K53TA-BBR6 A8-3500m

The K53TA comes with an A6-3400m; the A8-3500m consumes the same 35w as the 3400m, has any1 installed this before?

 

It will work fine. Same chip basically, just one's clocked higher.

 

2 people have done so and reported in the main k53ta thread. They both said they had no increase in performance and even had worse performance in some cases. Popular theories included lack of proper bios support and motherboard limitation.

I would say wait for now unless you happen to have an extra a8 lying around.

 

Does any 1 have link to any of these posts. My google skills are failing, and really want to install it.

Why would it get worse performance, I thought its the same chip with more gpu cores activated?

 

I now have a A8-3500m installed and working in my K53TA-BBR6.

 

integrated graphics should be noticeably better

 

Yeah the integrated graphics in the A8 is 6620g which is class 2 rated (ranked 130)....While the 6520g in the A6 is a class 3 rated card (ranked 186). (see below in benchmark ratings)
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Graphics-Cards-Benchmark-List.844.0.html
You should notice a difference in programs/games which only take advantage of integrated graphics (usually some OPENGL games). But if all you play are games that use the discrete graphics 6650, you may not be giving yourself the chance to notice the difference. This is where an A6 and A8 may seem the same.

However Crossfire is supposed to be better, but most games run better on single graphics anyways, so hardly an advantage. Basically a mixed bag..I'd still take an A8 over an A6 for the 6620g.
I don't have the courage to take apart my laptop so I probably won't ever make this upgrade myself.