil 5, etc. it will handle those on medium to max settings no prob.

I played through Mass Effect 2 on the A6-3650 @ maxed out settings with no stutter, lag, or severe frame rate drops. While it was only 48 FPS average, it never dropped below 40 so gameplay was smooth.

If you plan to play Bad Company 2, yet to be released titles, any DX11 game, etc. then why are you even shopping in the below $100 price segment? The CPU alone should be no less than $140 (discounted AMD Phenom II) if you plan to plan that stuff.

[Jonap_1st]

Originally Posted by crazyeyesreaper

ask the ppl that have run the APU

stock its slow yes

but going from 1066mhz DDR3 to 1866 offers a 25% or more performance boost

overclocking the core also can offer another 15-20% in which case the APU
which offers CPU + GPU for $140 give the same performance as a Phenom II 955 + 8800gs / 8800gt.

the High End APU with decent RAM kit has performance favorable to a 3850 which is in between 8800gs and 8800gt performance

even with the cheapest intel dual core + gt 240 you still wont get performance at the same price as the APU at $130

In far cry 2 which was never really a Pro AMD title an APU for $130 overclocked offers performance between a 5670 / 5770

a Athlon II x4 + 5670 will cost you $170 ish so yea... obviously its performance is there in the APU's just have to overclock to get it,

and the APU is much like sandybridge in that they pretty much all hit the same wall due to the clockspeed increase overclocking both cpu + gpu,

so by cross referencing reviews around the web it would indeed appear that an overclocked APU system offers Phenom II 955 / Q9550 cpu performance + 8800gt performance. for $130 thats good bang for buck on the 3850

the 3500 APU should come in around 8800gs performance other gpus of similar performance lvl

8800gs 9600gt 9600gso
4670

stock clocks yea there not much to right home about but considering im looking at this from a techpowerup! user perspective, the cost of an APU is pretty good when comparing the cost of a seperate cpu + gpu when overclocking the APU,

changing 1066 DDR3 with 1860 ones will doubled the cost for RAM, take example from $25 2x2GB DDR3 1066 to $50 1860 DDR3. its good if you understand how to OC the ram, but for some people who dont know, they just bought for anything that run on stock..

also where do you get those phenom II X4 955/ Intel Q9550? i cant find it at any benchmark that you shown above. except core2duo E6850..

Originally Posted by TheLaughingMan

Well that is subjective and based on release/support only drivers for the APUs.

Also the Athlon II X3 chips are at least $70. And the closest 6000 series card to that price range is around $50. Unless you want to sacrifice efficiency or deal with the 210 lack luster HD playback support.

but i never said it was bad choice either.. comparing $90 A3500 with $120 system, it looks very clear..

[crazyeyesreaper]

uh APU supports 1866mhz ram out of the box there is no overclocking needed on the memory period

Socket FM1 allows 1866 as the default same as Bulldozer on AM3+

$50 for 4gb of 1866mhz ram
G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR...

so really ram cost is moot,

i mean for christ sake just 2 weeks ago Mushkin Redlines 1866mhz 9 10 9 1.5v that will do 2133mhz and an 8gb kit no less was $80 so cost of ram is a non issue 1866 4gb kit use to be expensive theyve now dropped to the same cost as 1333mhz sticks 2 months ago.

8 gig 1866mhz with low profile heatspreaders
Mushkin Enhanced Redline 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR...