What do you REALLY think about AMD FX processors?

[Clunker]

So I almost always buy Intel, but I've seen some of these AMD FX systems going for quite a bit cheaper. What's your real opinion on them? Would you actually use them in a system you were building?

 

[Ecky]

Generally, no. I would buy an FX machine if I wanted to run lots of VMs, but for most other tasks they're not all that great.

The cores in a recent Intel CPU are something like 70% faster per clock than those in an FX CPU, and most software only heavily uses 1-2 cores, and might lightly use 1-2 more cores. For this reason, even a Core i3 is often considerably faster than an FX-8350 in common tasks like web browsing, gaming, video editing (when GPU accelerated), and office applications - half or more of an FX's cores sit idle. To make matters worse, FX CPUs draw 2-3x the power of an Intel CPU to do the same work, meaning they need big, expensive coolers or will be noisy, need larger power supplies, and motherboards are often more expensive despite being older and (frequently) having fewer features. Even in tasks that can fully utilize all of an FX's cores, an i5 will almost always be faster, and when you factor in power supply, motherboard, and cooler, often cheaper too.

So, today, an FX-8350 is considered a low-end CPU, and if you want to upgrade it, you need to move to an Intel platform. If you go with an i3 instead for around the same price, you have the option of dropping in an i5 or i7 later. Also, the FX's socket, AM3+, will not be receiving any new CPUs. Socket 1151 will be receiving 2 more generations of CPUs, meaning there will be more drop-in upgrades being released for it for several years.

 

[Supahos]

Basically the only price range that makes since building amd is in this ~$450-550 range. Any build with more than a 6350 makes zero sense. Honestly the 860k is the only interesting amd processor at the moment. I suppose if you needed a cheap purely video editing build an 8350 might make sense.

 

[andy1234569]

hot, short life, loud with stock cooler, slow, most are beaten by i3 6100 in gaming and powerhungry. all of these are facts not opinions, so dont hate

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

Would you actually use them in a system you were building?

Only if I had an existing AM3+ build and was upgrading on a tight budget.

 

[andy1234569]

Would you actually use them in a system you were building?

Only if I had an existing AM3+ build and was upgrading on a tight budget.

I would not use an amd cpu on a budget because the i3 6100 beats out the 8350 in gaming at the same time being 40$ cheaper, having an lower tdp and heat output as well as audio

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

Would you actually use them in a system you were building?

Only if I had an existing AM3+ build and was upgrading on a tight budget.

I would not use an amd cpu on a budget because the i3 6100 beats out the 8350 in gaming at the same time being 40$ cheaper, having an lower tdp and heat output as well as audio

Upgrading from something like an FX-6300 to an i3-6100 requires a new CPU, motherboard, RAM and possibly a copy of Windows. That's a hard sell for someone on a budget. In this scenario, upgrading to an FX-8350 makes a lot more sense, particularly from a price/performance perspective.

 

[andy1234569]

true but then, lets say for example.... we need another upgrade because the 8350 aint no superman. then where do we go from now, the 8350 is around the top of the amd cpu power pyramid. then its time for intel, but then you would have used 150$ already on the 8350 while you could have saved some more money and bought a 6100 and a 1151 socket mobo for upgrades to something like the 6700k in the future

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

true but then, lets say for example.... we need another upgrade because the 8350 aint no superman. then where do we go from now, the 8350 is around the top of the amd cpu power pyramid. then its time for intel, but then you would have used 150$ already on the 8350 while you could have saved some more money and bought a 6100 and a 1151 socket mobo for upgrades to something like the 6700k in the future

I don't understand how buying an i3-6100 along with a new motherboard, RAM and possibly a copy of Windows saves you money. Not when someone could just grab an FX-8350 for a fraction of the price and be perfectly happy.

 

[CountMike]

"i3 better at single threaded games" has been propagated and repeated over and over but games like that are going the way of Dodo. Besides, if somebody wants to use only games it's better to get a console.

 

[TonyRoma]

The new AM4 will help AMD quite a lot I expect, it won't bring them level for sure, but it should simplify their range and make it easier for end users to understand. AMD aren't bad, they serve their purpose in the budget end of the market, and people still buy them, usually people trying to make a quid.

 

[Hawkshot]

Honestly after the skylake I3-6100 has come out its made it very hard to justify building an AMD system espically using any of the FX series chips which are the most common CPU's of choice for cheap gaming computers. using anything over the FX-6300 for gaming purposes is overkill and just a waste of money, that being said the I3-6100 out preforms the FX-6300 in about 90% of the test ive run and seen even when the FX gets to use all of its cores.

The only instance I would say amd chips are worth it is if you want a very low budget rendering rid or you need an upgrade and already have a AM3+ board laying around they are literally the only 2 reasons I could think of going with AMD CPU's at the moment which is sad because I use to love AMD.

 

[andy1234569]

true but then, lets say for example.... we need another upgrade because the 8350 aint no superman. then where do we go from now, the 8350 is around the top of the amd cpu power pyramid. then its time for intel, but then you would have used 150$ already on the 8350 while you could have saved some more money and bought a 6100 and a 1151 socket mobo for upgrades to something like the 6700k in the future

I don't understand how buying an i3-6100 along with a new motherboard, RAM and possibly a copy of Windows saves you money. Not when someone could just grab an FX-8350 for a fraction of the price and be perfectly happy.

It does not save you money but it does give you preformance, and btw. YOU DONT NEED TO BUY AN OS

my proof http://www.windowscentral.com/you-do-not-need-activate-windows-10

i also have been using unactivated windows for over an year now, playing everything fine, and if you want details, just click the link

 

[Supahos]

For gaming there is no reason to go from a 6300 to an 8350 people act like that's a big upgrade... It's not the only move that makes sense that is buy a cpu cooler and oc the 6300. The only gains in nearly all games between a 6300 and 8350 is clockspeed

 

[bicycle_repair_man]

true but then, lets say for example.... we need another upgrade because the 8350 aint no superman. then where do we go from now, the 8350 is around the top of the amd cpu power pyramid. then its time for intel, but then you would have used 150$ already on the 8350 while you could have saved some more money and bought a 6100 and a 1151 socket mobo for upgrades to something like the 6700k in the future

I don't understand how buying an i3-6100 along with a new motherboard, RAM and possibly a copy of Windows saves you money. Not when someone could just grab an FX-8350 for a fraction of the price and be perfectly happy.

It does not save you money but it does give you preformance, and btw. YOU DONT NEED TO BUY AN OS

my proof http://www.windowscentral.com/you-do-not-need-activate-windows-10

i also have been using unactivated windows for over an year now, playing everything fine, and if you want details, just click the link

I'm not disputing the fact that the i3-6100 is generally better for gaming. I know it is. I also know you may not have to buy an OS, hence my use of the word "possibly".

How long will it be before Microsoft close the deactivation "loophole"? It wants to get Windows 10 onto as many PCs as possible and once it's done that, expect to pay for it.

All I said is that upgrading to an FX-8350 can make a lot of sense for someone on a limited budget with an existing AM3+ build.

 

[Clunker]

I've got to tell you... these aren't the responses I expected. I thought everyone was going to say "eh, you're just as well off with a good AMD processor." So I guess I should just focus on getting a 6th gen i5?

 

[Ecky]

If buying today, a 6th gen Intel CPU is basically all that makes sense. Pentium for a browsing rig or HTPC, i3 on a budget, i5 for mainstream gaming, i7 for a power user or productivity machine.