Review a10 - Processors 2024

For this review we have one of the units that will make up the TOP of the Apus Richland, the A10-6700, which has 4 x86 cores at a frequency of 3.7Ghz / 4.2Ghz in its Turbo mode, integrated graphics with 384 Shaders at 844Mhz and a dual channel memory controller up to 1866Mhz with a total TDP of 65W. This model, unlike those that end in "K", has the multiplier locked.

The recommended retail price is € 144.90 for this A10-6700 as well as for the A10-6800K.

The main characteristics are:

Memory support up to 1866Mhz.AMD Crossfire technology.Up to 4 monitors with AMD Eyefinity.Compatible AMD Dual Graphics.Compatible with current FM2 boards.

Description of models:

Then we put a table that makes up all the new Apu models with the "Richland" architecture. The most graceful is undoubtedly the A10-6800K, a model that we will discuss later, which has a memory controller of up to 2133Mhz natively and very high frequencies. But, this will be later, now, we move on to testing this A10-6700.

First look and overclock.

One of the most notable facets of these Apus is their overclocking ability. It is well known that there are specific models for this, those that end with the tag “K”, but nothing prevents us from doing a good job with a unit like this, not specifically for it via multiplier.

Unlike the previous generation, like the A10-5800K that accompanies us in this review, there are notable changes in terms of frequencies and voltages. The A10-6700 has a much lower voltage in load capacity, the A10-5800K having up to 1.45v in its maximum Turbo mode, and instead in this unit, it barely exceeds 1, 360v. At rest history repeats itself but where it is most noticeable is in the frequency since we have a minimum decrease in consumption even with 400Mhz more at rest, that is, 1400Mhz vs 1800Mhz respectively.

The truth is that there are also changes at the level of Turbo operation. The A10-5800K despite having a maximum value of 4200Mhz in Turbo, when it only affects 2 of the cores and going down to 4000Mhz when all 4 are used, instead the A10-6700 is capable of maintaining 4200Mhz for the 4 cores.

This unit has behaved frankly well in overclock, not being a specific unit for it both by the multiplier and its TDP. We have managed to raise the frequency in a stable way without Turbo to 4375Mhz for the 4 cores, increasing the BCLK to 125 and reducing its multiplier to 35. Having previously left the memory multiplier at 1866Mhz, the final frequency obtained has been 2333Mhz.

The integrated graphics when raising the BCLK, also increases in frequency, going from 844Mhz of base, to an excellent 1056Mhz. As you may know, the integrated graphics also benefits from the memory frequency, so the results will improve remarkably as we will see later.

For testing, we have left the A10-5800K at 4400Mhz in its CPU section, with the memories configured at 2400Mhz and the integrated graphics at 1013Mhz. The 6700 has remained at 4375Mhz for the CPU, 2333Mhz for memory and integrated graphics at 1056Mhz.

Platform and methodology.

TESTING BENCH
Processor:	AMD A10-6700.
Base plate:	Asus F2A85M-Pro.
Memory:	G.Skills Trident X 2400mhz.
Heatsink	Antec Khüler 620.
HDD	Crucial M4 128GB SSD.
Graphic card	Integrated graphics.
Power supply	OCZ Modxstream 700W modular.

Software, games and benchmarks:

- Cinebench 11.5.

- Luxmark 2.0.

- CLBenchmark 1.1.3.

- Fritz Chess.

- Alien VS Predator.

- Sniper Elite V2.

- Resident Evil 5 DX10.

- Lost Planet 2 DX11.

- Sleeping Dogs.

- Dirt Showdown.

- Metro 2033

Test scores. CPU and Computing section.

Below we will see the test results of both the A10-5800k and the A10-6700, both tested from stock and overclocked.

As we can see, the differences are minimal between both processors, except in the overclocking section, which is a little more pronounced the difference in favor of the 6700, but, we can safely say that the improvements have not come from this part of a generation to the other.

Test results, iGPU section.

Next we are going to expose the tests, carried out in two resolutions that are the most used in the bulk of the market that these processors encompass, 1280 × 720 and 1920 × 1080. The graphic quality of these has been between medium and high, with some exceptions such as the Sniper Elite to check how the performance of the integrated graphics scales.

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Here the thing improves slightly, unlike the CPU. Although the truth is that the results with the serial frequencies are not at all impressive because they border on being the same as its predecessor, the improvements that are evident are overclocked.

The clear examples are the Dirt Showdown, the Metro and the Sniper Elite, where a smoother gaming experience is achieved having been relatively easy to overclock this unit.

Conclusions.

It is really worth noting the work done in terms of improving frequencies and voltage to achieve the frequencies achieved both in integrated graphics and CPU, being considerably lower than those needed in the A10-5800K and therefore with better temperatures, this being the that we highlight the most in this review.

For those who have a similar one from the previous generation, it really does not improve dramatically and from here we recommend not to make the change being like this, but based on the attractiveness of its TDP, the improvements in the integrated graphics with overclock and its lower need for voltage in all its fields, is a great alternative for casual gamers, for multimedia and media center teams and for all those that benefits are really a secondary need and the price and having a unified system are still an excellent option like the last generation Apus.

In addition, it should be noted that they are fully compatible with the current stock of plates on the market, which will facilitate mounting a team of these given the great variety that exists and from affordable prices.

ADVANTAGE	DISADVANTAGES
+ PRICE / BENEFITS IS VERY EFFECTIVE	- LITTLE PERFORMANCE DIFFERENCE FROM THE PREVIOUS APUS TO THESE.
+ COMPATIBLE WITH CURRENT FM2 PLATES.	- NEED FOR QUICK MEMORIES TO ENJOY GRAPHIC FLUIDITY.
+ HUGE OVERCLOCK CAPACITY EVEN THE MULTIPLIER IS LOCKED.
+ IMPROVEMENT OF FREQUENCIES AND LESS USE OF VOLTAGE FOR OVERCLOCK.
+ CONSIDERABLE REDUCTION OF TDP, HAVING A PERFORMANCE SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN ANALYZED 10-5800K.
+ PRICE.