ITT: We propose our own Kaveri SKUs

[cbn]

Just for fun, please post your ideas.

Here are two of mine:

1. A10-7900:

CPU: Quad core with 4MB cache @ greater than 4 Ghz base clock
iGPU: 512 GCN stream processors @ 514 Mhz

Reason for proposing this SKU:

---- According to various gaming benchmarks 512 GCN @ 720 Mhz are bottlenecked even with the fast 2133 Mhz RAM.

---- OEM boxes (from Lenovo, HP, Dell, Acer) having been consistently spec'd with DDR3 1600 RAM.

Considering the two factors above, taking some clockspeed (TDP) off the iGPU and adding to the cpu cores makes sense to me.

2.) A8-7500K

CPU: Quad core with 2MB cache @ 3.7 Ghz base clock
iGPU: 256 GCN stream processors @ 720 Mhz

Reason for proposing this SKU:

----AMD needs something much cheaper than the and A10-7700K, and more capable than the Athlon x 4 860K. (Sure there is the A8-7600, but I feel it could have a better CPU to iGPU balance. This especially is true if value RAM is used)

EDIT: Another good reason (from a 28nm future yields perspective) why the A8-7500K (or whatever it ends up being called) should come into being ---> http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=36588937&postcount=39

 

[Tsavo]

AMD A5 TFSI. 5 core Audi edition.

You think I'm joking, but AMD had a G8-6200 General Motors edition CPU, but it was recalled before it was ever put into the channel.

 

[monstercameron]

Introducing the a10-8800GTX:
4 Puma+ cores @2.0GHz + 4 steamroller cores 4GHz - 5GHz turbo cores
896 GCN cores (think 7790)
quad channel ddr3

big little approach so AMD can focus big cores on high freq [with the higher power draw inherent with hi freq design], while using puma+ in non stressed situations.

7790 performance equivalent with just enough perf to crest 1080p30 in nearly every game.

quad channel ddr3 because it is relatively cheap.

 

[Ventanni]

A12-7900K: 6 core + 384GCN, 3.5ghz base 4.0ghz turbo 125w
A12-7950K: 8 core + 384GCN, 3.3ghz base 3.7ghz turbo 125w

One can dream, right?

 

[Blitzvogel]

A10-7900e: 2 Steamroller Module + 768 GCN, 3.5 GHz CPU, 800 MHz GPU, tri-channel DDR3 or GDDR5

Improved Kaveri variant with more graphics muscle specifically for specialized/embedded mobo solutions with soldered on GDDR5 (6/12 GB). Would be great for HTPCs.

A12-7990i: 4 Module + 128 GCN, 3.7 GHz CPU, 1000 MHz GPU, dual-channel memory

Successor of current FX AMD CPUs with small IGP for basic graphics capabilities and APU-type acceleration. Fully HSA, hUMA compatible.

 

[el etro]

They need to slash the prices of its A10 to compete better with intel's i3.

And for the topic:

Some quad core processor with below $100 price and 384sps IGP.

 

[cbn]

Some quad core processor with below $100 price and 384sps IGP.

I agree.......something value priced to compete with Pentium G3258 (which is constantly on sale via various processor/ overclockable motherboard bundles)

But how should they spec the processor?

Maybe unlocked quad core with 2MB cache? (like the Athlon x4 860K)

And instead of 256 GCN stream processors @ 720 Mhz (as on my A8-7500K in the OP), they can give us 384 GCN stream processors at some lower clock rate (maybe 514 Mhz like the A4-7300). This lower clock rate on the iGPU to improve performance per watt and allow better cpu overclocking under the stock cooler?

 

[PPB]

FX 6450

3 modules at 3.5hz/128GCN cores (just good enough iGP for daily tasks and HD youtube).

Make it happen!

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

16 Core, Twin Eight, Low Clocked, Workstation Edition APU

12 Core, Slow Clocked, Light Workstation Edition, APU

8 Core, Twin Quad, Medium Clocked, Business Edition, APU

Hex Core, Fast Clocked, Gaming HexaVision Edition, APU

Single Core, Slow Cored, HTPC Edition, APU

Single Core, Super Slow Clocked, Battery Power Edition, APU

 

[Fjodor2001]

* 8C without IGP.
-To be paired with discrete GPU card for next-gen games making use of 6/8+ threads.

* 8C with small/medium IGP.
-For workstation computers, compiling code and similar, which makes use of multiple threads.

* 2C with very small IGP, low TDP, and very cheap.
-For small server / file server usage.

 

[NTMBK]

GDDR5 memory, 1Ghz GPU, 130W TDP. An actually worthwhile gaming APU.

 

[Fjodor2001]

GDDR5 memory, 1Ghz GPU, 130W TDP. An actually worthwhile gaming APU.

+1

If they can get the performance into PS4 territory so you can play modern major titles at 1080p with decent settings, I think a major threshold will have been passed.

 

[VirtualLarry]

+1

If they can get the performance into PS4 territory so you can play modern major titles at 1080p with decent settings, I think a major threshold will have been passed.

I didn't think any of the games running on the PS4 APU ran at 1080P.

 

[Techhog]

+1

If they can get the performance into PS4 territory so you can play modern major titles at 1080p with decent settings, I think a major threshold will have been passed.

Not even remotely possible with 130W and big cores yet.

 

[cbn]

I didn't think any of the games running on the PS4 APU ran at 1080P.

They do.

Here is a list of the native resolutions and frame rate targets:

http://www.ign.com/wikis/xbox-one/PS4_vs._Xbox_One_Native_Resolutions_and_Framerates

Note that some games like Battlefield 4 do not run natively at 1080p on either Xbox One or PS4.

 

[cbn]

Speaking of the Xbox One Battlefield 4 spec of 720p @ 60 FPS, I wonder how a quad core APU on PC would compare?

EDIT: Here is a Battlefield 4 Multiplayer video with Mantle at 720p (low settings) with A10-7850K (iGPU at stock speed), 8GB 2133 Mhz RAM, Windows 7 Pro:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmD0tmzJs2g

Average FPS: 49

 

[SlowSpyder]

A12 FX9590
Configurable 100 - 220 watt TDP
DDR5 memory controllers with PS4 bandwidth
200Mhz - 1+GHz 512 GCN SP (user configurable)
4GHz - ??GHz (user configurable)

Yea, I know it probably doesn't make sense, but we're in make believe land so let it be.

 

[SOFTengCOMPelec]

Combined Game-Of-The-Year and Deluxe-Platinum-Gold Edition APU

It includes ALL of AMD past and present cpu releases, such as:

Am2900
AMD29000
Am29X305
8086
Am286
Am386
Geode
Semperon
Phenom9600
FX8350
Right up to present day, including ALL FX and Opteron releases.

All cpus are patched up to the latest mask release levels.

As a bonus it also includes all non-released prototype AMD cpu editions as well, including the 96-core Monster Opteron cpu and the AMD8080 which was not ready in time for launch.

It also includes all deathmatch Igpu releases, even the unreleased ones, as well.

 

[blackened23]

Any Kaveri in which the IPC doesn't suck would be fantastic. But this is a longstanding AMD problem and doesn't appear will ever be solved.

Aside from that, the pricing of current Kaveri SKUs is absurd. You can get a Pentium anniversary edition and a mobo frequently at sale prices for under 100$ which gives you room for a dGPU, while the Kaveri 7850k costs upwards of 180$. Yes, 180$ and this does not include a motherboard. That makes the entire budget proposal of the Kaveri a wash. Kaveri needs to find its niche as a budget part because given that the IPC, quite frankly, sucks, the price should be lower. The IGP is pretty good but as a desktop part - who cares? It would be exiting if the 7850k IGP graphics could perform that well in a mobile part, but the mobile kaveri parts are far cut down in comparison to desktop and obviously perform less. So for a desktop part it's hard to get excited about 720p gaming or 1080p low detail gaming, when you can get a cheaper alternative (pentium anniversary edition + mobo for less than 100$, and a dGPU) with a dGPU for a lower cost.

TL'DR: Kaveri prices need to go down, perhaps next gen APUs should get substantially better IPC, because IPC does and always will matter. (wishful thinking though). Despite the IPC issues, I think the 7850k is a good part for a HTPC. Great part in fact. But it's too expensive for what it offers, given the trade-offs of the Kaveri in comparison to intel offerings. And AFAIK only the 7850k is fully unlocked for overclocking, I understand the recently launched 7800 cannot be OC'ed. So while there are cheaper SKUs, that makes them a bit less desirable still.

 

[Blitzvogel]

Speaking of the Xbox One Battlefield 4 spec of 720p @ 60 FPS, I wonder how a quad core APU on PC would compare?

Which APU? Theoretically, any of the high end SKUs running at least 3.2 GHz will have as much CPU GFLOPS and probably similar IPC as either console thanks to said high speed.

 

[cbn]

Looking at that Battlefield 4 Multiplayer Video (Mantle API) in post #16, I wonder what would happen to frame rates if RAM speed were decreased from 2133 Mhz to 1600 Mhz?

Would the frame rate decrease be minimal? Or large enough to be a concern?

If the frame rate decrease is minimal with DDR3 1600 then I would want to know what lesser Quad core APU I could use @ 720p (low settings) with Battlefield 4 for PC?

 

[Maximilian]

My APU:

A99X-7970:

CPU: 32 cores with 64MB cache @ 4ghz
iGPU: 2048 GCN cores @ 1ghz

 

[blackened23]

My APU:

A99X-7970:

CPU: 32 cores with 64MB cache @ 4ghz
iGPU: 2048 GCN cores @ 1ghz

Now that's an APU that would make anyone excited

 

[DrMrLordX]

the Kaveri 7850k costs upwards of 180$. Yes, 180$ and this does not include a motherboard.

In all fairness, the 7850K is now $170 at NewEgg. That's with free shipping, too. That's still too expensive, but if we're going to talk about $100 G3258+mobo combos, then we should at least be fair to the poor old 7850K. Also, now that the 7600 is available in retail, maybe we should be comparing that to the G3258 instead of the 7850K. I am fairly certain that the right board(s) will be able to overclock it with bclk alone, though this usage is not well-documented.

The G3258 is a great chip, and beating it on general computing tasks is a tall order for Kaveri. That just isn't going to happen with Steamroller being what it is, especially when it has no L3 cache. The only way Kaveri wins is with OpenCL 2.0, HSA, and Mantle/DX12. Take that away and it's not a winning proposition.

 

[cbn]

Also, now that the 7600 is available in retail, maybe we should be comparing that to the G3258 instead of the 7850K.

That is a good place to start.

Ideally, some of the testing should involve using typical end user hardware such as the following:

A8-7600 with dual channel DDR3 at varying speeds (1600, 1833, 2133, etc)

vs.

Pentium G3258 stock cooler overclocked on Non-Z board and a single stick of 4GB DDR3 RAM (speed at 1333 due to Non-Z board limitation) with R7 Radeon Discrete Video Card.

Side Note: I think 64 player Battlefield 4 @ 720p (low settings) on PC is an interesting target to look at also. What is the cheapest possible hardware combination (cpu, gpu, ram) for playing that at a respectable frame rate?