The AMD A8-4500M was a hybrid processor designed to create mid-range mobile PCs, which also included the northbridge of the motherboard and a high-performance graphics accelerator. All this made it possible to create laptops to solve almost any possible task at a very, very affordable cost.
Socket
AMD QUAD A8-4500M Designed for installation in an FP2 socket. This is a 904-pin processor socket, which AMD has specially developed for mobile computers. It is impossible to meet him as part of a stationary personal computer: such components do not exist. In 2012, this platform was relevant, and already in 2012 it was replaced by the mobile socket FM2 with the same number of contacts.
Technology
The AMD A8-4500M semiconductor crystal was manufactured using the SOI process (that is, “silicon on dielectric”) in accordance with the tolerance standards of only 32 nm. Its direct competitors from Intel based on the Kor architecture for the 3rd generation were manufactured using the technology codenamed TriGate and had a tolerance of 22 nm. Therefore, energy efficiency in this case was on the side of Intel.
Cache
Another weak point in the AMD A8-4500M was the cache subsystem. Direct competitors from Intel had an increased size of this fast memory of three levels. The hero of this article had only 2 of them. The size of the first of them was 192 Kb in total, and the second - 4 Mb. A more detailed distribution of the cache is shown in the table below.
Cache allocation in A8-4500M
No. p / p | Kernel name | 1st level cache | Second level cache |
Data | Instructions |
one. | Kernel No. 1 | 16 Kb | 64 kb | 2 Mb |
2. | Kernel number 2 | 16 Kb |
3. | Kernel No. 3 | 16 Kb | 64 kb | 2 Mb |
four. | Kernel number 4 | 16 Kb |
Total: | 192 kb | 4 Mb |
RAM and everything connected with it
Only one type of random access memory can be used in conjunction with the AMD A8-4500M. Characteristics this device only indicates support for "DDR3". At the same time, only trims capable of operating at a frequency of 1600 MHz and higher can be installed in such a system. Slower components are not recommended for use as part of such a system: both RAM itself and the entire computer system as a whole may fail. The RAM controller itself is transferred to the central processor chip. It is a dual channel. Accordingly, it would be more correct to install 2 strips of reduced size in such a mobile PC than one large one. For example, 2 modules of 1 GB are better than one of 2 GB. Another important feature of such a computer is the allocation of part of the RAM for the needs of an integrated graphics accelerator. This value is set in the BIOS, and this nuance must be taken into account at the stage of choosing a mobile PC. The maximum theoretically addressable amount of RAM is 32 GB. But in practice this number is smaller - the number of slots for setting the RAM strips is a limitation.
Thermal package semiconductor solution. Its temperature and frequency
The thermal package in the A8-4500M was equal to 35 watts. The maximum temperature value for it was set at 100 0 . The minimum value of the clock frequency of the semiconductor crystal was 1.8 GHz, and the maximum - 2.8 GHz. The first mode of operation was most often used in solving simple problems or with increased chip heating. And the second one was automatically launched only when solving the most demanding tasks and provided that there was no significant heating of the processor device.
Technical parameters of the CPU. Graphic accelerator
As noted earlier, the composition of this central processor includes 4 computing cores. But he really has 4 blocks of integer calculations. In turn, the number of modules for performing operations on floating point numbers is only 2. For each clock cycle, each core can process only 2 instructions of the central processor. At Intel, the processor core is capable of processing 2 times more instructions - 4. Therefore, the processor part is better for chips from Intel. But there is also a strong point in the AMD A8-4500M. APU With Radeon - this is how AMD positions its processor . Its strong point is the powerful integrated graphics card Radeon HD7640. Intel solutions in terms of performance cannot compete with it on equal terms, including the most productive ones. To reach a similar level of performance, the latter had to understaff their mobile PCs with a discrete video card. This, in turn, negated the advantages of the CPU in terms of energy efficiency (due to the installation of an additional component, the energy consumption of the laptop increased significantly). Also, the cost of production increased.
Price for laptops with this chip
Buying a laptop with an Intel processor is justified only when it is necessary to get maximum processor speed at any cost. And for this you really have to overpay. In all other cases, it is more optimal to use AMD products, for example, AMD A8-4500M. APU - this is exactly what the manufacturer company calls the line of these chips. Literally, this abbreviation translates as "accelerated processor device." And this name is due precisely to the presence of a powerful graphics accelerator in the CPU. It is this feature that indicates the majority of reviews. Powerful accelerator, very productive processor, affordable price (starts from 15000-16000 rubles, depending on configuration). Even the energy efficiency of the solution does not look so bad against the background of similar products from Intel.
Summary
AMD processor A8-4500M shows the vector of further development of semiconductor solutions of this manufacturer. This is an increasing integration of various components of a personal computer with a simultaneous increase in productivity and cost reduction. This is precisely the combination that AMD achieved by releasing this silicon crystal and offering the end user a productive laptop at an affordable price.