AMD launches 4700S, a mysterious APU
AMD finally released its Desktop Kit featuring 4700S APU with Zen2 architecture.
Make no mistake, this is not a Ryzen APU. AMD was quite careful not to use this branding for this mysterious hybrid between embedded/desktop APU. There are some similarities and some differences between this APU and its successor was known as A9-9820, which was using salvaged Xbox One processors.
For starters, AMD did not release a photo of this APU itself, so it will probably take some time before we see one. There are a few photos of the motherboard though:
AMD 4700S Desktop Kit, Source: TechPowerUP
The AMD 4700S Desktop Kit features a Zen2 APU preinstalled on a Mini ITX motherboard. A total of 16GB of GDDR6 memory (there is also an 8GB variant) can be found on this system. There are no M.2 slots on this board, but a full-sized PCIe 2.0 slot is available although it operates at x4 width.
While AMD id not released any photo of the APU yet, there is a diagram in the product manual. It appears to match XBOX Series X|S APU design, and possibly even PlayStation5, although historically speaking those repurposed APUs were usually meant for XBOX consoles.
AMD 4700S Desktop Kit vs Xbox Series X APU, Source: VideoCardz
Unfortunately, AMD only revealed some basic specs of the 4700S APU, but we do learn it’s a Zen2 based processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, just as XBOX Series. The memory configuration appears to match gaming console specs too, up to 16GB GDDR6, but AMD did not reveal the frequencies for the memory and compute core.
While this is technically an APU, there is no integrated GPU enabled here. This leads us to believe that those APUs are repurposed Xbox Series X|S APUs with broken RDNA2 GPU parts. In other words, the 4700S requires discrete GPU to be installed and AMD is giving us as many as 12 compatible GPUs, including AMD Radeon 500 series based on Polaris architecture as well as GeForce GT 730-1030 and GeForce GTX 1050-1060.
AMD 4700S Desktop Kit Specifications, Source: AMD
The repurposed Xbox One APU “Cato” retailed at around 135 USD. The pricing for the 4700S is currently unknown, but we did learn that those should appear in stores soon (we have heard it might be next week). Enthusiasts interested in giving 4700S a try should probably check Chinese retailers’ sites soon.
| AMD Desktop APUs based on Xbox Series APUs | ||
|---|---|---|
| VideoCardz | AMD A9-9820 “Cato” | 4700S Desktop Kit |
| Motherboard |  |  |
| Based On | Xbox One APU “Durango” | TBC |
| CPU Architecture | 28nm Jaguar (7th Gen A-Series) | 7nm Zen2 |
| CPU Configuration | 8C/8T | 8C/16T |
| CPU Clocks | 1.75 – 2.35 GHz | TBC |
| Integrated GPU Architecture | GCN2 “Kryptos” | – |
| GPU Based On | Radeon HD 7790 (or R5 350) | – |
| GPU Configuration | 512 SP @ 935 MHz | – |
| Discrete GPU Support | – | AMD Radeon™ 550 Graphics AMD Radeon™ RX 550 Graphics AMD Radeon™ RX 560 Graphics AMD Radeon™ RX 570 Graphics AMD Radeon™ RX 580 Graphics AMD Radeon™ RX 590 Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 |
| Chipset | A77E | A77E |
| Motherboard Form Factor | Micro-ATX | Mini-ITX |
| Memory | Quad-Channel DDR3-2133 | 8GB or 16GB GDDR6 |
| PCIe | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| TDP | 135W | TBC |
Source: AMD via @harukaze5719 , Coelacanth’s Dream , TechPowerUP (photos)