AMD A10-5800K "Trinity" APU Tested

[btarunr]

Later this year, AMD will unveil its second-generation accelerated processing units (APUs) in the FM2 package, based on its brand-new "Piledriver" CPU and "Graphics CoreNext" GPU architectures. Among these, the part that is designed keeping overclockers in mind is the A10-5800K, which features an unlocked base clock multiplier, four x86-64 cores, 3.80 GHz (nominal) and 4.20 GHz Turbo Core clock speed, and AMD Radeon HD 7660D graphics. Find out more about the lineup here.

INPAI got its hands on an A10-5800K APU, and supporting socket FM2 motherboard, and wasted no time in comparing it to the current-generation A8-3850. INPAI put the two chips through SuperPi 1M, to measure single-thread performance, and 3DMark 06, to measure embedded-GPU performance. In SuperPi, A10-5800K crunched SuperPi 1M in 23.775 s, the A8-3850 did the same in 26.039 s. With 3DMark 06, the A10-5800K scored 9396 points, while the A8-3850 scored 6223. The inference that can be drawn out of this little test is that Trinity has significantly faster graphics, not so much CPU (taking into account A10-5800K cores were clocked over 30% higher than those of the A8-3850).



Source: INPAI

[Vulpesveritas]

Couple things...

-Aren't Piledriver cores supposed to have 32kb L1 cache?
-Why does the A10 system only have 2GB of RAM when the Llano system have 8GB?
-That A10 is using nearly 20 watts less than that Llano APU.
-Why such an old benchmark with super pi?

[NC37]

Yeah exactly. Less than 4GB with a Llano was considered nuts.

[JKnows]

Super PI says 8GB Ram, just 3DMark did not recognized it correctly. By the way it looks very fast, surly faster than Ivy Bridge.

[Vulpesveritas]

Originally Posted by JKnows

Super PI says 8GB Ram, just 3DMark did not recognized it correctly. By the way it looks very fast, surly faster than Ivy Bridge.

Look at the allocated memory though. Seems odd.
Oh speculation quick- the latest rumors i've seen are saying the A10 will have 384 Radeon cores at 800mhz. I don't see how that could be VLIW4, especially as I don't see how they could run hybrid Xfire with it.

However if those values are correct, then it could easily be GCN, given it would be the same clock as a 7750, with 75% of the cores, and with 2133mhz RAM you would have the same memory bandwidth.

Still doesn't explain the L1 cache, and wondering how TDP-TDP it does against llano with it using ~15% less power. Lower voltage.
Looks like IPC is almost that of Llano, though not quite. But wondering again on that L1...
...
so it may be real. not sure.

[Lionheart]

Sounds like an awesome APU if the price is right

[zomg]

Originally Posted by Vulpesveritas

-Why does the A10 system only have 2GB of RAM when the Llano system have 8GB?

system with Llano was with 32-bit OS
system with Trinity was with 64-bit OS
(see bottom of CPU-Z window)

[Vulpesveritas]

Originally Posted by zomg

system with Llano was with 32-bit OS
system with Trinity was with 64-bit OS
(see bottom of CPU-Z window)

Then why does the llano A8 say 8gb RAM, but the Trinity A10 only say 2gb?..
something seems off with that.

[Sihastru]

Lol, "Trinity Devastator Desktop", devastatingly sluggish... unfortunately it looks like a higher clocked Bulldozer with slightly better (CGN) graphics.

So Trinity/Piledriver will not be AMD's savior.

[xenocide]

I was expecting more. The upgraded GPU is nice, but the CPU is barely better considering how much higher it's clocked...

[Vulpesveritas]

Originally Posted by xenocide

I was expecting more. The upgraded GPU is nice, but the CPU is barely better considering how much higher it's clocked...

It's better than bulldozer... and it's more power efficient.

Originally Posted by Sihastru

Lol, "Trinity Devastator Desktop", devastatingly sluggish... unfortunately it looks like a higher clocked Bulldozer with slightly better (CGN) graphics.

So Trinity/Piledriver will not be AMD's savior.

Devastatingly sluggish? once again, faster than Llano, more power efficient. And let's not forget GCN's GPGPU performance and the possibility of offloading x86 instructions to it.
Not to mention AMD's version of quicksync, visual enhancements, and oh look unlocked multipliers. And it will probably be priced less than $150.

[JKnows]

Originally Posted by zomg

system with Llano was with 32-bit OS
system with Trinity was with 64-bit OS
(see bottom of CPU-Z window)

Do you mean:
system with Llano was with 64-bit OS
system with Trinity was with 32-bit OS ??

That is cool, adding 64bit OS to Trinity we can see more 3DMark points and even more points using Windows 8. (Trinity optimized for Windows 8).

[Ikaruga]

Those are very good IGP scores indeed.

SM2.0 Score: 3285 ?
HDR/SM3.0 Score: 4067 ??

That thing almost doubles the scores with high detail and high res enabled compared to what they had with the Llano, and it can also run 3 FullHD displays?. Very impressive.

[Sihastru]

Originally Posted by Vulpesveritas

It's better than bulldozer... and it's more power efficient.

Devastatingly sluggish? once again, faster than Llano, more power efficient. And let's not forget GCN's GPGPU performance and the possibility of offloading x86 instructions to it.
Not to mention AMD's version of quicksync, visual enhancements, and oh look unlocked multipliers. And it will probably be priced less than $150.

No one is complaining for the lack of "features". But there are a few problems. It's not really any better then BD, there's a sizeable clockspeed difference there that explains the slight boost in performance (and not in a flattering way).

As for GPGPU, I'm still waiting for something useful other then video encoding to leverage it. If you're telling me that it will offload x86 instruction set to GCN, I'm gonna start laughing. Do you even believe that or you just wanted to make a short list longer?

I will attack even the "unlocked" part, at a turbo speed of 4.2 GHz, overclocking isn't really needed.

We'll talk pricing when I see it on the shelves. Lately AMD doesn't have a good track record when it comes to pricing.

It does however have a really nice GPU in it. It's its only saving grace.

[NC37]

Well, can only go so far with simple synthetic benches. Guess we'll be seeing more real world ones within the next month. APUs weren't meant to be speed machines. If they were, they'd have more functionality intact from the CPUs they are based on. Ultimately AMD's savior is graphics. ATI's legacy will keep them afloat.

But an APU of Trinity caliber for the same price range as Llano would just be killer. There is no way Intel will be able to beat that for awhile in anything other than CPU performance. $500 laptop that can only run CPU tasks well, or a $500 laptop that runs heavier GPU stuff with a hit to CPU. I'll take the GPU laptop any day. CPU intensive tasks, just use a tower, or wait a few mins longer for the tasks to complete.

[nt300]

Originally Posted by Sihastru

Lol, "Trinity Devastator Desktop", devastatingly sluggish... unfortunately it looks like a higher clocked Bulldozer with slightly better (CGN) graphics.

So Trinity/Piledriver will not be AMD's savior.

You couldn't be more wrong. This is not a complete finished product yet. The finish Trinity CPUs should offer about 30% performance increase in CPU against the LIano and upto 50% in graphics performance increase against LIano.
AMDs Trinity is in competition with LIano (Not Intel) and it offers high performance improvement as it stands and should increase as it nears release.

[Sihastru]

How can a product be in competition with the product it replaces. Outside of a few weeks where you might see both in reviews, the old product will be phased out.

[Completely Bonkers]

OK, performance isnt brilliant - but - it is a damn sight better than Atom. Remember Atom 3 years ago with 230 then 330. Then 525 now 2700. Over three years performance has increased, what, 20%. Shame on Intel. (low power entry level).

[nt300]

Originally Posted by Sihastru

How can a product be in competition with the product it replaces. Outside of a few weeks where you might see both in reviews, the old product will be phased out.

No you right, didn't mean to phrase that way. '
Th only competition AMD has against Intel is the GPU part of the APUs. It should also take about 4 to 6 months for Trinity to replace LIano. This is why I say it will compete with each other. AMD need to strategically price Trinity so they can push as many of them through the channel. AMD has great opportunity with Trinity to gain back market share.

The Trinity APUs out and about are based on engineering samples. The stepping revision should outperform better.

[Edgarstrong]

Do you think I can use this new APU in a HTPC that will be used for Blu-Ray videos most of the time and skip graphics card?

[meirb111]

once more zero gain in preformance per clock!

[blibba]

Originally Posted by Edgarstrong

Do you think I can use this new APU in a HTPC that will be used for Blu-Ray videos most of the time and skip graphics card?

Of course...

A solution like this is very much overkill for Blu Ray playback.

[Dent1]

Originally Posted by meirb111

once more zero gain in preformance per clock!

How do you kow that?

We'll have to wait for official reviews to show the A8-3850 and A10-5800K at matching clock speeds. Thus, performance per clock results. Until then you are guessing.

[bencrutz]

looks nice to me.
but yeah, haters gona hate

[Andy77]

Originally Posted by JKnows

Super PI says 8GB Ram, just 3DMark did not recognized it correctly. By the way it looks very fast, surly faster than Ivy Bridge.

Where did you learn to count bytes? Those are 8 Mega Bytes of RAM used by SuperPI to make all the calculations possible. It even says "Allocated", which means a chunk out of the total given for the application to use.

Originally Posted by zomg

system with Llano was with 32-bit OS
system with Trinity was with 64-bit OS
(see bottom of CPU-Z window)

It's backwards...
A10, CPU-Z x32, 2,5 GB RAM
A8, CPU-Z x64, 7,6 GB RAM