The powerful gaming processor from the manufacturer AMD - FX-8320 - is often mentioned in tests of productive systems based on Intel (we are talking about Core i5), so the reader will be interested to get to know a new player in the elite class of computer components. Review and testing of the processor, as well as owner reviews will help a potential buyer to make a choice before going to the store.
AMD FX-8320 Processor Specification
Technical specifications really will not leave indifferent any potential buyer, the processor has something to surprise the future owner:
- the crystal is built on a 32-nanometer Vishera core process;
- the processor area is 315 square millimeters, and 1.2 billion transistors are involved in it;
- based on four modules built 8 physical cores;
- the nominal frequency of each AMD FX-8320 core is 3.5 GHz (in turbo mode 4 GHz);
- the first level cache is 16 Kb for each core and 64 Kb for each module (8x16 + 4x64);
- level 2 and 3 cache is identical and equal to 8 megabytes separately;
- at the hardware level, dual-channel memory mode DDR3 1333/1600/1866 MHz was supported;
- heat dissipation at rated frequency is 125 watts.
Manufacturer pricing policy
On the market, users are offered two versions of this processor: AMD FX-8320 OEM (supplied without cooling system) and FX-8320 BOX (with cooler). The difference in price of the two devices is insignificant and ranges from 800-1000 rubles (by the way, the processor itself in the BOX version costs about 10,000 rubles). It is up to the buyer to decide which equipment to prefer, because, as practice shows, the proprietary cooling system does not cope with the task when overclocking the processor.
Therefore, many owners in their reviews recommend that everyone who wants to increase the processor performance by increasing the voltage, take a closer look at the OEM version of the product. Indeed, in any case, you have to buy a more powerful cooler. But users who do not plan to overclock can save a lot on buying the BOX version, because a regular processor cooling system will always be cheaper than analogs.
First meeting with an AMD representative
The AMD FX-8320 processor, as befits the main element of a personal computer, comes in a huge box of black with a red finish. On the large packaging displays there is an image of the crystal itself, and on the side faces the manufacturer has placed a detailed description of all the technologies used by the processor. Also on one of the sides there is a factory-branded sticker indicating the serial number with a hologram (protection against fakes).
Getting to the processor inside the box is not so easy. Many partitions made of cardboard, designed to ensure the safety of the device during transportation, resemble mazes. Unlike its competitor, Intel, the AMD FX-8320 product bundle is a bit nicer: in addition to the chip itself, a branded sticker on the case, installation instructions and a cooler (we are talking about the BOX version), the user will find thermal paste in the box for mounting the cooling system.
Choosing a decent cooler
In the media on the AMD FX-8320 processor, reviews primarily relate to an effective cooling system for overclocking. The fact is that the branded cooler, supplied in the kit, is limited by the operating efficiency at around 125 watts. Increasing the frequency of the processor increases the heat transfer to 140-160 watts. Here, cooling systems from a budget class cannot be solved.
It is clear that the user will try to find a cooler for mounting AM3 + with the appropriate heat dissipation (many are oriented at a maximum of 160-165 watts). However, as experts note in their reviews, owners lose sight of the availability of free space on the motherboard or in the body of the system unit for mounting the cooling system. Therefore, before buying a cooler, you need to pay attention also to this factor. And when it comes to brands and their products, they have proven themselves well: Zalman CNPS10X Optima or Thermalright Macho Rev (A).
Overclocking potential
For the AMD FX-8320 processor, overclocking is more of a kind of power indicator in comparison with more expensive analogs on the market. After all, it’s no secret that for all, even the most productive, games, four cores operating at a frequency of 3 GHz are enough. There is potential for overclocking, it is quite large and directly depends on decent cooling.
Using a standard cooler and the “turbo” mode, the user at home will not be able to increase the processor frequency to 4 GHz. At the same time, the core temperature will not exceed 70 degrees Celsius, however, the cooling fan will work to the limit of its capabilities, causing inconvenience to the user with his hum.
Installing a gaming cooling system with improved blowing is able to keep the temperature of the AMD FX-8320 crystal within 80 degrees Celsius (at a frequency of 4.6 GHz). Further acceleration using air blowing will not succeed, as evidenced by the numerous reviews of the owners.
Comparison with Intel Representative
Many potential buyers are interested in comparing AMD FX-8320 vs Intel Core i5-4690. The analogy is rather strange, as it seems at first glance to users, however, such a combination reflects all the advantages and disadvantages of both platforms. Based on the price, a representative with eight cores is almost one and a half times cheaper than an Intel representative with 4 cores. In synthetic tests, both of these processors demonstrate the same performance, which is why they attract attention:
- AMD fans rejoice at the cost of the product, which allows quite good savings (for example, these funds can be spent on a powerful cooling system);
- Intel’s followers praise their brand, which has half as many cores, competes with the flagship of the enemy’s line, and also has a graphics core on board (about $ 100 can be saved by buying a budget video card).
Test results in specialized programs
The AMD FX-8320 processor demonstrates high performance in all synthetic tests that use the total power of all crystal cores. Definitely 8 cores will be more productive than competing systems. However, in tests that use only one thread, the AMD representative is much inferior to competitors. It is worth noting that most office software, as well as graphic editors and video processing programs, use computation with one or two streams. This means that the advantage in working applications remains with the manufacturer Intel. In order to somehow improve the situation with the distribution of processor time, experts recommend the owners of AMD FX-8320 processors to install additional software such as CPU Control to correctly distribute the load between the cores.
CPU gaming features
When it comes to games and the AMD FX-8320 processor, the owner’s reviews are full of positive emotions. There is not a single toy that would not work correctly. The thing is that for the performance of the game, processor time is not a basic indicator, the priority is the performance of the entire system as a whole (video card, motherboard, RAM, storage) - the speed of data exchange is important, not mathematical calculations.
There is already something to think about for owners of components whose characteristics are morally outdated (such as RAM or a video adapter). A lot of users still own DDR3 memory with a maximum operating frequency of 1333 MHz and do not plan to switch to 1866 MHz. And it's time to replace video cards of five years ago with more productive systems.
The right approach to saving
It doesn’t matter what the buyer chose - the AMD FX-8320 OEM processor or the BOX version. He must understand that, in addition to a large heat release, the device consumes a large amount of electricity every second - 105 watts per hour. Naturally, overclocking this figure increases one and a half times. For comparison: the same representative of Intel consumes half the energy.
Fans of saving must take into account the need for financial costs for a video adapter, which you will have to buy in a store, even if you do not plan to use the computer for games. Unlike its competitor, AMD processors do not have a graphics core. And the cooling system is not going smoothly - the Intel competitor accelerates the crystal without much heating to 4.5 GHz using the standard cooling system, and AMD FX-8320 owners can’t do without a decent cooler.
Finally
To date, the AMD FX-8320 processor is the best purchase in the segment of productive systems for games. This is primarily due to the presence of eight physical cores. The novelty, unlike other competitors, can work with fast RAM at a frequency of 1866 MHz at the hardware level. The processor supports all existing technologies and instructions, and also perfectly copes with any tasks. Do not forget that motherboards for AMD platforms are considered more advanced in terms of interfaces, and their price is more affordable than competitors.
There are, however, complaints about the low cost of the AMD FX-8320 processor. Firstly, we are talking about a cooling system, which for some reason, many do not take into account when buying (but in vain, it contains 2-3 thousand rubles). Secondly, when it comes to building non-gaming platforms, owners of AMD processors need to bear the additional costs of buying an entry-level video adapter (this is another 5-7 thousand rubles). It turns out that the purchase is already clearly not cheap.