Curious about APU

[Starwind]

So would there be synergy between an APU cpu and then a higher end gpu? Or do people who buy the APU's not even bother with a GPU since they have above average graphics?

 

[Lordred]

Yes and no.

The Llano APU's will crossfire with GPU's up to the 6670 model.
The Trinity APU's will crossfire up to he 7670 model.

 

[ssjwizard]

When you go with an APU it doesnt really make sense to get a high end GPU especially since it cant operate in crossfire. However, since the APU does support Dual Graphics which is possible between an APU and a 64xx up to the 6670 radeon cards. My wife has the 3870k + 6670 combo and its quite efficient. Its definitely not the powerhouse machine that my rig is but it plays all the same games I do at very acceptable quality / framerates.

 

[Starwind]

I see. So the Piledriver will keep going that route? Seems like a good idea as long as it can be more of a higher end gpu types.

 

[Starwind]

What's the deal with no mobo's being pci express 3.0 with amd?? Because of the APU or what?

 

[Frakk]

What's the deal with no mobo's being pci express 3.0 with amd?? Because of the APU or what?

I don't think its anything to do with APU's.

There is just no need for PCIe 3 yet, PCIe 3 cards work in PCIe 2 just as they would in PCIe 3

GPU's are a long way from needing a PCIe 3 bus, AMD will bring it in as native with the Steamroller CPU's in 2013.

 

[Starwind]

I don't think its anything to do with APU's.

There is just no need for PCIe 3 yet, PCIe 3 cards work in PCIe 2 just as they would in PCIe 3

GPU's are a long way from needing a PCIe 3 bus, AMD will bring it in as native with the Steamroller CPU's in 2013.

Ha... I just got on here a few minutes ago to look it up. Is steamroller going to be more of a gamer style cpu or is it going to hit up with like 12 cores?

 

[Frakk]

Steamroller will be AMD's next brand new architecture, apparently with some sort hardware acceleration and built in hardware for cloud gaming.... whatever all that might be, and 10 - 15% performance increase over Piledriver. How many cores? Who knows.

It looks exiting. we will see.

 

[LiquidHard]

Personally I'll get a current APU if I do not wish to add a discrete card.

If you are not in a hurry, might want to hold up and see what AMD offers for A10 APUs PIB.

 

[Frakk]

Personally I'll get a current APU if I do not wish to add a discrete card.

If you are not in a hurry, might want to hold up and see what AMD offers for A10 APUs PIB.

+1

See here and here

 

[Bobnova]

I don't think its anything to do with APU's.

There is just no need for PCIe 3 yet, PCIe 3 cards work in PCIe 2 just as they would in PCIe 3

GPU's are a long way from needing a PCIe 3 bus, AMD will bring it in as native with the Steamroller CPU's in 2013.

I'd say that it's more that the first APUs came out before any PCIe 3.0 cards did and PCIe switches cost more. The APUs are not aimed at high end stuff, half the point is that you don't need a GPU with one, so it doesn't really make sense for AMD to add complexity and cost for PCIe 3.0.

On the non-APU boards, AMD hasn't released a new chipset in a while, the 8xx was the last one (9xx is 8xx with a new name). Since the PCIe controller is in the NB, that means no 3.0. I expect the 10xx chipset will have it.

 

[Lordred]

The roadmaps I have seen, although a little old now did not show PCI-E 3.0 for the 1090FX chipset.

That is subject to change.

 

[Bobnova]

That seems odd to me, they're going to lose some people over that.

 

[Frakk]

The roadmaps I have seen, although a little old now did not show PCI-E 3.0 for the 1090FX chipset.

That is subject to change.

I take it that Chip-Set is for Steamroller? Which will be on a new socket. (AM4) i think, Unless they are moving over to LGA as they had already run out of pin space on the 940 socket. doesn't make any sense to keep working functionality into a limited number of pins, even if AMD fans like me much prefer pins.

Piledriver remains AM3+ / 9## series Chip-Set

 

[Lordred]

I have wanted AMD to switch to LGA for a while now, much easier to lap But this is getting off topic.

APU's promote a very strong synergy between CPU/GPU intercommunication, the very fact that they completely bypass the hypertransport and PCI-E lanes gives you a vastly superior communication time between the two, strongly promotes the miniaturization of computer technology, and gives you so much more to work with with so much smaller of a foot print.

I currently own two APU systems, a mobile unit which is based on the A60M Sabine powered with an A6-3400M the thing is stupid impressive for what it is. This unit is what sparked me to sell off my monster desktop and re-build a much smaller, power efficient desktop for handling things that takes the laptop too long to do.

I have been waiting with a baited breath to see how the Trinity units perform in the real world and I am strongly considering selling off both of my Llanos and updating them to Trinity units, perhaps even relegating my 990FX build simply to the slot of 'Overclocking toy'

I think I am entering a minor rant, so /rant.

In short, I think the APU's are fantastic units, I am supprised Intel has not steped up to the plate with a better iGPU on Ivy.

 

[Bobnova]

There has to be some sort of a bus connecting the two, I suspect it's an internal HT link. Seeing as it's all on-die they can probably run the link far, far, far, far faster than otherwise.

 

[Lordred]

Current CPU/GPU intercommunication on the K12 APU's are done though the CPU-NB IIRC

 

[Frakk]

I have wanted AMD to switch to LGA for a while now, much easier to lap But this is getting off topic.

APU's promote a very strong synergy between CPU/GPU intercommunication, the very fact that they completely bypass the hypertransport and PCI-E lanes gives you a vastly superior communication time between the two, strongly promotes the miniaturization of computer technology, and gives you so much more to work with with so much smaller of a foot print.

I currently own two APU systems, a mobile unit which is based on the A60M Sabine powered with an A6-3400M the thing is stupid impressive for what it is. This unit is what sparked me to sell off my monster desktop and re-build a much smaller, power efficient desktop for handling things that takes the laptop too long to do.

I have been waiting with a baited breath to see how the Trinity units perform in the real world and I am strongly considering selling off both of my Llanos and updating them to Trinity units, perhaps even relegating my 990FX build simply to the slot of 'Overclocking toy'

I think I am entering a minor rant, so /rant.

In short, I think the APU's are fantastic units, I am supprised Intel has not steped up to the plate with a better iGPU on Ivy.

I have a Llano 3780K HTPC in the lounge, not long had it... just a mild overclock on the CPU, the thing records multiple programs while the kids play DX11 games on it at decent settings and solid frame rates. so much better than having a BlueRay player here, a TV recorder there and an Xbox 360 over there.... and does a much better job of it than those things as individuals.

Having said that we do also have those things separately, but other than the Xbox 360 those things are fast becoming unused.

Bring on the day where all of that is built into the back of TV's, AMD aren't far off that.

 

[Bobnova]

Current CPU/GPU intercommunication on the K12 APU's are done though the CPU-NB IIRC

PCIe then most likely. That'd be the simplest thing for them to do as both already speak it. Not sure how they'd put the capacitors for differential communications in, but they may not need them when both ground levels are identical.