AMD Introduces Triple-Core A6-3500 APU
by Anand Lal Shimpi on August 17, 2011 10:28 AM ESTAMD just announced availability of its first triple-core Llano APU: the A6-3500. The 3500 features three cores running at 2.1GHz. AMD's Turbo Core is supported so you can see clocks of up to 2.4GHz depending on the workload. The rest of the specs are otherwise identical to the A6-3600. You get 320 Radeon cores running at 443MHz and a 65W TDP.
Chips should be available today at a suggested retail price of $95 ($89 in 1000 unit quantities).
Further Reading: The AMD Llano Notebook Review, AMD A8-3850 Review: Llano on the Desktop
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BSMonitor - Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - link
Although the CPU performance on these is so pitiful, one probably wouldn't notice the lack of one of the CPU cores. Esp. at 2.1GHz...Really? 2.1GHz?
Since we are talking budget, why aren't their dual or triple cores, with boosted GPU cores and higher clock speeds. Take the 100W with 4 CPU cores and shift it towards the GPU side. So you can grab more GPU or more CPU performance depending on your intention. Why not a 800 GPU core with a dual-cpu option.
Almost like a Phenom II X2 + a Radeon 4850. That might be something.
aka.
2 CPU cores - 800 GPU cores
3 CPU cores - 600 GPU cores
4 CPU cores - 400 GPU cores
Instead, you have 5 options all mediocre.
DanNeely - Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - link
Not sure about the double core models; but this 3 core is just a bin/fault testing reject with one of the 4 cores busted, and either enough of them had one of the 5 shader clusters bad as well or the total number of these isn't large enough to differentiate the part.As for putting a bigger GPU on the 2 cores the problem is that it would push their price up; while 2 core chips are only making their way into the lowest end boxes. Also, as slow as he CPU is I'd be worried that with only 2 cores it'd bottle neck an 800 shader GPU.
BSMonitor - Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - link
Hence the comment about Radeon 4850. Radeon 4850's are 800 shader GPUs and the Core 2 Duo were the primary gaming CPU's of that time.Most pre-DX11 games will run well 1920x1200 with a 4850 and a dual-core CPU.
DanNeely - Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - link
I thought the llano core was significantly slower than a core2 though.Taft12 - Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - link
The llano core *IS* the Athlon II core for all intents and purposes.In the same ballpark as Core 2 for the most part.
MrSpadge - Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - link
Figure 10 - 20% slower, clock for clock, depending on model.Roland00Address - Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - link
Athlon IIx2 3.1 ghz 2mb l2 cache vsCore 2 Duo E8500 3.1 ghz 6mb l2 cache
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/55?vs=121
JHBoricua - Wednesday, August 17, 2011 - link
There's already numbers for the Llano cores.AMD A8-3850 - 2.9GHz - 4MB L2 cache vs
Core 2 Duo E8500 3.1 ghz 6mb l2 cache
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/55?vs=399
silverblue - Thursday, August 18, 2011 - link
Ouch. Cache REALLY matters.maroon1 - Saturday, August 20, 2011 - link
And you are comparing Quad core Llano to Core 2 DuoWhy not compare Llano dual core to core 2 duo ?