In the realm of desktop processors it is no secret that the AMD gears have slowed down, cautiously preparing the up and coming 'Zen' microarchitecture. In the mean time, AMD remind us that those gears have not stopped with a small wave of refreshed processors with higher stock frequencies. Naturally this comes with a more mature and reliable fabrication process. Alongside the higher clocked A10-7890K APU they released the Athlon X4 880K, the highest clocked Athlon processor to date. Out the box speeds sit at a reasonable (for current AMD architecture) 4/4.2 GHz, and being a K series CPU, one would be correct in assuming that it comes with an unlocked multiplier.

The Athlon x4 880K does not have an integrated GPU, whether it is designed that way or if it is in fact a cut down APU with the GPU disabled is one for people to ponder over. This is the reason why the Athlon x4 series represents better value for gamers seeking to use a discrete GPU, saving of £55/$70 over the similarly clocked APU. That would of course be a pretty penny extra towards a GPU of choice. Adding to the overall package, the 880K (95W TDP) is lumped with the 125W 'Near Silent Thermal Solution' which is pretty much a 'Wraith' cooler without the shroud and LED logo. Nice!