Thoughts on AMD APU (FM1 or FM2 socket) for Windows XP Retro machine. \ VOGONS

Thoughts on AMD APU (FM1 or FM2 socket) for Windows XP Retro machine.

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First post, by Rhuwyn

Posted on 2017-04-05, 19:11

Rhuwyn Offline

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So we all know there is tons of hardware out there which can make for a decent Windows XP gaming machine. I was on Microcenter's site looking at Ryzen CPU and motherboard combo's when I noticed that the last generation of AMD CPUs was dirt cheap including their APUs. In fact an A4 motherboard and CPU combo brand new is only 59 USD and I have a Microcenter store local to me. This made me wonder about the AMD APU's graphic performance on retro titles. I've looked at Youtube videos for A4, A6, and A10 APC performance on more modern titles, which for current gen games isn't great, but slightly older games is actually passable. They also have Windows XP support, or at least they did before Microsoft themselves dropped support for it, but the point is drivers exist.

If the FM2+ CPUs (or maybe even FM1?) CPUs will run Windows XP games well and we aren't loosing any features that older GPUs would have it would make for a very cost effective, and power efficient machine. Has anyone does this or have any thoughts on the matter?

EDIT: Correction. The motherboard and CPU combo I saw for 59USD was actually an A6.

Reply 1 of 4, by mrau

Posted on 2017-04-05, 20:56

mrau Offline

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there seems to be some support for xp but not x64; functionality should be full on directx, but probably no backwards compatibility;

Reply 2 of 4, by Koltoroc

Posted on 2017-04-05, 20:58

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There are no XP drivers for APUs with GPU cores that are newer than the 7000 series (AMD always lists the GPU of APUs with the same naming scheme as contemporary desktop graphics). So unless you manage to find some of the oldest APU models that kills this idea right there.

Reply 3 of 4, by nforce4max

Posted on 2017-04-05, 21:47

nforce4max Offline

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FM1 should be of interest since it was the end of the line for K10 as all the later models are based on Bulldozer. Had a A8 Llano laptop and it wasn't bad at all performance wise even though it was an overpriced HP pos.

The problem about FM1 is finding boards.

On a far away planet reading your posts in the year 10,191.

Reply 4 of 4, by Rhuwyn

Posted on 2017-04-05, 21:58

Rhuwyn Offline

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So I downloaded the last Windows XP Unified APU graphics driver and opened it up and it had the following list of compatible graphics adapters. At first I had a hard time finding document to easily correlate the Radeon to APU Model number, but I found this wiki to be helpfull https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_acc … microprocessors

Based on that the graphics on Trinity based APUs on the FM2 platform should work. That $59 dollar bundle includes FM2 motherboard and a Kavari CPU but basically the motherboard ends up being free. I might get the bundle just for the motherboard and spare CPU, and buy a Trinity based CPU secondhand hopefully for cheap. Any more thoughts?

AMD6720.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6900M Series"
AMD6743.1 = "AMD Radeon E6760"
AMD6763.1 = "AMD Radeon E6460"
AMD6800.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7970M"
AMD6819.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7800 Series"
AMD68B8.1 = "ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series"
AMD9802.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6320 Graphics"
AMD9803.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6310 Graphics"
AMD9804.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6250 Graphics"
AMD9805.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6250 Graphics"
AMD9806.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6320 Graphics"
AMD9807.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 6290 Graphics"
AMD9900.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7660G"
AMD9901.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7660D"
AMD9903.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7640G"
AMD9904.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7560D"
AMD9907.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7620G"
AMD9908.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7600G"
AMD990A.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7500G"
AMD9910.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7660G"
AMD9913.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7640G"
AMD9917.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7620G"
AMD9918.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7600G"
AMD9919.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7500G"
AMD9990.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7520G"
AMD9991.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7540D"
AMD9992.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7420G"
AMD9993.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7480D"
AMD99A0.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7520G"
AMD99A4.1 = "AMD Radeon HD 7400G"

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