Botin, Khristine A.

AMD A8-7670K
Number of Processor Cores: 4
Number of Threads: 4
Data width: 64BIT
Thermal Design Power: 95W
Graphics Controller: Radeon R7 Series
Clock Speed: 3.6GHz
Turbo Frequency: 3.9GHz
Boosted P states: 3900 MHz, 1.375V
3700 MHz, 1.25V
Processor Socket: FM2+
Level 1 Cache: 2 x 96 KB 3-way set associative shared instruction caches
4 x 16 KB 4-way set associative data caches
Level 2 Cache: 2 x 2 MB 16-way set associative shared caches
Level 3 Cache: None
Release Date: July 20,2015
If you are an AMD enthusiast (or like rooting for the underdog), these are
interesting times. AMD is about to launch a series of processors based on a
new architecture (Zen) which will obliterate the current generation of CPUs. So
prices are falling accordingly. The A8-7670K remains one of the rare bright
spots in AMD's lineup despite being more than two years old.
It is built on a newer 28nm manufacturing process which kind-of
explains why it has a 95W TDP thermal design power, or a part's share of
your power supply's available Watts despite a relatively high base and turbo
clock speed (3.6GHz and 3.9GHz). Its graphics performance is where it shines
thanks to an onboard GPU that is slightly more powerful than the Radeon R7
240 GPU (six compute units, 384 shader cores, 757MHz GPU clock speed).
Let us tell you about the experience we had reviewing AMD's A8-7670K
APU. It came in a tiny little white box. Presumably not the retail packaging.
God, let's hope not. Though judging by AMD's lack of marketing share, this
could be the real deal. It's not possible to tell whether the 7670K went to

another reviewer before us. Anyway, after setting up our standard test platform,
we installed the chipset and began our preliminary testing.
Overall, the processor has a total of two computational cores, providing
four threads. Say what you like about compute cores, AMD, but Prime95 and
Cinebench don't lie to us, and this processor is quite the slow processor.
Unfortunately, with 60% of the CPU taken up by the graphical side of things,
the overall performance in these applications is still quite limited.
That explains why, even though the 7670K clocks an average of 3.6GHz
at max, we achieved some pretty mediocre benchmarks when it came to
computational tasks. In fact, we left it to complete our 30GB archive test, but
after taking 30 minutes to complete 49%, we gured it would be a better use of
our time to stop the process and continue with our other benchmarks instead.
So began the task of installing the Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 (which we
use on all of our standardised reviews) alongside AMD's latest offering. We
throw the card in. It boots, freezes, then black screens. And won't pick up the
display under any other circumstance.
Why are we bringing this up? Well, this is all part of the user experience.
You'll hear people mention how you're meant to drop as much money as you
can into the GPU and not the CPU. But perhaps you decided to take an entrylevel Nvidia GPU with your cheap-as chips AMD processor. In which case, you
may very well face these same problems we're facing here. It's unfortunate, but
we push on, now only being able to complete a moderate portion of our
benchmarks.
Time to retire
The biggest problem here is the fact this is still a processor based off an
almost ve-year-old architecture. It's only 28nm. It has limited SATA 6GB/s
support and continues to only support DDR3 up to 2,133MHz, even though
it's the one platform that would benet the most from those increased memory
speeds.
The list goes on. Intel may only be upping performance by 10% every year
or so, but the most vital thing it's including is chipset updates. This forces

manufacturers to update their mobos, and in turn provide extra expansion,

storage options and more modern features. Hell, it's worth it if only for the
design reboots a lot of these boards get.
In gaming, the situation isn't much better. Yes, you can run titles like
Dota 2 at acceptable frame rates at 1080p (if 20-30fps is acceptable to you),
but unless you're only playing simple games and MOBAs, you're not going to
get much joy from it. For comparison, in Shadow of Mordor it achieved an
average frame rate of just 4fps at 1080p. A GTX 950 managed an average of
33fps.
Other improved characteristics
-

The processor has unlocked clock multiplier

The processor has the following security, data protection and/or
software features: AMD FreeSync.
The CPU is compatible with DirectX 12 API.
The graphics unit has the following software features enabled: AMD
Eyenity technology.

Intel Core i7-6700K

Number of Processor Cores: 4
Number of Threads: 8
Data Width: 64BIT
Thermal Design Power: 91W
Graphics Controller: Intel HD Graphics 530
Clock Speed: 4.0GHz
Turbo Frequency: 4.2GHz (1 core)
4.0GHz (2 or more cores)
Bus speed: 8GT/s DMI(Direct Media Interface)
Processor Socket: LGA 1151
Level 1 Cache: 4 x 32 KB 8-way set associative instruction caches
4 x 32 KB 8-way set associative data caches
Level 2 Cache: 4 x 256 KB 4-way set associative caches
Level 3 Cache: 8 MB 16-way set associative shared cache
Physical Memory: 64GB
Input/Output Bus: DMI(Direct Media Interface) 3.0

Release Date: August 5, 2015

This is Skylake, Intel's sixth Core generation. The i7-6700K, which cost
just under $345 (290, about AU$463), is the company's most powerful
Skylake model set to replace the Broadwell-based desktop processors in the
short term.
Here we've got a pretty powerful processor boasting four cores, eight
threads, 8MB cache, a base clock speed of 4GHz, a turbo-boost of 4.2GHz and
an Intel HD Graphics 530 subsystem inside. Overclocking is what may get
some of us excited, however, as it's the distinguishing feature of the "K" models
such as itself.
Pair that with a decent 100-series chipset, an oversized HSF and a
couple of overclocker-friendly DDR4 memory modules, and watch it fly. And,
although you'll want to pay close attention to that 91W TDP, 5.0GHz isn't a
lofty goal with the 6700K.
First the bad news. The all-new Intel Core i7-6700K which pitches in at
around $350 (about 225, or AU$475) does not tear PC gaming a new one.
It's not a render monster like none before. It doesn't take desktop number
crunching to a whole new level. Bummer.
Instead, it's yet another Intel processor with four cores, eight threads and
a habit of humming along at about 4GHz. Isn't that what Intel's top processors
for its mainstream platforms have looked like forever? In fact, it's the way
things have been since the arrival of Sandy Bridge back in late 2010.
Of course, we've been complaining about the glacial rate of progress at
Intel for so long, you might expect this latest mediocrity to have us pondering
the possibility of putting an end to it all by stringing ourselves up with SATA
cables. After all, you could say the glacial progress comment is actually a bit
kind. Intel has in fact backtracked in recent years courtesy of silliness like
dumbed down chip packaging and cooling, along with overclocking that's ever
more locked down.
So it's true, we're not exactly blown away by this new chip itself. And yet
it's still the most exciting mainstream Intel CPU for years. How so? Let's start
with the basics, even if they are a bit boring.

Specication
The 6700K is one of two launch chips representing the new Skylake
family of 14nm CPUs the other is the Core i5-6600K. This i7 and its quartet
of unlocked Hyperthreaded cores rocks in at 4GHz nominally with a 4.2GHz
Turbo clock. Yup, just 200MHz worth of Turbo boost. Why even bother?
Anyway, it slots into the new LGA1151 socket and thereby hooks into
Intel's new 100-series chipsets, the most notable of which for us performance
junkies is the Z170, which effectively replaces the old Z97. Graphics-wise,
there's an Intel HD Graphics 530 core onboard, and thus not one of the fancy
new Iris or Iris Pro solutions. Got that?
Whatever, Skylake is a 'Tock' in Intel's Tick-Tock chip development
parlance and that means it's supposedly an all-new processor design on an
existing production node, in this case 14nm. Except we've barely seen any of
the rst 14nm chips, known as Broadwell, on the desktop and now Skylake is
go for launch. Put simply, Intel's CPU roadmap has gone completely out of
whack.
The other problem, when it comes to improving CPU performance, is that
Intel's CPU engineers snaffled up all the low hanging fruit long ago. Then they
climbed the branches and grabbed everything else. And now there's almost
nothing left. Intel's CPU cores are outrageously optimised.
Other improved characteristics
-

The processor has unlocked clock multiplier

Processors with SR2BR S-spec number do not support Software
Guard Extensions.
The processor has the following security, data protection and/or
software features: Intel Identity Protection technology, Secure Key, OS
Guard, Boot Guard, BIOS Guard and Anti-Theft technology.
The CPU is compatible with DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.4 APIs.
The graphics unit has the following software features enabled: Intel
Wireless Display, Quick Sync Video, Clear Video technology, Clear
Video HD technology, InTru 3D technology and Insider.