It’s always interesting to do a full analysis of performance before taking a look at the power consumption log files I generate while the benchmarks run.

It's a little unexpected to see the Piledriver-based FX-8350 (the blue line) clearly using less power over the course of our benchmark suite than the Bulldozer-based FX-8150 (the green line), even though the previous-gen part operates at a base frequency 400 MHz lower.
Before I get into the specifics, I want to point out a small change I’m making in this review. Normally, I cut the power log off as soon as the last test finishes. This fails to account for idle power use, though, as the script is constantly starting and stopping benchmarks. Today, I’m giving each system exactly 600 seconds (10 minutes) to idle at the end of the run. As a result, average power use is brought down and energy consumption increases (due to the longer measurement period), but we do get a more realistic look at how these systems do when they’re allowed to rest.
I don’t have a chart for each machine’s idle power consumption. Looking over each log, however, tells us that the Core i5 and Core i7 idle the lowest (roughly 79 and 80 W, respectively). The Phenom II X6-based system pulls about 102 W from the wall when it’s not doing anything. And the machine with an FX-8150 draws 92 W. FX-8350 fares no better, idling at 92 W as well. But it finishes the whole suite so much faster that efficiency almost certainly improves.
Average power consumption and the time taken to finish all of our benchmarks will shed some light on Vishera’s efficiency.

Across our benchmark suite, the FX-8350-based system used 10 W less than the same machine with FX-8150, despite its higher clock rate and better performance.
We have a pretty good idea that the FX-8350 is quicker than AMD’s old Phenom II X6 1100T. But the six-core chip’s lower power consumption could translate to better efficiency if it isn’t significantly slower. That’d be a disaster for AMD.
The fact that both chips from Intel average dramatically lower power use across the run makes it almost impossible for the Piledriver-based Vishera platform to catch up.

This is something for AMD to be proud of. Its FX-8350 finishes in second place (of the CPUs I charted—I tried to pick and choose carefully to keep the graph from getting too hectic). For the record, though, I also had to know how FX-8350 did against Core i5-3570K, and it finished 12 seconds before the pricier Intel chip.
Even though it wraps up the total workload less than 10 minutes sooner than the FX-8150, the fact that AMD is charging less than $200 for its desktop flagship completely changes the processor’s value proposition. How efficient is it, though?

FX-8350 is almost 13% more efficient than its predecessor. Perhaps more important, it proves to be more efficient than Phenom II X6 1100T.
One year ago, the Phenom was a more power-friendly choice than the Bulldozer-based FX. There was no way to escape the fact that AMD had put out a CPU that used more power and performed worse in a number of key applications. Now we’re at least able to acknowledge better performance, better efficiency, and a more attractive price. Is all of that enough to garner a recommendation?
- Meet AMD’s Piledriver-Based FX Line-Up
- Overclocking And Platform Compatibility
- The Piledriver Architecture: Improving On Bulldozer
- Hardware And Software Setup
- Benchmark Results: PCMark 7
- Benchmark Results: 3DMark 11
- Benchmark Results: SiSoftware Sandra 2013 Beta
- Benchmark Results: Content Creation
- Benchmark Results: Adobe CS 6
- Benchmark Results: Productivity
- Benchmark Results: Compression Apps
- Benchmark Results: Media Encoding
- Benchmark Results: Battlefield 3
- Benchmark Results: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
- Benchmark Results: World Of Warcraft: Mists Of Pandaria
- Power Consumption And Efficiency
- FX-8350: Still Not The FX Us Old-Timers Remember…
I now really don't see people purchasing it though....people will be buying the 8320.
I now really don't see people purchasing it though....people will be buying the 8320.
If more games / daily use apps start using more cores these new AMD's could really take off.
Thanks for the review.
Btw Chris, how many cups of joe did you had to take for the overclocking testing?
5-12% performance increase 12% less power - sound familiar?
the only difference this time was less hype before the release. (lesson well learned AMD!)
You seem to forget that unlike Intel's Ivy compared to Sandy, Vishera versus Zambezi leaves Vishera the superior overclocker as well as cooler-running and with superior overclocking price/performance ratios. There's also the fact that AMD did this on the same process node, not that that matters as anything other than a foot note.
One really big one. Kept me up till 5AM this morning ;-)
Anyway it good upgrade for owner with am3+ board... (including me
If you are paying that much, why would you let it set idle, turn it off instead!
But wow! at only 195$ this 8350 looks like a clear winner! Nice Comeback AMD !
But wow! at only 195$ this 8350 looks like a clear winner! Nice Comeback AMD !
It really isn't a cut & dry black & white situation. Depends on the workloads and purpose...
for now i'll pass. if it was truely under $200 i would consider it for my next low end system, but so far the price is well over $200 and not worth it.
amd fx-8350 for $219.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113284&name=Processors-Desktops
intel i5-3470 for $199.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115234
intel i5-3570 for $214.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115233
intel i7-3770 for $299.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116502