14 DAY TRIAL // Most Accelerated Processing Units sell as part of the A-Series and E-Series, but over the past few months, a growing number of AM1-Series Athlon and Sempron units have appeared. Two Athlon APUs have just made themselves known in fact.
Advanced Micro Devices hasn't actually launched the things yet. In fact, it isn't likely to do so until April 9. At least that's when online shops start shipping them.
Fortunately, some of those online shops have already listed the two processors, so we can already tell you all about them, more or less.
We suppose that the bare specs will do well as an opening, so here we go. The two APUs both have four cores each (x86 cores anyway), as well as a cache memory of 2 MB and HD 8400 integrated graphics clocked at 600 MHz.
The Ahtlon 5150 and 5350 also boast DDR3L-1600 memory controllers, and a TDP (thermal design power) of 25W.
HTPCs (home-theater personal computers) and nettops will be among the main types of systems were these two chips will be most useful.
Just make sure you get an appropriate motherboard, because FM2 ones are totally incompatible (the socket is a lot larger and the pin number higher). Sadly, there don't seem to be any AM1 motherboards for sale (standalone) anywhere, not in the US anyhow.
Thus, the only difference between the units, the only thing that justifies the difference in price of $9 / €9, is the core frequency.
Sure enough, the Athlon 5150 is slow, at 1.6 GHz, while the Athlon 5350 is a 2.05 GHz APU. On that note, their prices are of $45 / €45 and $54 / €54, respectively.
The two CPUs both have support for motherboards featuring the AM1 socket, formerly known as FS1b, thanks to their PGA package.
Up to 16 GB of DDR3 RAM can be installed in systems powered by them, but keep in mind that the controller is single-channel.
On that note, retail prices will probably be above the ones we have mentioned above, closer to $50 / €50 and $60 / €60 actually.
That said, the Athlon 5150 and 5350 Kabini Accelerated Processing Units have small, low-height coolers, and the heatsinks come into direct contact with the chips themselves. There is no copper base or set of heatpipes because they are not necessary. 25W is a low TDP after all, one that is easily counteracted.
