Conclusion
AMD has modernised the desktop APU by enhancing the CPU cores and adding, finally, the GCN architecture to the graphics. The upshot of this overhaul is a chip that touts an extra billion transistors over the incumbent.
Codenamed Kaveri, the £90 A8-7600 offers a solid mix of performance and power efficiency for today's mainstream applications, general-purpose computing and gaming, with the promise of more to come if/when the baked-in HSA architecture is fully realised.
The A8-7600 makes most sense housed in a quiet, unobtrusive Mini ITX system that's more than able to meet the needs of the vast majority of regular PC users.
But Intel already has a very competitive product in the Core i3 chips powered by the potent and efficient Haswell architecture. As has historically been the case, AMD's challenge is not in developing mainstream APUs, but rather in convincing system integrators, developers and consumers alike to adopt their technology over rival Intel solutions.
Kaveri ultimately paves the way for small, cheap computers that make fewer concessions than ever before, though, on a cautionary note, be aware it will be a while before HSA-optimised programs and the much-vaunted Mantle API add the expected lustre to AMD's newest family of APUs.
The Good
Upgraded quad-core CPU
Best-in-class IGP performance
45/65W TDP ideal for compact systems
Primed for general-purpose compute
The Bad
HSA-optimised programs thin on the ground
CPU core performance not a match for Intel
Requires new FM2+ motherboard
HEXUS.awards
AMD A8-7600
HEXUS.where2buy
A wide range of AMD 'Kaveri' APUs are available to purchase from Scan Computers*.
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