AMD Processer Power?

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Looking at replacing my laptop.
I am looking at AMD Processors, but literally know nothing about them.
So what is the best, and what is the worst between these series?

AMD FX
AMD A8
AMD A10
AMD A6

I keep thinking the FX is most powerful, but the A8 is the best rated of the group, while the FX is horribly rated.

Seriously, the fact I can find next to nothing about their naming scheme is bugging me.

I found stuff like this between the FX and A8, where both are beaten by an I5

http://cpuboss.com/cpus/AMD-FX-6300-vs-AMD-A8-6600K

 
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Okay, so I'm a big AMD fan, especially when it comes to laptops, and have experience with different AMD chips (and some Intel).

The main determinants here are going to be price/budget and use/purpose.  

Different chips are going to give you better performance depending on what you want your laptop for.  I'm not going to assume gaming because people have other uses sometimes, but here's a general breakdown of where things go:

Budget:

AMD is always going to be cheaper than Intel.  They tend to be more power hungry and run a little hotter and the Intels tend to run less hot and consume less power.  There is a caveat here in that if you are willing to go refurb/used you can sometimes get an older generation Intel for cheap.  It's usually best suited for business notebooks because businesses cycle through their contracts every 3-4 years so there is a constant influx of "refurb" business notebooks that are technically just used but usually have nothing wrong with them.  I recently picked up an HP Elitebook Refurb for $160 after rebates from Newegg which has a 3rd Generation i5 and I spent $20 to upgrade the RAM and $50 for an SSD and for $230 I have a laptop that runs super fast and meets all my business needs.  That said, I wouldn't try to game on it at all.  

So gaming is where the budget really makes a difference.  Intel integrated graphics tend to suck.  Now that's not always true and they seem to be getting better.  One of my Steam friends recently bought an Intel laptop and has been testing the gaming on it and has done okay, but I think his is an i7.  So with intel you either want a discrete graphics card (which makes it even more expensive) or an i7 (which again, increases expense).  For gaming, AMD has better integrated graphics at a cheaper price so you can do some reasonable gaming for a lot less than it would cost for Intel.

Purpose:

And so this ties in with what I've already said, but the purpose or use of your notebook is going to make a big difference.  Business, school, casual use - then go ahead and get an Intel, because even a 3rd or 4th generation one is going to serve you quite well for a cheap price and even an i3 will be fine for those uses (although a little slow).

Gaming and you need to go AMD if you have a limited budget.  And here is where the FX and A series are distinguished:

FX is an older chip and technically can be more powerful than the A series.  Difference is, the FX is just a chip and while there are some integrated graphics, they are not as good as the A Series.  The A Series is a chipset with 12 cores where 4 cores are dedicated to the CPU and 8 cores are dedicated to the GPU.  Meaning it is an integrated graphics chip, but it is specifically designed to be the most efficient and give you the maximum out of the integrated graphics.  I'm a big fan of the series for that reason.  A few years back I had an A8 laptop and I was running stuff like Sleeping Dogs when it came out at playable settings.  We're not talking 60 FPS at Ultra, but we're talking 30 FPS at medium type quality.  Basically, the equivalent of a console.  I don't know how they do it, but the A series is just really good at gaming on a budget.  And so the higher the number the more powerful in the series.  A4 to A6 to A8 to A10 (and I think there might even be an A12).  I'm not sure why the A8 tends to be better reviewed than the A10, but technically the A10 should be better.

Depending on what you're looking for you can get an A10 for under $300.  I did so earlier this year for a gift laptop by using a coupon on the dell outlet to get a refurbed Dell Inspiron with A10 and 12GB of RAM for $277.  You want to make sure you get a decent amount of RAM because these integrated GPUs pull from the system RAM since they have no memory of their own.  So you want enough RAM to make sure you can power the integrated GPU and the rest of the system. I wouldn't go less than 8GBs.  Now these Dell refurbs come with a full year of Dell warranty so it's like buying new in that you get their top notch customer service along with it.  I've also seen some new Lenovo laptops in that price range with the A Series in it.  

If you have any more questions, let me know, but hopefully this should get you headed in the right direction for your needs. 

 
What are you wanting to do with the laptop and what is your budget?  What FoxyPie said is generally true, however Intel mops the floor with AMD as far as a pure processor goes.  I'm a fan of the best product and right now (and for a long while) that has been Intel.  Now, if you want integrated graphics on a laptop, AMD may hold an advantage.  Discrete graphics is almost always better.

Again, what you want to do and budget will help more than you are looking at AMD.  Who really cares about AMD vs Intel?  It should be what is the best bang for the buck with your budget and what you want to do.

 
What are you wanting to do with the laptop and what is your budget? What FoxyPie said is generally true, however Intel mops the floor with AMD as far as a pure processor goes. I'm a fan of the best product and right now (and for a long while) that has been Intel. Now, if you want integrated graphics on a laptop, AMD may hold an advantage. Discrete graphics is almost always better.

Again, what you want to do and budget will help more than you are looking at AMD. Who really cares about AMD vs Intel? It should be what is the best bang for the buck with your budget and what you want to do.
Honestly, I didn't realize there was such a huge dependency between the two companies.

I've done quite a bit of research, but like you said the graphics of the AMD Laptops are the reason I like them.. my current laptop is an integrated when unplugged but when plugged in it becomes discrete and the fact is uses Radeon tech was always a plus to me.

The last time I was heavily worried about the performance differences was the early 2000s when AMD held the advantage, not so much anymore. I hate admitting I have a Master's in computer science and still know next to nothing about much of the industry.

As for what I am using it for, not much, which is why this laptop lasted me 6yrs.

The most taxing thing I do is play wow, and use it to stream or edit video and other files when I can't get to my PC, along with the common chat and etc.

 
Honestly, I didn't realize there was such a huge dependency between the two companies.

I've done quite a bit of research, but like you said the graphics of the AMD Laptops are the reason I like them.. my current laptop is an integrated when unplugged but when plugged in it becomes discrete and the fact is uses Radeon tech was always a plus to me.

The last time I was heavily worried about the performance differences was the early 2000s when AMD held the advantage, not so much anymore. I hate admitting I have a Master's in computer science and still know next to nothing about much of the industry.

As for what I am using it for, not much, which is why this laptop lasted me 6yrs.

The most taxing thing I do is play wow, and use it to stream or edit video and other files when I can't get to my PC, along with the common chat and etc.
What's your max budget? That will also determine whether discrete graphics are even an option.

I would say if you only play WOW, then even a good Intel with integrated graphics will be fine. WOW is not that intensive of a game graphically. But if you are editing video then you might want something with either discrete graphics, if it's in budget, or something like the AMD A-Series. I would also seriously consider a laptop top with an SSD if you are doing video editing as that will help everything run a lot faster (but will likely limit your space).

Are refurbished laptops an option? Would you be comfortable buying a laptop and then replacing the HDD with a SSD yourself?

 
What's your max budget? That will also determine whether discrete graphics are even an option.

I would say if you only play WOW, then even a good Intel with integrated graphics will be fine. WOW is not that intensive of a game graphically. But if you are editing video then you might want something with either discrete graphics, if it's in budget, or something like the AMD A-Series. I would also seriously consider a laptop top with an SSD if you are doing video editing as that will help everything run a lot faster (but will likely limit your space).

Are refurbished laptops an option? Would you be comfortable buying a laptop and then replacing the HDD with a SSD yourself?
I've had problems with Intel's integrated chips, so I've always done AMD laptops.

The few I were looking at were

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-15-6-touch-screen-laptop-amd-a10-series-6gb-memory-1tb-hard-drive-black-linear-texture-gradient-grooves/5252100.p?id=bb5252100&skuId=5252100

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-envy-m6-p114dx-15-6-touch-screen-laptop-amd-fx-6gb-memory-1tb-hard-drive-natural-silver/4864900.p?id=bb4864900&skuId=4864900

I'd say max budget is around $700.

The only reason I am looking is simply, my Laptop is starting to die. The Wifi randomly disconnects or loses signal, the ethernet port is dead, etc etc.

I also plan to put more ram and etc into the system once I purchase it.

Like where does the FX place?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-envy-x360-2-in-1-15-6-touch-screen-laptop-amd-fx-8gb-memory-1tb-hard-drive-hp-finish-in-dark-ash-silver/5295100.p?id=bb5295100&skuId=5295100

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-inspiron-15-6-touch-screen-laptop-amd-a8-series-8gb-memory-1tb-hard-drive-gloss-black/4633609.p?id=1219783546056&skuId=4633609

 
keep in mind that the CPUboss link that you have in the OP is comparing 2 desktop CPU's. see here for some insight as to the difference between desktop and laptop CPU's http://www.city-data.com/forum/computers/2528561-desktop-vs-laptop-cpus.html

there are more variables to consider other than just the CPU in the laptop (although it is a main consideration as it is generally not able to be upgraded). things like battery usage, user-expandable RAM, user-replaceable HDD or SSD, whether you need an optical drive, whether you need a touchscreen, what size and resolution screen you want... etc.

 
keep in mind that the CPUboss link that you have in the OP is comparing 2 desktop CPU's. see here for some insight as to the difference between desktop and laptop CPU's http://www.city-data.com/forum/computers/2528561-desktop-vs-laptop-cpus.html

there are more variables to consider other than just the CPU in the laptop (although it is a main consideration as it is generally not able to be upgraded). things like battery usage, user-expandable RAM, user-replaceable HDD or SSD, whether you need an optical drive, whether you need a touchscreen, what size and resolution screen you want... etc.
Yep, I feel so amateur in this regard... I admit I am even worse with printers...

See I was curious if the FX is like the Celeron or if it was the most powerful processor.

I just want something that will last for another 5-7yrs, and able to do light gaming. I keep my systems always plugged in personally.

Since I'm self employed, I keep my laptop in my game room so I can contact clients and keep in touch while gaming or watching movies... or to play simpler games while doing the same.

 
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The hard thing about laptops is that they have so many different components its hard to compare them.  For example of the ones you posted, one has a 360 swivel screen, which I am sure is a big part of the price, but if you mostly keep your laptop stationary you probably don't need that.  The Dell has a touchscreen, which is nice, but again, if you have it in one place with a mouse connected,  you might not use the touchscreen as much.  

http://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/model/NX.GDZAA.002

That one is $599.99 at Newegg

It is an Intel i5 chip, but it has dedicated graphics in the form of Nvidia 950M 2GB.  Now the big thing it is missing that others might have is no touchscreen and no optical drive. 

But that is something that would give you decent gaming performance and even though it is intel, since it has dedicate graphics you would not need to worry about the intel graphics sucking.  Another plus is it has a built in SSD (128GB) and also a 1 TB HDD already.  

But if you prefer say something like a touchscreen or you want to save money, etc. I am sure we can find something that will work for you. 

 
The hard thing about laptops is that they have so many different components its hard to compare them. For example of the ones you posted, one has a 360 swivel screen, which I am sure is a big part of the price, but if you mostly keep your laptop stationary you probably don't need that. The Dell has a touchscreen, which is nice, but again, if you have it in one place with a mouse connected, you might not use the touchscreen as much.

http://www.acer.com/ac/en/US/content/model/NX.GDZAA.002

That one is $599.99 at Newegg

It is an Intel i5 chip, but it has dedicated graphics in the form of Nvidia 950M 2GB. Now the big thing it is missing that others might have is no touchscreen and no optical drive.

But that is something that would give you decent gaming performance and even though it is intel, since it has dedicate graphics you would not need to worry about the intel graphics sucking. Another plus is it has a built in SSD (128GB) and also a 1 TB HDD already.

But if you prefer say something like a touchscreen or you want to save money, etc. I am sure we can find something that will work for you.
I'm not into a touch scrteen since it sits on an end table.
Optical drive is not a deal beaker for me, since I can use thumb drives... 4+ USB ports are.

 
I'm not into a touch scrteen since it sits on an end table.
Optical drive is not a deal beaker for me, since I can use thumb drives... 4+ USB ports are.
Cool, then look into that and see how you like the specs/look/etc. If you want something cheaper we can keep looking or if you really want to stay with AMD we can also find a comparable AMD machine somewhere.

 
Alright, found a sort of AMD equivalent on Newegg.  I can't post Newegg links because CAG messes them up because of their referral links they auto-generate, but it is:

Lenovo IdeaPad Y700 80NY002RUS Gaming Laptop AMD FX-Series FX-8800P (2.10 GHz) 12 GB DDR4 Memory 1 TB HDD AMD Radeon R9 M385X 4 GB 15.6" Windows 10 Home

Now, it is more expensive -$749.99 

But it has more RAM than the other one (12GB vs. 8GB) and a better card (R9 M385X 4GB vs. 950M 2GB)

You also lose the SSD on this one as it only has a 1 TB HDD.  

This one would probably be better for gaming, but like I said, if you really just want light gaming then you'd be fine with something much cheaper.  

While Intel is "better" than AMD, you have to take into account price.  When price is taken into account, the AMD chips in the same price range as the Intel chips are pretty comparable.  Sure, an i7 is the best out there, but it also usually costs significantly more because of it.  

 
If it is truly light gaming, the newer Intel chips are okay as long as you are okay with turning down some of the settings.  Discrete is better.  Heck, a good i5 with a gtx950 may do you good.  I'd also keep an eye on the Dell outlet as sometimes there are some good deals there.

What type of games are you thinking about?

 
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