AMD A6-5400K Trinity 3.6GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) Socket FM2 65W Dual-Core Desktop APU (CPU + GPU) with DirectX 11 Graphic AMD Radeon HD 7540D AD540KOKHJBOX

Pros: Good performance
Low price
Unlocked

Cons: Stock fan is loud at higher RPMs

Other Thoughts: I currently use my PC mostly for web browsing, but this APU is much faster than the Athlon X2 BE-2350 that it replaced. I was intrigued that in the description it stated that these APUs can accelerate web browsing. They weren't kidding. Graphic and Flash-rich websites now load just as quick as text based pages.

The only con so far is that the stock cooling fan is very noisy at higher RPMs. Luckily the BIOS on my motherboard has a 'Quiet' setting that is taming the noise of the stock fan until I can get an aftermarket fan/heatsink. Regardless, I'm still giving this a 5 egg rating.

Pros: Cost - Delivers more than enough performance for my unRaid server running Plex Media Server. 1080p is no problem.

Cons: Heat sink and Fan - The included heat sink and fan cut the mustard, but only for average loads and not for overclocking. Spend a little more money and get an aftermarket HSF and never worry about heat

Other Thoughts: Turns out transcoding 1080p video while also transcoding 7.1 DTS audio is too much for this CPU. My LG smart TV requires DTS-to-AC3 transcoding because it can't process DTS audio. No big deal really. I have very little content with DTS audio.

Pros: Plays all the games I want at 1600x900 mostly on medium but it can handle high pretty well bringing most games to 30fps. it overclocks great with my board I just flipped the OC switch and got 5 more fps.

Just one benchmark but it runs a lot of games easily even metro 2033
Trine 2 1600x900
Very Low 60fps
Medium 45 fps
Very High 30 fps
No AA

Its a must have chip for budget builds and HTPCs

Cons: Can't give it 10 eggs

Other Thoughts: MSI FM2-A75MA-E35 FM2 AMD A75 Is my recommended board for the FM2 socket

Pros: Good processor for the $
Runs cool
Low power consumption

Cons: AMD service poor
Not sure of Linux video driver status

Other Thoughts: I liked the first home file server I built with this and an MSI mainboard, I decided to do a second. CPU sat in box past NewEgg warranty period. When system built, graphics were screwy. Swapped into known good system; no joy. OK - stuff happens; send for an RMA.

3 weeks later, I not only have no RMA from AMD, they send me an email asking me to rate the service on my closed case. And we are back to fill-in-the form h***.

Pros: I have read about AMD's APU line and heard great things, so when asked to build a cheap but reliable media server plus Minecraft server, this guy popped up everywhere and did not disappoint. I am running it at stock speed with OEM cooler which I plan to upgrade soon but it handles all of its tasks smoother than I thought it would. It is constantly streaming at least 1 feed at all times, my friends are able to save data on a shared drive on the system, it also hosts a timed incremental backup of my 3 other systems as well as running a mine craft server serving close to 20 people (so far max at one time was 11) without a single hiccup or slowdown.

Cons: As with all AMDs, it does run a bit hot. I'll admit I was in a bit of a rush to assemble this system and may not have applied the thermal paste correctly the first time, during a Windows 7 install, it froze and required a hard reset, found out it had overheated. Tore the system apart to make sure I hadn't made any mistakes and realized thermal paste was oozing out of the sides. I had applied to much which was causing poor heat transfer to the heatsink. I reapplied a very thin layer and reseated, now runs at 43 Celcius normally, 47-49 celcius when fully taxed. I plan on purchasing an aftermarket heatsink and fan at a later time.

Other Thoughts: I spent $212 on a combo deal with case, Mobo, CPU, and 8GB ram, bought a mechanical 500GB for $54 and added an existing 1TB mechanical. Also added a Silver rated PWS at $34(was on sale) making my total server build $300. This thing would make a great low end gaming build for a budget gamer, or add about $100-$150 in discrete graphics card and move it into mid level. Would recommend for either application.

Pros: Plays Blu-rays perfectly with LAV filters (need to enable DXVA2 in the video decoder configuration). No video card required! At idle, system draws 29 watts at the wall (MSI mITX mobd), playing video, 33 watts (80+ gold power spply). CPU runs about 25-35% playing blu-ray. Way cheaper than the Intel offering.

Cons: Newegg won't price match brick-and-mortar stores.

Pros: I got this cpu because I had my 6450 Radeon graphics card just laying in my room. I was able to use the dual graphics function just fine

Cons: Like always, the stock cooler is garbage, just get a cheap aftermarket cooler and it will do just fine. With the stock fan it was running at 52 C idle. I put the after market "Rosewill RCX-ZAIO-92 92mm Fan" and it dropped the temps down to 41 C idle.

Other Thoughts: I guess AM3 fans are compatible with FM2 socket cpus, just found that out LOL

Pros: -great value
-driver was easy to install
-fast for the price

Cons: -none that I can think of

Other Thoughts: great value. I am using this for my grandma's computer and i performs flawlessly

Pros: Perfect during moderate gaming. Don't need video card. Ran Prime95 12+ hours with no problems.

Cons: None noticed.

Pros: I am pretty sure, and I mean this literally, that this is, PER DOLLAR, the most amazing CPU in the history of CPUs, especially when you can find it for $50'ish here or there. I don't understand how it is even possible to sell something like this for this price and still stay in business. Literally, Intel has no CPU that even remotely approaches this chip for double the price. I just couldn't believe this CPU/APU in the new microATX build I made for my five year old son. Plays 1080p without even registering that it's doing anything, etc. My main rig has the A10-5800K on it, and if I'm being honest, unless I'm doing something particularly graphically intense, I don't note much of a difference.

Cons: I mean, cons? It's a CPU well under $100. It's got "cons", like, it's not quad core. The higher APU models in this line have more shaders for the GPU, and all that jazz. But that's hardly "cons". Is the fact that a Toyota Corolla is "smaller" than an Acura TL a "con"?

So if you define "con" as "a downside that a product would not be expected and/or should not have", then this APU has none. If you define "con" any other way, then go look at someone else's review.

Other Thoughts: With the stock CPU, stock video, stock cooler, stock clocking, this APU is going to MORE than handle any sort of HTPC task, web browsing, flash games, TO SAY THE LEAST. You'll play 1080p COLD with zero missed frames, and obviously, you'll EASILY play older school games like CS:S at max settings.

If you're going to play the most demanding, recent, games, then yes, I am going to imagine that this APU isn't up to the task. I mean, how can it be? Games that normally require a $150+ CPU and a $150+ graphics card aren't suddenly going to be equal on a $55 APU.

But if you're after a general purpose, lower powered, desktop CPU that will absolutely thermonuclearly annihilate any similarly priced configuration on the planet, then look no further; nothing even comes close.