#processor testing

The next evolutionary step was the design of SoC (System-on-Chip). It involves the integration into the processor chipset, calculating functions CPU executes and coordination, ensuring the correct interaction of many internal interfaces.

First APU with SoC support 28-nm was AMD Temash and AMD Kabini, which replaced the 40-nm AMD Ontario model series and AMD Zacate. They are focused on the use of part of the budget tablets, nettops, notebooks and candy bars. After that AMD create a desktop version of APU: AMD Kabini, placing them in a PGA-shell, which makes it easy to change the processor if necessary. You should also add that AMD decided to use the name for the new APU familiar brands – AMD Athlon and AMD Sempron.

Now this time AMD new platform AM1 was introduced, according to IDC in fourth quarter of 2013, most of the market of desktop systems (38%) occupy exactly entry-level solutions. PC mainstream class is 30%, and productive desktops – 32%.

A number of supports controllers that traditional systems are part of the chipset:

SD memory cards up to 2 TB

2x USB 3.0

8x USB 2.0

PS / 2 interface and a variety of internal sensors (temperature, fan speed, etc.)

video ports eDP, DisplayPort / HDMI and VGA

4x PCI Express x16 interface for connecting discrete graphics card

2x SATA 6 Gb / s

4x PCI Express x1, one of which is used to connect Gigabit Ethernet Controller

APU Platform AMD AM1 has very important advantage of graphics performance, maybe that’s enough for fast and high-quality processing of the operating system interface, high-definition video (4K Ultra HD), wireless video transmission (Miracast), run undemanding games, quick photo editing and other similar tasks.

Summary table of the technical specifications of the first APU Platform AMD AM1 is as follows:

Model

AMD Sempron 2650

AMD Sempron 3850

AMD Athlon 5150

AMD Athlon 5350

Market Segment

Desktop system

CPU Socket

Socket AM1

Processor Core

AMD Kabini

Microarchitecture

AMD Jaguar

Tehprotsess

28-NM

Design

SoC

Number Of Cores

2

4

4

4

Clock Frequency, Ghz

1.45

1.3

1.6

2.05

Cache Level L1, KB

Instructions

2 x 32

4 x 32

4 x 32

4 x 32

Data

2 x 32

4 x 32

4 x 32

4 x 32

Cache Level L2

1 – MB

2 – MB

2 – MB

2 – MB

Graphics Core

Type

AMD Radeon R3

Number Of Stream Processors

128

Clock

400 – MHz

450 – MHz

600 – MHz

600 – MHz

Controller RAM

Number Of Channels Supported

1

Maximum Number Of Modules

2

Type

DDR3-1333

DDR3-1600 / DDR3L-1600

DDR3-1600 / DDR3L-1600

DDR3-1600 / DDR3L-1600

The Maximum Volume GB

16

Additional Controllers

PCI Express 2.0, HD Audio, SD, USB 3.0, SATA 6 Gb / s, LPC and other

Supported Ports

2 x USB 3.0 8 x USB 2.0 2 x SATA 6Gb / s HDMI DisplayPort PS / 2

Indicator TDP

25 – W

For the Review and testing performance of the new APU AMD AM1 Platform - AMD Athlon 5350, used the full system (CPU + Motherboard + RAM). This will give us the opportunity to fully appreciate the possibilities of the whole platform AMD AM1, and also allow to understand for what tasks it is best suited.

Motherboard: AMD AM1 Platform

As for the motherboard we have used the model from ASRock – ASRock AM1B, made ​​in the format Mini-ITX. There are also some other model available for AMD AM1. Motherboard has quite standard layout for these compact solutions: CPU socket is in the middle; the left edge of the PCB interfaces are located, and from the opposite – slots for RAM; the lower part is reserved for the connector PCI Express x16. Recall that it uses only 4 lines of standard PCIe 2.0.

AMD AM1 platform primarily positioned as a base for office PCs, nettop or HTPC, not gaming configurations. Therefore, most likely, a PCI Express slot is occupied by some board to enhance the multimedia capabilities of the system, such as an external audio card or TV tuner. Memory supported is up to a 16 GB – 1600 MHz. There is also no support for dual-channel mode.

ASRock may not use additional controller ASMedia ASM1061, which implements support for two more SATA 6 Gb/s. Exactly the same pattern is observed with connectors USB 3.0: 2 x USB 3.0, located on the interface board, operate under control of the processor, and the work is 2, which may be connected to the terminal on the motherboard controller provided ASMedia ASM1042A.

For the display ASRock AM1B, have a VGA, DVI and HDMI port on the panel, support for resolution 4096 x 2160 at 24 Hz frequency sweep. Also support LAN connector, LPT port, 3x audio jacks, a pair of USB 2.0 and PS/2. Audio path is based on a chip Realtek ALC662, and network interface operates under gigabit chip Realtek RTL 8111GR.

TDP of AMD Kabini processors is declared at 25 watts, so its power subsystem are presented fairly low expectations. Is quite enough for 2-phase module VRM, which motehrboard ASRock AM1B-ITX had. The system is powered via the 24-pin ATX. Although, given the low power consumption of processors AMD Kabini, it is possible that we will see models of motherboards and powered from an external adapter (DC 19V)

Memory:

Memory subsystem obtained in testing configuration consists of one module AMD AE34G1609U1S, which belongs to the original AMD Radeon Memory series. According to the marking and the inscriptions on the label, it has a capacity of 4 GB and can operate at a nominal frequency of 1600 MHz with 9-9-9-28 latencies and voltage of 1.5 V.

Since the nettop and HTPC gather in compact cases where, as a rule, difficult to organize a good cooling, the presence of additional heatsinks on the memory chips definitely will not be superfluous.

AMD Athlon 5350:

AMD Kabini, which is presented as AMD Athlon 5350 is the system, the box of AMD Athlon 5350 is in white color with the logo of AMD Athlon on the front and some features listed.

Cooling system for the AMD Athlon 5350 is little bit different other coolers, which are equipped with processor family AMD Trinity / Richland / Kaveri / Zambezi / Vishera, primarily for its compact dimensions. The length and width of the cooling system is 55 mm (excluding fasteners), and the height – 40 mm only. And it shows the size of already established with a fan.

AMD has changed the mounting system: instead of the usual latches cooler is fastened to the board by means of two spring-loaded plastic clips latches. As a result, the cooling system with mounts for boards equipped with processor sockets Socket AM3 / AM3 + / FM2 / FM2 +, here is no longer fit.

The radiator is made with aluminum core, which runs four sections of thin aluminum fins. For their low profile blower fan used FOXCONN PVA050E12L 50 mm and a capacity of 1.92 watts. Power is supplied via a 3-pin connector with support for monitoring the rotational speed of blades.

In idle mode the CPU temperature was 36 °C and at maximum load CPU temperature was – 43 °C. at maximum fan speed during the experiment reached 2950 rev / min. All measurements were carried out on the open bench.

Specifications Details:

AMD Athlon 5350 model made in micro-PGA package and looks similar to other processors sold under the brand AMD. On the heat-spreading lid is labeling and country of production (in this case Taiwan).

Model

AMD Athlon 5350

Labeling

AD5350JAH44HM

CPU Socket

Socket AM1

Clock Frequency

2050 – MHz

Factor

20.5

Base Frequency

100 – MHz

Cache Memory Of The First Level L1

4 x 32 – KB

Cache Memory Of Second Level L2

2048 – KB

Microarchitecture

AMD Jaguar + AMD GCN

Codename

AMD Kabini

Number Of Cores / Threads

4/4

Support Document

MMX (+), SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4A, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, x86-64, AMD-V, AES, AVX

Maximum Rated Power (TDP)

25 – W

Tehprotsess

28 – NM

Technology Support

AMD 64-bit

AMD Virtualization

AMD UVD (Universal Video Decoder)

AMD VCE (Video Codec Engine)

Built-In Memory Controller

Max Memory Gb

16

Types Of Memory

DDR3 / DDR3L

Maximum Frequency

1600 – MHz

Number Of Memory Channels

1

Integrated Graphics Core AMD Radeon R3 Graphics (AMD Radeon HD 8400)

Stream Processors

128

Texture Units

8

Clock Speed GPU

600 – MHz

Support Tech

DirectX 11.2

OpenGL 4.3

OpenCL 1.2

Shader Model 5.0

During normal operation, the speed of AMD Athlon 5350 was 2055 – MHz and multiplier “x20, 5″, while the bus speed was almost  100 – MHz. And was voltage was 1.288 V. In idle factor decreases to “x8″, thus the frequency drops to almost 800 MHz. The measurement voltage is 1.024 V.

Cache of AMD Athlon 5350 is distributed as follows:

First level L1 – for each of the 4 cores allocated to 32 KB data with 8 channels of associativity and 32 KB for instructions with 2 channels associativity;

Second level L2 – 2 MB for all nuclei with 16 channels associativity;

DDR3 memory controller works in single channel mode and guaranteed support modules with frequency up to 1600 MHz.

The model uses AMD Athlon 5350 series graphics core AMD Radeon R3 Graphics, based on advanced microarchitecture AMD GCN. Also GPU-Z utility was able to identify and codenamed GPU - AMD Radeon HD 8400.

Whose performance graphics core AMD Radeon R3 resembles a graphics card AMD Radeon R5 230 1GB GDDR3, with the only difference being that the latter has 32 ​​stream processors more.

Testing Performance:

AMD

ASUS F1A75-V PRO (AMD A75, SFM1, DDR3, ATX) GIGABYTE GA-F2A75-D3H (AMD A75, sFM2, DDR3, ATX)

AMD

ASUS SABERTOOTH 990FX (AMD 990FX, sAM3 +, DDR3, ATX)

Intel

ASUS P8Z77-V PRO / THUNDERBOLT (Intel Z77, sLGA1155, DDR3, ATX) ASUS P9X79 PRO (Intel X79, sLGA2011, DDR3, ATX)

Intel

ASRock Z87M OC Formula (Intel Z87, sLGA1150, DDR3, mATX)

Coolers

Scythe Mugen 3 (LGA 1155/1366, AMD Socket AM3 + / FM1 / FM2) ZALMAN CNPS12X (LGA 2011)

Memory

2x 4GB DDR3-2400 TwinMOS TwiSTER 9DHCGN4B-HAWP

Video Card

AMD Radeon HD 7970 3GB GDDR5

Hard Disk

Western Digital Caviar Blue WD10EALX, 1TB, SATA 6 Gb / s, NCQ

Power Supply

Seasonic X-660, 660W

To compare the performance of the tested model, we have some picked cheap solutions for desktop PCs, because the real competitor of the tested model, AMD Athlon 5350, are Intel Pentium J2900 and Intel Celeron G1610, which are not yet released.

Tthe average performance of AMD Athlon 5350 is almost equal to the AMD A4-6300, that is not only comparable performance indicators, but also the recommended prices. But because of its low power consumption, in this pair certainly looks better AMD Athlon 5350. As compare to AMD FX-4130 and Intel Pentium G3220, latter have a distinct advantage in the form 72% and 54% respectively. But to be honest, we thought that the gap will be more. From this we can conclude that, in practice, AMD Athlon 5350 is not so bad and it can cope with everyday tasks.

Performance of the GPU AMD Radeon R3, is 9% better than the to the GPU AMD Radeon HD 7480D used in AMD A4-4000, and about the same ahead of Intel HD Graphics (Intel Pentium G3220).

Final Thoughts about AMD AM1:

AMD managed to create an even more attractive in terms of cost and energy efficiency with APU AMD Kabini. Its positive side is the possibility of buying a CPU and motherboard separately, whereas before this bunch actually represent a whole, and as a result the user can get a platform, not quite meet his needs.

4-core model AMD Athlon 5350 performance is comparable to APU AMD A4-6300. That is, its capacity will be enough for everyday tasks such as surfing the Internet, word processing, watching movies, etc.

It has low power consumption (TDP of 25 W), AMD Athlon 5350 is perfect as a base for HTPC. In addition, users have a real opportunity to create a completely silent system for little money, because its power adapter and conventional enough, but for CPU cooling – only one large radiator.

We liked and opportunities iGPU. It can even run some modern games at low graphics settings or undemanding arcade projects.

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