AMD's new desktop chips make overclocking affordable

AMD's new A10 and A8 chips that can be overclocked are priced between $100 and $150, lower than Intel's competitive offerings

Advanced Micro Devices' latest A-series quad-core desktop processors balance the need for speed with price -- they run at up to 4.2GHz, but can be overclocked to 6.5GHz with liquid nitrogen cooling, the company said.

The company is offering two quad-core chips, the A10-5800K and the A8-5600K, that can be unlocked. The processors are faster and cheaper than competitive Intel chips, said AMD desktop products manager Adam Kozak during a conference call to discuss the new chips.

The new chips will allow manufacturers to build cheaper desktops with features such as overclocking and upgradability not usually available in processors in the US$100 to $150 price range, Kozak said. Intel's unlockable processors start at $216, according to a Sept. 2 price list.

Chip makers in the past decade have reverted to adding more cores instead of cranking up clock speed to balance system performance and power consumption. But Intel and AMD are still consistently trying to claim the performance crown by offering chips that can be overclocked. AMD last year broke a processor speed world record by clocking a high-end FX-series chip to 8.429GHz in a system cooled by tanks of liquid helium, and the feat was noted by Guinness World Records.

AMD is targeting budget desktops and Kozak said the chips are available with integrated graphics processors or can be paired with external graphics processors. The chips can be unlocked to crank up CPU and graphics processor clock speeds, which is especially handy for enthusiasts seeking improved application and graphics performance.

The chips are based on the Piledriver microarchitecture, which is also used in the latest laptop processors code-named Trinity released by AMD starting in the middle of this year. AMD's internal benchmarks revealed the new chips provide 25 percent to 37 percent overall faster system performance than the older desktop chips code-named Llano, which were released last year.

The unlockable chips have 4MB of cache, consume 100 watts of power and are identifiable by the K moniker. The A10-5800K has a maximum CPU clock speed of 4.2GHz and 384 graphics cores with 800MHz GPU clock speed. The A8-5600K has a maximum clock speed of 3.9GHz and 256 graphics cores with 760MHz GPU clock speed.

The new products announced also include chips that cannot be unlocked. The quad-core A10-5700 runs at up to 4GHz and the A8-5500 runs at a clock speed of up to 3.7GHz. The chips draw 65 watts of power and have 4MB cache.

AMD did not provide an exact price for the chips, but said they will be in the range of about $120 in units of 1,000. The chip will be available starting Oct. 2 through component channels worldwide.

Agam Shah covers PCs, tablets, servers, chips and semiconductors for IDG News Service. Follow Agam on Twitter at @agamsh. Agam's e-mail address is agam_shah@idg.com

Top 7 Smart Mobile Apps for Commuters

Having to do a daily commute isn’t the sort of thing many people relish and in many cases it can be the worst part of the working day. Much of that is down to stressful journeys, perhaps in a car, train, bus, or plane.

No matter what type of commute people have to endure every day, there’s no doubt that it can be an arduous adventure in most cases.

However, now that we have increasingly powerful mobile communication and devices that allow us to stay connected pretty much wherever we go, then it is slowly becoming much more enjoyable to commute. In fact, since apps have been developed, commuting in some cases can actually be turned into something altogether more palatable.

Alongside that, the development of apps and other software for this generation’s smart mobile devices has also meant that the commute itself is now much easier than it used to be.

If you have any kind of journey to carry out in order to get to your desk and back again then you’ll know many snags you can often encounter along the way. Therefore, picking a few choice apps might just get you there in much more timely fashion.

Here are top 7 smart mobile apps that would help your commuting much easier.

1. Beat the Traffic

App Home | Download (available for iPhone/iPad, Android and BlackBerry)

If you use the car to any degree then the Beat the Traffic app is one that’s well worth investigating. This app will give you the best ways for navigating your way to work while avoiding the ones that have too much traffic or are susceptible to jams and snarl-ups. This is an app that is also bang up to date as it uses dynamic data to ensure that the roads you’re going to be heading down are clear.

2. Heads Up Navigator

App Home | Download (available for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad)

If you’re heading off to work on foot then even that can be an occasionally stressful operation, so the Heads Up Navigator app will make sure that you enjoy the best possible routes by giving you a 3D augmented reality guided tour. This one also comes in handy for other locations, such as if you have to go out of town on business or pleasure.

3. City Maps 2Go

App Home | Download (supports iPhone, iPod touch and iPad)

It’s always a good idea to have an excellent map at your disposal and the City Maps 2Go app is perfect for giving you all the information you’ll ever need on some 7,800 cities. The data is certainly comprehensive and should allow you to navigate your way through any area that you’re not sure about, as well as giving a great overview of the best routes to take in order to avoid the main snarl-up areas.

4. Bike Maps

App Home | Download (designed for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad)

Meanwhile, bike riders are growing in numbers, as are the people who use two wheels to get to their place of work. The Bike Maps app is a great choice if you’re looking to find the best way to your next destination, be it a daily commute or perhaps a social engagement after work. The app can be used offline too, so if you don’t have a connection to the web then you’ll still be able to enjoy its incredibly powerful potential.

5. AllSubway

App Home | Download (compatible with iPhone, iPod touch and iPad)

Unfortunately, many more commuters have to get to work using the subway and that too can be a pain in the proverbial unless you've got an app that can see you though the worst of what underground rail travel has to offer. Try exploring the potential of the AllSubway app, which so another program that makes use of a massive database of information about subways all around the world. Again, this one is made even more of a success because it doesn't need to have an internet connection to work properly either.

6. WeatherBug

App Home | Download (iPhone/iPad, Android, BlackBerry and all the other major mobile devices/OSes)

As a commuter, you might be aware of the importance of ever-changing weather conditions. With WeatherBug app on your mobile device, you have key to all the local climate information you need. Be geared up and know before severe weather hits! With real-time updates from the world’s leading weather network, find out the pluses of having the swiftest weather alerts and the top forecasts on the go. Moreover, whether you are at home in New York, interested about business/clients in France or preparing travel to India, WeatherBug has you covered.

7. Lookout Mobile Security

App Home | Download (available for iPad, iPhone, Android tablets/smartphones)

Ask any daily commuters, one of their major fears might be losing their smartphone/device or had it stolen. There’s nothing to worry about. Lookout app assists you to track your missing/stolen device quickly, restore, or wipe your data if needed. You can locate your missing phone on a map from your PC or another smartphone. Apart from this, Lookout provides all-in-one guard, quality security to defend your device from viruses, malware and spyware, and the facility to backup and restore your data.