The top chip consumes 35W-145W at the default 95W TDP

Jan 15, 2014 07:10 GMT  ·  By

We've already seen the specifications of the AMD Kaveri accelerated processing units, as well as the benefits of hUMA and the audio, video and dual-graphics related technologies. So now we have only the configurable TDP and prices left to check out.

TDP, thermal design power, and power draw are two different things when it comes to central processing units or accelerated processing units.

In fact, the same can be said about graphics processing units, but that's a matter for another time.

TDP is the amount of energy that a system needs to invest into keeping the processor cooled, while power draw is the energy that chip itself actually uses.

That's why, according to the folks at PC Pro, the A10-7850K, at its default TDP of 95W, consumed 35W to 145W (under full CPU load).

But it's the “default” TDP that people should pay attention to. Advanced Micro Devices introduced the concept of user-adjustable TDP with Kaveri.

So you can set it to a lower level (as low as 45W) if you want to make sure that your system is always silent, or if you just don't expect to run any demanding applications for a while and don't want to waste energy. Or maybe you have a compact case with limited cooling.

Unfortunately, it needs motherboards with built-in BIOS support, and the necessary update hasn't quite made it to people yet.

That said, the retail prices of the A10-7850K, A10-7700K and A8-7600 haven't been discovered yet either, but the first two, at least, are shipping in 1000-unit quantities, and the prices for those deals have made it out.

The A10-7850K top APU costs $173 / €126 (or €173 if exchange rates don't pan out again, which is very likely), while the A10-7700K has a tag of $152 / €111 - €152. Both are bundled with Battlefield 4, which would add an extra $65 / €65 if bought separately.