AMD announced a few new Accelerated Processing Units a few days ago, which isn’t in and of itself particularly interesting. What is, though, is the fact that AMD is letting users configure the overall thermal output of one of the chips, catering to both enthusiasts and those that want low-power computing.
The new A10-Series chip, based on AMD’s Steamroller microarchitecture, is the A10-7800. It doesn’t have an unlocked multiplier and as such can’t be easily overclocked by anyone looking for an easy extra power boost, but its configurable thermal design power (TDP) can be set to either 65 Watts — for the full unbridled performance of its four CPU and eight integrated GPU cores — or to 45 Watts, for a reduced thermal footprint.
Reducing the heat output of such a versatile chip as the A10-7800 should make it a natural choice for an all-in-one small form factor PC — the kind of device you’d use as a home theatre PC or for a hidden-away desktop PC for an entire family. It’s a pretty gutsy chipset, and AMD’s CPUs have always been good value for money, so let’s hope that trend continues with the A10-7800. [AMD]