Netbook CPUs: AMD Neo II K325 vs K125

I am trying to compare these two Netbook processor offerings from AMD, and would like to find out how much better the K325 dual-core processor is over the single-core K125.

The K325 has a slower clock speed of 1.3GHz vs 1.7GHz on the K125, but it has two cores and it has double the L2 cache. Do those two things offset the higher clock speed on the K125 and make for a much faster and snappier overall experience with the K325?

To put this into context, I am planning on buying a netbook for non-gaming purposes: just regular internet browsing, checking Yahoo/Gmail email, watching (non-HD) Youtube videos, and Facebook.

And the two netbooks that I am considering at the moment are the Dell M101z (with the K325 processor) and the Acer Aspire One 721 (with the K125 processor).

So I'd like to know which of the two netbooks would perform better (all other things being equal) and be fast & snappy given my uses above.

Thanks.

 

go to Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News - Notebookcheck.net and look at there faq tab it will have a data page of all cpu's they have tested. The K325 is alot faster from what i remember but they both beat alot of atom processors. I was about to get a netbook with the K325 but i missed out on the deal. Its a good cpu but i would honestly try to find an ULV i3 or i5. Big performance difference.

 

for modern OS which is multitask in nature, due core is almost always better than 1 even you get a slower clock. Feel much better in actual use.

In fact, my next new notebook would be a quad, again due to the more and more background task running situation as Microsoft pile things up.

 

Having just setup a Toshiba netbook with an AMD C-30 processor, I think I can offer some insight here.

The C-30 is a single core 1.2GHz cpu.

I compared the same configuration (Win7 Starter w/1GB RAM) to a dual core C-50 1.0GHz machine.

Surprisingly, the client bought (as I also recommended) the C-30 because the 'feel' of the system was so much more smooth with 20% higher clock rate.

With the clock rate more than 30% higher on the single core systems you're considering, I think that it will be even more obvious what is the better buy (the single core).

Consider that for this level of machine, you are not multi-tasking anyways (or at least, shouldn't be), so the higher clock speed translates directly to a 'faster and snappier' system for 99% of the uses which you'll put it through.

I highly recommend 2GB RAM on such a system; the usage factor went from 'time to return it' with 1GB to 'something I would even consider buying' with the 2GB RAM (this is my analysis - my client didn't care for speed; the battery run time and the extreme portability are what sold that system to him).

While I would normally say get as many cores as you can, at this entry level of computing platform, the exact opposite is the smartest thing you can do.

A faster, single core will outdo a dual core that runs in the single gigahertz range in 'feel' any day.

Of course, those cpu's you're considering are different than the C-30 and C-50's I played with (AMD Ontario apu's?). So I would recommend trying to see them both side by side to see for yourself (or, if you are ordering them online, buy both and return the worst performing one).

Good luck.

 

Thanks for the detailed reply tilleroftheearth! You make a good point about the higher clock speed in the single-core AMD K125 CPU. This netbook will only be used for light internet activities (email, facebook, and youtube), so hopefully the single-core CPU should suffice.

Both netbook configurations that I was looking at came with 4Gb of DDR3 RAM, so memory wise it should all be good.

I picked up the Acer Aspire One 721 today, and will start putting it through its paces tonight. Based on your comments I think the single-core AMD K125 CPU in it will be enough for my needs.

Thanks.

 

Art, glad to be of some help.

As long as you won't be multi-tasking (heavily), then the higher clock speed is the way to go.

I was truly surprised to see that myself! Glad I could pass that knowledge on.

 

i still disagree since alot of things are well multi threaded now and the fact that depending on your browser will through each tab on a seperate thread/core. If there isn't a large price difference i would go with the K325 in a heart beat but thats my opinion

 

You can disagree, but real life results don't always match 'theory'.

With a netbook, I would be satisfied running one or two programs (or tabs) at a time; first, the screen real estate is not friendly to mulit-tasking, second a cpu WEI score of 1.9 to 2.3 is nothing to push multi-tasking on anyways.

KSD, if you actually tried/used/compared this level (below entry level, in my eyes) of computers (ie netbooks), then you'll see that the theory of dual core supremacy is largely a myth and higher clocks actually rule the day in this ~1GHz welter-weight cpu segment.

Actually, thinking about this a bit, ~1GHz cpu's is smart phone territory. And they don't truly multi-task very well either.

 

Single core hyper-threading is the way to go. Gives you a little of both worlds. I agree with the netbook market faster clock is better than dual core in most cases. Considering you're working with 2GB or less of RAM and 1024x600 screens, multitasking other than a few web browser tabs is about all that's really manageable.

That being said, I still like to push my machines to their limit and a dual core would benefit in a few cases like playing games (yes you can game on a netbook if you don't want to play Crysis or anything 2005 or newer), light video editing, or file management / compression.

 

if i had a netbook i would take the duel core....pandora, facebook, starfleet command(website game) notebookreview and brighthand....i doubt a single core could handle that....i would put money on that the duel core would run much much better Not including chat programs and maybe bit torrent. For sending photos to friends of course ^^

EDIT: also K125 does not support hyper threading/hyper transport.

 

Not sure I follow? You're saying having pandora, facebook, starfleet command, notebookreview, and brighthand in a browser all at the same time?

I'll try that on my Mini 1012, and I don't think it'll have an issue with that at all. As a matter of fact, I had a 720p YouTube video running, while using skype, and had a dozen tabs open. Only thing that would tax the CPU really would be the flash video, but everything else you mentioned, with exception of starfleet command, would tax the CPU very little. Can you link this Starfleet Command game? I'm curious because I enjoy sci-fi games.

 

uni2.playstarfleet.com fun website game. sever has been open for like 6-8 months i think so it'll be really hard to catch up. i started 3 months late and i am finally getting to the top 500-600 rank. I can help you a bit if your serious on playing.

Also when i used a single core single thread one before i noticed it being choppy when it came to running things in back ground and doing other things. I just think the second core is worth a 20%? drop in freq.

EDIT:i looked at the benchmarks and the freq and single core speeds are fairly big 25-30% but the multi core is a big difference...i still go with the duel core personally and overclock it?