Intel i5-3570T or AMD A10-5800K / 5700

[alexruiz]

I'm not highly knowledgeable about this kind of stuff, but I think the HD4k suffers from a mix of lack of raw compute power, and Intel not having as much experience in that kind of software. It's still a fine choice but AMD's GPU will open more options as far as hardware accelerated shaders and effects (like types of deinterlacing and noise cleanup). I hope someone with some more knowledge chips in on this topic.

It's true AMD's APUs do have lower idle power consumption but if we leave GPUs out of this entirely, I'd go with an Intel CPU because they get more work done per watt.

What is that machine going to do in his usage that Intel would have "more work done per watt"? Poorly executed playback that need the cPU to ramp up, generate noise and take more energy? Yes, the i3 will do it, but that doesn't qualify as "more work done per watt". For his usage, the A10 is untouchable.

Edit. OP, if the 100W number scares you (which shouldn't, the APU will never eat 100W in that usage) get the A10-5700 and don't look back.

 

[ph2000]

this kind of setup is tempting

http://news.softpedia.com/newsImage/AMD-Demonstrates-Fanless-A10-5700K-Trinity-System-4.jpg/

 

[Phynaz]

when did i talk about that? the A10 isn't really even a quad core processor anyway.

Right here

and if the processor does get loaded up, the quad core will consume less energy

Let's not start with the what makes a core argument again, okay?

 

[Phynaz]

The A10-5800k is an easy pick.

1) It has the lowest power consumption of them at idle Web browsing, word processing don't tax the CPU. It will be at the lowest power usage for most of the time. It will consume more when taxed, but the activities that will take place in that machine won't tax it. Video playback is offloaded to the GPU.

2) Noise being a factor, the newer Cooler Master heatsinks that come with the stock AMD CPUs are very nice and quiet. Copper bottom with copper heatpipes. These ones are recent, like in the last month or so, but are very quiet. The older coolers were heavier, bulkier and noisier. Even if any of the other CPUs would take less power, is the heatsink as quiet? No

3) Hardware acceleration in the GPU for video playback works perfect in an AMD GPU. Ask the intel users if hardware acceleration works properly on theirs. If hardware acceleration doesn't work, the cPU will consume more power as the CPU has to do the decoding instead of the GPU.

4) The A10 is cheaper.

1. That couple of watts at idle may not make up for 40 watts at load.

2. He shouldn't use a stock cooler anyway. He should be looking at passive cooling.

3. Intel doesn't use the GPU for video decode, it has dedicated hardware for decode. And as far as hardware acceleration, if it doesn't work on Intel, then it's not going to work on AMD.

4. Not as long as he's not getting a T version of the i3. What does the mobile version of an A10 cost?

 

[Jeff007245]

A10, best bang for the buck for the type of usage for this particular user.

 

[LogOver]

The A10-5800k is an easy pick.

1) It has the lowest power consumption of them at idle Web browsing, word processing don't tax the CPU. It will be at the lowest power usage for most of the time. It will consume more when taxed, but the activities that will take place in that machine won't tax it. Video playback is offloaded to the GPU.

2) Noise being a factor, the newer Cooler Master heatsinks that come with the stock AMD CPUs are very nice and quiet. Copper bottom with copper heatpipes. These ones are recent, like in the last month or so, but are very quiet. The older coolers were heavier, bulkier and noisier. Even if any of the other CPUs would take less power, is the heatsink as quiet? No

3) Hardware acceleration in the GPU for video playback works perfect in an AMD GPU. Ask the intel users if hardware acceleration works properly on theirs. If hardware acceleration doesn't work, the cPU will consume more power as the CPU has to do the decoding instead of the GPU.

4) The A10 is cheaper.

1) It hasn't lower power consumption. Idle system power mostly depends on motherboard power efficiency which may vary in a large range. For example:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/mainboards/display/intel-dz77re-75k-dz77ga-70k_8.html#sect0

3) AMD is not better in HW video decoding than Ivy Bridge. Compare:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/5773/intels-ivy-bridge-an-htpc-perspective/6
http://www.anandtech.com/show/6335/amds-trinity-an-htpc-perspective/5

4) Is not much cheaper than i3-3220, but much less power efficient.

 

[ShintaiDK]

3) Hardware acceleration in the GPU for video playback works perfect in an AMD GPU. Ask the intel users if hardware acceleration works properly on theirs. If hardware acceleration doesn't work, the cPU will consume more power as the CPU has to do the decoding instead of the GPU.

Wow, this is certainly a mixed bag, with the i3, i5 and the A10. HW accel don't work well on the HD 4000? Is that due to drivers or?

Uhm, it works just fine.

One could add that Intels iGPU doesnt suffer from the same issues with 2D and 3D clocks as AMD GPUs.

 

[Valis]

A die shrink on the trinity from 32 nm to the 22 nm Intel is using would solve some of this power consumption issues/levels. Hmm, when is that due, is another issue. But then they'll just put more into it to increase performance.

Personally, I think dual core is so 2007, but that's just a vain fashion idea, but smartphones are 1.5 Ghz dual core today, so...

 

[ShintaiDK]

this kind of setup is tempting

http://news.softpedia.com/newsImage/AMD-Demonstrates-Fanless-A10-5700K-Trinity-System-4.jpg/

Fanless cases tends to be extremely expensive. I would only buy such things from OEMs, and then you still pay out your nose.

Also note they can most likely get very warm.

 

[ElFenix]

Right here



Let's not start with the what makes a core argument again, okay?

that was in the context of an i3 vs i5:

quad core/dual core doesn't matter unless you're loading the processor up. at stock voltage the dual core 2100 and quad core 2400 draw the same power doing the same non-heavy tasks:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1202-page3.html

If you're loading the processor up, an i3 is better for power consumption and noise. If you're not loading the processor up, well, why are you paying extra for the 2 extra cores?

cost is the only factor in the i3's favor.

and if the processor does get loaded up, the quad core will consume less energy because it does the same task so much faster (that's covered later in the SPCR article)

frankly, a big fan on a big heat sink is more important than the particular model of ivy processor when it comes to noise.

 

[Yuriman]

A die shrink on the trinity from 32 nm to the 22 nm Intel is using would solve some of this power consumption issues/levels. Hmm, when is that due, is another issue. But then they'll just put more into it to increase performance.

Personally, I think dual core is so 2007, but that's just a vain fashion idea, but smartphones are 1.5 Ghz dual core today, so...

Global foundries has 20nm/22nm planned for sometime in 2013. I'm not sure how long AMD will take to get a CPU shipping on that process though, there are others here much better qualified to answer that question.

Process-wise, AMD is at best a year behind Intel.

 

[pcsavvy]

Here is an article about Trinity use as a HTPC system.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6335/amds-trinity-an-htpc-perspective

It all comes down to where you want more muscle cpu or igpu.

 

[Phynaz]

that was in the context of an i3 vs i5:

Aha, gotcha.

 

[USER8000]

Saw this review of the A10-5700 mentioned on OcUK:

http://hexus.net/tech/reviews/cpu/47257-amd-a10-5700/

 

[9enesis]

i think it is really a matter of taste. 55W(intel) vs 65W(amd) or HD2500 vs HD7560/7660 .... for a silent PC i would choose neither of these two(three).:biggrin: