Monday, September 5th 2016

AMD Unveils its 7th Generation A-Series Desktop APUs

by
btarunr
 Discuss (45 Comments)
AMD today unveiled its 7th generation A-series desktop APUs. Unlike its predecessors, the new chips are full-fledged SoCs, built in the new socket AM4 package, on which the company plans to launch its "Zen" processors. The 7th gen A-series APUs are based on the "Bristol Ridge" silicon, and are the first fully-integrated SoCs (systems-on-chip) from the company in the performance-desktop segment, in that the APU completely integrates the functionality of a motherboard chipset, including its FCH or southbridge.

This level of integration includes PCI-Express root-complex, USB 3.0, and storage interfaces such as SATA 6 Gb/s emerging directly from the AM4 socket. Some AM4 motherboards could still include a sort of "chipset," which expands connectivity options, such as USB 3.1 ports, additional SATA ports, and a few more downstream PCI-Express lanes. The amount of downstream connectivity and features decide the grade of the chipset. AMD is initially launching two chipsets, the A320 for the entry-level segment, and the B350 for mainstream desktops. The company plans to launch an even more feature-rich chipset at a later date (probably alongside ZEN "Summit Ridge" CPUs).
The 7th generation "Bristol Ridge" A-series desktop APUs aren't a launch platform for ZEN. These chips feature up to four CPU cores based on the "Excavator" architecture, AMD's final implementation of the modular CPU architecture it introduced with "Bulldozer," way back in 2011. These cores are mated with an integrated GPU based on the Graphics CoreNext 1.2 architecture. You get up to 8 GCN compute units, working out to up to 512 stream processors.
AMD is launching eight SKUs in the series, of which six are quad-core, two dual-core. The quad-core parts with 8 GCN compute units are pitted into the A12-9800 series; quad-core parts with 6 GCN compute units as A10-9700 series, and quad-core with 6 GCN CUs and lower iGPU clock bands as A8-9600 series. The dual-core parts with 6 or 4 GCN CUs are slotted in the A6-9500 series. Parts with quad-core CPU but completely lacking in integrated graphics, are slotted in the Athlon X4 series.

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45 Comments on AMD Unveils its 7th Generation A-Series Desktop APUs

#26
hojnikb
laszlosoon pc will be one chip ...20 years ago was sci-fi... hope i'll see it finalized in my life :laugh:
YOu already have that. There are ARM SoCs, that have everything onpackage, including ram. rpi1 is one such example.
Posted on Reply
#27
hojnikb
john_The stupidity in this company has become a tradition. 8 PCie lanes Gen3.0 on APUs and only 4 or 6 PCie lanes Gen 2.0 on those "chipsets".
These people really like to shoot themselves.
Thats because bristol ridge aka 7th gen is a carry over die from carrizo. They basically took carrizo die, packaged it into a am4 package and binned it for high frequency.
I really don't know what people expect, this is known for some time now.
Posted on Reply
#28
john_
hojnikbThats because bristol ridge aka 7th gen is a carry over die from carrizo. They basically took carrizo die, packaged it into a am4 package and binned it for high frequency.
I really don't know what people expect, this is known for some time now.
You misunderstood. My whole problem is with those "chipsets". Take even a B350 motherboard and pair it with an Athlon. Even the 970 which was the small chipset on the AM3+ platform had 16 pcie lanes.
Posted on Reply
#29
hojnikb
john_You misunderstood. My whole problem is with those "chipsets". Take even a B350 motherboard and pair it with an Athlon. Even the 970 which was the small chipset on the AM3+ platform had 16 pcie lanes.
Why would you want a ton of pcie lanes from the chipset anyway ?
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#30
john_
hojnikbWhy would you want a ton of pcie lanes from the chipset anyway ?
You are kidding. Modern fast SSDs use PCIe lanes. If you want to add extra functionality in your system you buy PCIe cards and you ask why? Also look at the example of the Athlon I gave you. You have to add a graphics card. And the graphics card will need a few pcie lanes to function, right? And why, oh WHY PCIe 2.0? Efficiency? THIS IS NOT A LAPTOP PLATFORM.
I am stopping here.
Posted on Reply
#31
hojnikb
john_You are kidding. Modern fast SSDs use PCIe lanes. If you want to add extra functionality in your system you buy PCIe cards and you ask why? Also look at the example of the Athlon I gave you. You have to add a graphics card. And the graphics card will need a few pcie lanes to function, right? And why, oh WHY PCIe 2.0? Efficiency? THIS IS NOT A LAPTOP PLATFORM.
I am stopping here.
In those cases, you use lanes directly from cpu itself, rather than chipset. bristol ridge and carrizo is unfortunate here, having only 8 lanes.
But it's a laptop platform transfered to desktop, so there are bound to be limitations like this.
Posted on Reply
#32
dyonoctis
john_You are kidding. Modern fast SSDs use PCIe lanes. If you want to add extra functionality in your system you buy PCIe cards and you ask why? Also look at the example of the Athlon I gave you. You have to add a graphics card. And the graphics card will need a few pcie lanes to function, right? And why, oh WHY PCIe 2.0? Efficiency? THIS IS NOT A LAPTOP PLATFORM.
I am stopping here.
From what i'm reading, with the current configuration, you can install a gpu on the gen 3 pci-e lane supported by the cpu itself, 2 pci-e/NVMe from the cpu, and then 1 sata express from the chipset. If you need more than that, i doubt that you are the target of the B350 chipset. If you have an actual need for x4 PCI-e gen3 x16, you are far from being mainstream.

I'm seeing so many people with full ATX motherboard, and a full tower but are only using one gpu, and maybe a pci-e sound card.
Posted on Reply
#33
ensabrenoir
....given past Amd release cycles, we should soon entering the silence phase before the slow back peddling begins. Anyway this may still excite some.... Sans enthusiasts.
Posted on Reply
#34
Kanan
Tech Enthusiast & Gamer
True plus there's no point in installing expensive pci-e ssds on such a platform - normal sata6g ssds will suffice. It simply has (more than) enough pci-e lanes.
Posted on Reply
#35
TheLostSwede
News Editor
dyonoctisFrom what i'm reading, with the current configuration, you can install a gpu on the gen 3 pci-e lane supported by the cpu itself, 2 pci-e/NVMe from the cpu, and then 1 sata express from the chipset. If you need more than that, i doubt that you are the target of the B350 chipset. If you have an actual need for x4 PCI-e gen3 x16, you are far from being mainstream.

I'm seeing so many people with full ATX motherboard, and a full tower but are only using one gpu, and maybe a pci-e sound card.
It only supports one PCI Express x2 NVMe drive, or two PCIe lanes, i.e. it only supports comparatively slow NVMe devices, which is a real shame even for a mid-range platform like this, as NVMe drives have really come down in price with the Intel 600p and you won't even be able to reap the full benefits of it on this.
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#36
TheLostSwede
News Editor
KananTrue plus there's no point in installing expensive pci-e ssds on such a platform - normal sata6g ssds will suffice. It simply has (more than) enough pci-e lanes.
Why wouldn't you want an NVMe drive if it costs close to the same as a SATA drive? i can get a 256GB Intel 600p for $12 more than a 240GB Intel 540s, so unless you're on a really tight budget, why wouldn't you?
Posted on Reply
#37
Kanan
Tech Enthusiast & Gamer
Because its no use performance wise. All you want is fast reaction (ssd) you don't need the big transfer speeds of pci-e or nvme unless you're a workstation user and that would be the clearly wrong platform for it then.
Posted on Reply
#38
Prima.Vera
hojnikbWhy would you want a ton of pcie lanes anyway ?
Because of dual Graphic cards, SSDs, USB 3.1 ports (never enough of those), dedicated sound card, dedicated TV card, etc
Posted on Reply
#39
Kanan
Tech Enthusiast & Gamer
Prima.VeraBecause of dual Graphic cards, SSDs, USB 3.1 ports (never enough of those), dedicated sound card, dedicated TV card, etc
Wrong platform. That's a entry to mid platform - dual Gpus don't work well there, cpu bottleneck. Rest is np though.
Posted on Reply
#40
ironwolf
TheLostSwedeUSB 3.1 gen 1, aka USB 3.0...
Where do any of the slides mention USB 3.1 Gen 1? First slide says USB 3.1 Gen 2?

EDIT: Just saw last slide, APU itself doesn't have Gen 2 support directly, only Gen 1.
Posted on Reply
#41
dyonoctis
TheLostSwedeIt only supports one PCI Express x2 NVMe drive, or two PCIe lanes, i.e. it only supports comparatively slow NVMe devices, which is a real shame even for a mid-range platform like this, as NVMe drives have really come down in price with the Intel 600p and you won't even be able to reap the full benefits of it on this.
My bad :D. But at least you get the option of NVMe, something you don't get with FM2+. Beside you won't feel a tremendous difference in everyday task between a ssd at 2000mo/s versus a 4000mo/s one, even sata vs pcie isn't really something a basic consummer should care about, you are not going to boot 4 time faster, and photoshop isn't to launch 4 time faster either. If you really have the need of moving huge amount of data with the shortest time possible, you are most likely going to be on a platform that won't be limited to a 4 core amd excavator cpu.
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#42
prtskg
Not that a BD derivative would stir anybody up but it's still good to see am4 finally, even if it's just by oems. Hopefully the enthusiasts chipset would be much better. So if one wants to upgrade chips on am4 platform, one has to get motherboard with 'proper' chipset.
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#43
Prima.Vera
So what's the equivalent of those with latest Intel processors? i3? or worst?
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#44
prtskg
Prima.VeraSo what's the equivalent of those with latest Intel processors? i3? or worst?
According to AMD, for gpu accelerated workloads, it goes toe to toe with i5. For cpu only workloads, all BD derivatives are just ... well, they lag behind in per core performance.
Posted on Reply
#45
$ReaPeR$
this is just a stop-gap measure util zen is ready to launch, they are just trying to stay relevant to the market.
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