The decision to purchase one processor or another depends on many factors. Namely: price, CPU speed, cache, total cores... Manufacturers' need to adapt to users' needs, which are numerous, has generated an almost unlimited number of processors available on the market.
The two leading processor manufacturers have generated hundreds of products, brands, and types to suit consumer tastes and needs. They range from low-power, low-consumption processors for budget laptops designed for very simple tasks, to processors designed for large-scale professional tasks.
To gain an in-depth understanding of the features of AMD APU processors, which integrate the graphics card into the processor, we've prepared this buying guide. We'll explain the two available options based on architecture, and the differences, advantages, and disadvantages between them.
Ranking of the best AMD APU processors
APU processors
APU (Accelerated Processing Unit) processors are those that have a graphics card integrated into the processor itself. This integration allows the processor to generate game graphics or process images very efficiently. They were initially known as the 'AMD Fusion' series.
Although Intel incorporates a graphics card into the processor in its Core iX series, AMD acquired the legendary graphics card company ATI, developing the new processors under the APU name. This has made AMD the leader in integrated graphics performance today. AMD Ryzen APU processors, which we'll discuss in detail in this guide, are the most powerful on the market in their category.
In Intel's case, processors are classified by brand and ranked by performance, but this isn't exactly the case with AMD. This manufacturer bases its processors on two architectures:
- Bulldozer and derivatives
- ZEN and ZEN+
Within these two families, we find different products. APUs are those that incorporate the graphics card in the processor itself, which means that processors without the APU specification will require a separate graphics card. This may seem minor, but it is vital in many cases for many users.
It is worth noting that these processors are so powerful and have such high performance when it comes to games that we can find them modified in the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One.
AMD APUs with Bulldozer architecture: the A-Series
AMD's A-Series is the family of APU processors based on the Bulldozer architecture and derivatives currently on the market. Previously, AMD launched the E-Series, which was a reimagining of the aforementioned "Fusion," the manufacturer's first attempt at integrating the graphics card into the processor, back in 2006. It didn't culminate until the 2010 acquisition of graphics component manufacturer ATI.
AMD's A-Series was launched in 2014 to compete with the Intel Core i7, and although many years have passed, they are still a very good option for those looking for decent performance without having to invest too much in it.
This A-Series has some features worth highlighting. For example, the use of the FM2 and FM2+ sockets, except for the 9000 generation, which uses the AM4 socket, the same one found in Ryzen processors with integrated graphics (G, GE, H).
How to identify AMD APU A-Series processors?
This series of AMD processors have a model number with numbers and letters, taking the A8-9600 model as an example we can determine the following:
AMD APU A8 9600
- First LetterThe 'A' refers to the series. As we've seen, AMD launched the 'E' series in 2011, and in 2014, it launched the current 'A' series.
- first number: In this case, it's an 8, which refers to the number of cores. 8 and higher indicates 4 cores. 6 indicates a dual-core processor.
- Second number: In this case, it's a 9, which indicates the processor architecture. The 9 refers to 'Excavator v2,' an improvement released in 2017. The 8 refers to Excavator, the 7 to Steamroller, and the 6 to Piledriver.
- Letter K: In this case, it's not present. If it were, it would indicate that the multiplier is unlocked, supporting overclocking.
AMD has also launched a series of Ryzen APUs based on their Zen microarchitecture (in its various versions), which offer all the advantages of the new CPUs, combined with new GPU architectures. This is the case with the Ryzen 4000 Series for laptops, and other APUs belonging to other generations (2000 Series, 3000 Series, 5000 Series, etc.).
In this case, in addition to a Zen-based CPU, it will also have support for the AM4 socket, and new GPUs integrated circuits of the Vega 11, RDNA, and RDNA2 series. To identify these chips, it would look something like this:
AMD APU Ryzen 5 3400G
- first number: Indicates how many cores the CPU has. Current Ryzen 3 models and some Ryzen 5 models have four cores. Latest Ryzen 5 models have six cores, and Ryzen 7 APUs have eight cores.
- Second number: indicates the processor generation, although right now it only has a single number, 2, 3, 4, 5…
- Letters G, GE, H and U: differentiates between desktop versions (G) and low-power laptop versions (U), etc.
Integrated graphics card or dedicated graphics card?
We've already reviewed the features of AMD APUs and given a brief overview of Intel processors, but the question remains: Is a processor with integrated graphics, like AMD APUs, better than a dedicated graphics card?
Integrated graphics cards are cheaper, as you only purchase a single device that integrates the CPU and GPU. This option is ideal for casual video tasks, such as watching a video, streaming a video, or processing graphics in a spreadsheet. Of course, cards like AMD APUs are capable of much more, but it will require a significant investment in this device to achieve the quality we expect.
Dedicated graphics cards, i.e., those that are a device in their own right, have a series of advantages and disadvantages that we should highlight. On the one hand, they are independent devices, with their own VRAM memory that doesn't require them to use the PC's RAM, and in many cases, they have their own cooling system.
In graphics performance, The integrated GPUs of AMD Ryzen APUs (with ZEN processor architecture) far outperform Intel Core i5 and i7 processors., allowing you to comfortably reach 720p graphics. However, if we compare the same graphics with 1080p graphics between a card integrated into the Ryzen APU and a dedicated card, the latter clearly wins.
You should be aware that Dedicated cards are still superior in performance to integrated cardsIf you're a user who's going to build your own PC with gaming in mind, your choice is very clear: an AMD processor and a dedicated graphics card will be an ideal solution. However, whether you want to build a custom-built computer or buy a pre-built PC for home use (reading email, browsing, streaming or file-based videos, playing simple games, etc.), the solution offered by AMD APU processors with integrated graphics will be more than sufficient.
Beware! In no case are we saying that AMD APU cards are of poor quality., on the contrary: they are excellent solutions! But you do have to keep in mind that If you are a gaming user, you may need a higher power. and you'll only find that on dedicated graphics cards.
AMD APU Vs Intel Core Which is Better?
This is the eternal debate: Intel or AMD. Which is better for me? The decision to purchase one or the other depends on what you intend to use your computer for, but in this case, AMD APU processors have managed to match, if not surpass, the best Intel processors. We can't forget that the emergence of the ZEN architecture prompted Intel to release processors with 6 and 8 cores, after years of being stuck with 4 cores.
So, is there a clear winner in this battle? Absolutely not. It's not easy to choose between Intel and AMD, because both manufacturers offer excellent processors at very competitive prices and with performance that was unimaginable just a few years ago. Deciding between the Intel Core i7 or i9 and the AMD Ryzen APUs with 12 or 16 cores is not easy.It will depend much more on budget than on quality, because both manufacturers have a lot to offer.