In this article, we will consider two AMD FX-6300 BE and FX-4300 BE Vishera generation processors. The following models became their rivals:

• FX-8320 BE;
• FX-8150 BE;
• FX-8120 BE;
• FX-6200 BE;
• FX-6100 BE;
• FX-4170 BE;
• FX-4130 BE;


• Phenom II X6 1090T BE;
• Phenom II X4 965 BE;
• Athlon II X4 650;


• Core i5-3450;
• Core i5-3330;
• Core i3-3240.

Test configuration

The tests were carried out at the following stand:

• Motherboard # 1: GigaByte GA-Z77X-UD5H, LGA 1155, BIOS F14;
• Motherboard # 2: ASRock 990FX Extreme4, АМ3 +, BIOS 2.0;
• Video card: GeForce GTX 680 2048 MB - 1006/1006/6008 MHz (Gainward);
• CPU cooling system: ZALMAN CNPS10X Extreme (~ 1500 rpm);
• RAM: 2 x 4096 MB DDR3 Geil BLACK DRAGON GB38GB2133C10ADC (Spec: 2133 MHz / 10-11-11-30-1t / 1.5 V), X.M.P. - off;
• Disk subsystem: 1 TB, WD1002FAEX Caviar Black, 7200 rpm, 64 MB;
• Power Supply: Corsair HX850 850 Watt (standard fan: 140 mm blowing);
• Housing: open stand;
• Monitor: 23 "Acer V233H (Wide LCD, 1920x1080 / 60Hz).

Processors

• FX-8320 BE - 3500 @ 4600 MHz;
• FX-6300 BE - 3500 @ 4700 MHz;
• FX-4300 BE - 3800 @ 4600 MHz;


• FX-8150 BE - 3600 @ 4600 MHz;
• FX-8120 BE - 3100 @ 4500 MHz;
• FX-6200 BE - 3800 @ 4600 MHz;
• FX-6100 BE - 3300 @ 4500 MHz;
• FX-4170 BE - 4200 @ 4700 MHz;
• FX-4130 BE - 3800 @ 4600 MHz;


• Phenom II X6 1090T BE - 3200 @ 4100 MHz;
• Phenom II X4 965 BE - 3400 @ 4000 MHz;
• Athlon II X4 650 - 3200 @ 4000 MHz;


• Core i5-3450 - 3100 @ 3900 MHz;
• Core i5-3330 - 3000 @ 3600 MHz;
• Core i3-3240 - 3400 MHz.

Software:

• Operating system: Windows 7 x64 SP1;
• Video card drivers: NVIDIA GeForce 314.22 WHQL;
• Utilities: FRAPS 3.5.9 Build 15586, AutoHotkey v1.0.48.05, MSI Afterburner 3.0.0 Beta 7.

Testing tools and methodology

For a more visual comparison of processors, all games used as test applications were run at 1680x1050.

The built-in benchmarks, the FRAPS 3.5.9 Build 15586 and AutoHotkey v1.0.48.05 utilities were used to measure performance. List of game applications:

• Assassin's Creed 3 (Boston Port).
• Batman Arkham City (Benchmark).
• Borderlands 2 (Benchmark).
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (Angola).
• DiRT: Showdown (Benchmark).
• Dishonored (Arrival at Dunwall).
• Dragon Age Origins (Ostagar).
• Far Cry 3 (Chapter 2. Hunter).
• Formula 1 2012 (Benchmark).
• Hard Reset (Benchmark).
• Hitman: Absolution (Benchmark).
• Just Cause 2 (Concrete Jungle).
• Lost Planet Colonies (Benchmark - Zone 1).
• Mafia 2 (Chapter 2 - Home Sweet Home).
• Medal of Honor: Warfighter (Somalia).
• Prototype 2 (Resurrection).
• Resident Evil 5 (Benchmark - Scene 2).
• Sleeping Dogs (Benchmark).
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Solitude).
• World of Tanks (Mines).

In all games were measured minimum and average FPS values. In tests that did not have the ability to measure minimum FPS, this value was measured by the FRAPS utility. VSync was disabled during tests.

To avoid errors and minimize measurement errors, all tests were performed three to five times. When calculating the average FPS, the arithmetic mean of the results of all runs (three not "blank" runs) was taken as the final result. The minimum value of the indicator based on the results of three runs was chosen as the minimum FPS.

AMD Processor Specifications

Intel Processor Specifications

Overclocking processors

The processors were overclocked in the following way. The overclocking stability was checked by the OSST 3.1.0 "Perestroika" utility by running the CPU for half an hour on the maximum matrix with a forced 100% load. I agree that the overclocking of the tested models is not absolutely stable, but for any modern game it suits one hundred percent.

With the maximum overclocking of all AMD processors, the memory controller frequency was raised to 2400-2800 MHz.

FX-8320 BE

Regular mode. The clock frequency is 3500 MHz, the system bus frequency is 200 MHz (200x17.5), the DDR3 frequency is 1866 MHz (200x9.33), the core voltage is 1.27 V, the DDR3 voltage is 1.5 V, Turbo Core and APM are on.

The processor was overclocked to 4600 MHz. For this, the processor multiplier was raised to 23 (200x23), the core supply voltage - up to 1.53 V, the DDR3 supply voltage - 1.5 V. The DDR3 frequency was 2133 MHz (200х10.67), Turbo Core and APM were turned off.

FX-6300 BE

Regular mode. The clock frequency is 3500 MHz, the system bus frequency is 200 MHz (200x17.5), the DDR3 frequency is 1866 MHz (200x9.33), the core voltage is 1.26 V, the DDR3 voltage is 1.5 V, Turbo Core and APM are on.

The processor was overclocked to 4700 MHz. For this, the processor multiplier was raised to 23.5 (200x23.5), the core supply voltage - up to 1.53 V, the DDR3 supply voltage - 1.5 V. The DDR3 frequency was 2133 MHz (200х10.67), Turbo Core and APM were turned off.

FX-4300 BE

Regular mode. The clock frequency is 3800 MHz, the system bus frequency is 200 MHz (200x16), the frequency of DDR3 is 1866 MHz (200x9.33), the core voltage is 1.3 V, the DDR3 voltage is 1.5 V, Turbo Core and APM are on.

FX-8150 BE

Regular mode. The clock frequency is 3600 MHz, the system bus frequency is 200 MHz (200x18), the frequency of DDR3 is 1866 MHz (200x9.33), the core voltage is 1.26 V, the DDR3 voltage is 1.5 V, Turbo Core and APM are on.

The processor was overclocked to 4600 MHz. To do this, the processor multiplier was raised to 23 (200x23), the core voltage - up to 1.52 V, the DDR3 supply voltage - 1.5 V. The DDR3 frequency was 2133 MHz (200x10.67), Turbo Core and APM were turned off.

FX-8120 BE

Regular mode. The clock frequency is 3100 MHz, the system bus frequency is 200 MHz (200x15.5), the DDR3 frequency is 1866 MHz (200x9.33), the core voltage is 1.22 V, the DDR3 voltage is 1.5 V, Turbo Core and APM are on.

The processor was overclocked to 4500 MHz. For this, the processor multiplier was raised to a value of 22.5 (200x22.5), the core supply voltage - up to 1.51 V, the DDR3 supply voltage - 1.5 V. The DDR3 frequency was 2133 MHz (200х10.67), Turbo Core and APM were turned off.

FX-6200 BE

Regular mode. The clock frequency is 3800 MHz, the system bus frequency is 200 MHz (200x195), the frequency of DDR3 is 1866 MHz (200x9.33), the core voltage is 1.3 V, the DDR3 voltage is 1.5 V, Turbo Core and APM are enabled.

FX-6100 BE

Regular mode. The clock frequency is 3300 MHz, the system bus frequency is 200 MHz (200x16.5), the DDR3 frequency is 1866 MHz (200x9.33), the core voltage is 1.18 V, the DDR3 voltage is 1.5 V, Turbo Core and APM are enabled.

The processor was overclocked to 4500 MHz. For this, the processor multiplier was raised to 22.5 (200x22.5), the core supply voltage - up to 1.42 V, the DDR3 supply voltage - 1.5 V. The DDR3 frequency was 2133 MHz (200х10.67), Turbo Core and APM were turned off.

FX-4170 BE

Regular mode. Clock frequency 4200 MHz, system bus frequency 200 MHz (200x21), DDR3 frequency - 1866 MHz (200x9.33), core supply voltage 1.42 V, DDR3 supply voltage - 1.5 V, Turbo Core and APM are enabled.

The processor was overclocked to 4700 MHz. For this, the processor multiplier was raised to 23.5 (200x23.5), the core supply voltage - up to 1.46 V, the DDR3 supply voltage - 1.5 V. The DDR3 frequency was 2133 MHz (200х10.67), Turbo Core and APM were turned off.

FX-4130 BE

Regular mode. The clock frequency is 3800 MHz, the system bus frequency is 200 MHz (200x19), the DDR3 frequency is 1866 MHz (200x9.33), the core voltage is 1.4 V, the DDR3 voltage is 1.5 V, Turbo Core and APM are enabled.

The processor was overclocked to 4600 MHz. For this, the processor multiplier was raised to 23 (200x23), the core supply voltage - up to 1.45 V, the DDR3 supply voltage - 1.5 V. The DDR3 frequency was 2133 MHz (200х10.67), Turbo Core and APM were turned off.

Phenom II X6 1090T BE

Regular mode. The clock frequency is 3200 MHz, the system bus frequency is 200 MHz (200x16), the DDR3 frequency is 1600 MHz (200x8), the core voltage is 1.33 V, the DDR3 voltage is 1.5 V, Turbo Core is on.

The processor was overclocked to a frequency of 4100 MHz. For this, the processor multiplier was raised to 20.5 (200x20.5), the core supply voltage was up to 1.5 V, the DDR3 supply voltage was 1.5 V. The DDR3 frequency was 1600 MHz (200x8), Turbo Core was disabled.

Phenom II X4 965 BE

Regular mode. The clock frequency is 3400 MHz, the system bus frequency is 200 MHz (200x17), the DDR3 frequency is 1600 MHz (200x8), the core voltage is 1.38 V, the DDR3 voltage is 1.5 V.

The processor was overclocked to a frequency of 4100 MHz. For this, the processor multiplier was raised to 20.5 (200x20.5), the core supply voltage - up to 1.5 V, the DDR3 supply voltage - 1.5 V. The DDR3 frequency was 1600 MHz (200x8).

Athlon II X4 650

Regular mode. The clock frequency is 3200 MHz, the system bus frequency is 200 MHz (200x16), the DDR3 frequency is 1333 MHz (200x6.66), the core voltage is 1.3 V, the DDR3 voltage is 1.5 V.

The processor was overclocked to 4000 MHz. For this, the bus frequency was raised to 250 MHz (250x16), the core supply voltage - up to 1.53 V, the DDR3 supply voltage - 1.5 V. The DDR3 frequency was 1665 MHz (250x6.66).

Core i5-3450

Regular mode. Clock frequency 3100 MHz, base frequency 100 MHz (100x31), DDR3 frequency - 1600 MHz (100x16), supply voltage 1.09 V, supply voltage DDR3 - 1.5 V, Turbo Boost - enabled.

The processor was overclocked to 3900 MHz. For this, the multiplier was raised to 37 (105x37), DDR3 frequency - 2240 MHz (105x21.33), supply voltage - up to 1.125 V, DDR3 supply voltage - 1.5 V, Turbo Boost - enabled.

Core i5-3330

Regular mode. Clock frequency 3000 MHz, base frequency 100 MHz (100x30), DDR3 frequency - 1600 MHz (100x16), supply voltage 1.1 V, supply voltage DDR3 - 1.5 V, Turbo Boost is on.

The processor was overclocked to a frequency of 3600 MHz. For this, the multiplier was raised to 34 (105x34), DDR3 frequency - 2240 MHz (105x21.33), supply voltage - up to 1.125 V, DDR3 supply voltage - 1.5 V, Turbo Boost - enabled.

Core i3-3240

Regular mode. Clock frequency 3400 MHz, base frequency 100 MHz (100x33), frequency DDR3 - 1600 MHz (100x16), supply voltage 1.09 V, supply voltage DDR3 - 1.5 V, Hyper Threading- switched on.

Let's go directly to the tests.

One of the most affordable computing solutions for the AM3 + platform is the AMD FX-4300 processor. On the one hand, this chip does not boast an outstanding level of performance. But, on the other hand, the presence of four computing units at once allows this semiconductor crystal to run any existing software, albeit not with maximum settings.

Chip segment and its computational capabilities

Equipment

The AMD FX-4300 processor is sold in two configurations: OEM and Retail. In the first case, the price is much lower. But the package bundle is also more modest: the semiconductor chip itself, a warranty card, a sticker with the logo of the processor family, and an instruction manual for the semiconductor solution. The AMD FX-4300 OEM processor is of the greatest interest to computer enthusiasts. In this case, you can additionally purchase an improved cooler model and thereby further overclock this processor so that it can easily compete with more expensive Intel chips of the latest generation (for example, Cor Ay3 - 6100). Well, "Retail" -completion is focused on ordinary users. It differs from the OEM version only in the presence of a budget cooler and thermal paste. In this case, you can also overclock the silicon crystal, but the result will be noticeably lower than in combination with an improved cooling system.

CPU socket for this chip

The AMD FX-4300 processor is designed for installation in the freshest and most productive socket. This is exactly what the "Analog Micro Devices" is. There are other processor connectors from this manufacturer. But FM2 + and AM1 do not allow creating full-fledged gaming solutions. The first of them is focused on use in (such PCs do an excellent job of playing video or audio clips). Well, AM1 is a budget socket that is great for office systems. Therefore, computer enthusiasts turn their attention to AM3 +, which provides the highest possible level of performance. And the most affordable processor solution for this socket is "ФХ-4300".

Technological process

The AMD FX-4300 processor was first introduced in 2012. Since then, no changes have been made to the technological process of manufacturing its silicon crystals. Therefore, it is manufactured according to a currently very outdated technological process with 32 nm standards. This, in turn, leads to an increased semiconductor crystal area and increased heat generation. In general, most processors in terms of energy efficiency lose to their direct competitors from the "blue" camp "Intel". But this drawback is substantially compensated by the very, very democratic cost of semiconductor solutions from this manufacturer. The technological process - SOI should be noted separately. If we decipher this abbreviation and translate it into Russian, we get "silicon on a dielectric". This is the same technological process by which the former top-end chips of this manufacturer - Athlon XP - were manufactured. This technology was promising in the early 2000s, but it is now outdated. But, on the other hand, it can be noted that it is perfected and, unlike Intel solutions, such chips can boast a greater degree of reliability precisely because of this.

Cache

The AMD FX-4300 processor boasts a powerful three-level system of fast (operating at the frequency of the central processing unit) volatile memory. The characteristics of this chip in this regard are really good. The total size of the first level cache is 192 KB. For data storage, each computational module is allocated only 16 KB. In total, the 1st level data cache is: 4 cores per 16 KB = 64 KB. The rest of 128 KB is divided into 2 equal parts of 64 KB, which are assigned to a specific pair of computational modules. It stores instructions from the CPU. The second level of the cache is again divided into 2 parts, 2 MB each, each of which is tied to a certain pair of computational units. In this case, both instructions and data can be stored in memory. The cache size of the third level is 4 MB, and it is common for the entire semiconductor crystal.

Random access memory

There is only one type of RAM supported by this chip - DDR3. Moreover, the specifications of the hardware platform allow you to install any modules that belong to this family of RAM: from DDR3-1066 to DDR3-2133 - everything will work in conjunction with this silicon solution. The only thing that needs to be understood when choosing RAM sticks is that the module works, the lower the total performance of the computer system. The second important nuance is the ability to overclock and increase PC performance higher on DDR3-2133 modules. It is on the last strips of RAM that it is recommended to pay attention when assembling personal computer based on this quad-core silicon crystal.

Thermal package and operating temperature ranges in various operating modes

The AMD X4 FX-4300 processor is manufactured, as noted earlier, using the 32nm manufacturing process. This results in increased silicon die area and increased heat dissipation. Therefore, its thermal package is equal to 95 W. The maximum possible operating temperature for this chip is 70 degrees. In normal mode, the temperature of the chip almost never exceeds 50 degrees. Well, in the case of overclocking with a standard cooling system, you can reach these 70 degrees at a frequency of 4.8 GHz. Therefore, to overclock this CPU, it is highly recommended to use specialized coolers that improve the heat dissipation and further increase the performance of the computer system.

Frequencies

The minimum frequency at which the AMD FX-4300 processor can operate normally is 3.8 GHz. This processor supports Turbo Core technology. Its essence lies in the fact that depending on the level of complexity of the problem being solved and the degree of heating of the silicon chip of the chip, its frequencies decrease or increase dynamically. It is this feature that allows the chip to increase the frequency up to 4.0 GHz if necessary. Well, in case of idle time, the chip automatically reduces the frequency to 1.7 GHz.

Architecture

Vishera is the codename of the chip family to which the FX-4300 belongs. The Quad Core Processor of this model is the most affordable solution in this line. The manufacturer declares the presence of 4 computing units in this case. But some computer experts disagree with this positioning of this solution. The blocks for performing integer computations are indeed divided in "ФХ-4300". But the block for performing floating point calculations is common for 2 computational blocks at once. On the one hand, this significantly reduces energy consumption. But the negative point in all this is the decrease in PC performance. Another disadvantage of this architecture is the ability to process only two instructions per clock cycle. For Intel, this indicator is 2 times higher and is equal to 4 instructions per clock cycle. To somehow remedy the situation, AMD is forced to sell its chips at a lower cost and unlock the CPU frequency multiplier. All this allows at least to neutralize the advantages of a competing platform.

Overclocking

It is the presence of an unlocked multiplier that is one of the main advantages, the presence of which can make the AMD FX-4300 Black Edition processor stand out from its competitors (this is the prefix this chip has in official sources). But this is only half the battle. To unleash the full potential of this processor solution, a PC must be specially equipped. It should have an improved cooling system, an advanced motherboard. And it is desirable to use RAM modules with a higher frequency. All this, of course, affects the cost of the PC. But overclocking the AMD FX-4300 processor allows you to reach a frequency of 5-5.5 GHz on air coolers. And this is already a 30% increase. Well, liquid cooling increases this value up to 6 GHz. The record frequency of this chip is 7.2 GHz. Only, most likely, it was received at a special stand.

The AMD FX-4300 processor has an AM3 + socket and is suitable for installation on universal home PCs, office machines, multimedia computers. With a base clock speed of 3800 MHz, the processor lends itself to overclocking using Turbo Core 2.0 technology and can please the user with a maximum operating frequency of 4000 MHz. It supports DDR3 RAM and supports up to 128GB of RAM.
The attractiveness of the AMD FX-4300 processor, its compatibility with many excellent motherboards and its high energy efficiency are the factors that ensured the popularity of the model. With a heat dissipation of 95W, this quad-core processor does not require a powerful and noisy cooling system, allowing you to build a quiet computer. Its functionality is also expanded with support for virtualization, the ability to work with SSE commands up to 4.2, FMA3, EVP, MMX, XOP and some others.

10 years ago, the FX lineup was AMD's biggest hit. Since then, AMD has released several not-so-great models and continued to keep the FX alive. But when the company announced the entry-level Ryzen series a couple of years ago, it seemed like the old people didn't belong here anymore. But AMD did the wiser by updating the FX chips and shipping them to the budget segment.

One of the most attractive options in terms of price-quality ratio among the entire FX family is the FX-4300, which has been awarded the title of "people's" processor for 3-4 years. Today it is positioned as a workhorse, but don't be fooled, because it has the legs of a thoroughbred horse: even by today's standards, 4 cores with a clock speed of 3.8 GHz are automatically overclocked to 4 GHz, and 4 MB of L3 cache was the norm yesterday. for a mid-range processor. Plus, the FX-4300 has an unlocked multiplier, which makes overclocking a lot easier.

The foundation for a productive home PC

Perhaps the only drawback of the processor is the vague prospects for an upgrade. Although AMD is encouraging manufacturers not to forget about socket AM3, everyone is looking towards the newer AM4, and there are not as many motherboards supporting the previous platform as a couple of years ago. Therefore, here and now, the FX-4300 is first and foremost good as the basis of a robust home / office computer that does not have to perform resource-intensive tasks like rendering video or running demanding games.

And don't forget about games

However, all of the above does not mean that games are his kryptonite. In last generation hits like Batman: Arkham City, Battlefield 4 and Resident Evil 5, the FX-4300 paired with a GTX 980 graphics card delivers stable 90-100 frames per second at high settings. Considering that most people don't see much of a difference in graphics between Battlefield 4 and Battlefield 1, this is a great result. With very fresh games, everything is more complicated, since a lot depends on optimization in them. For example, if "Far Cry 5" at medium settings works quite fast, then "Project CARS 2" will slow down significantly.

AMD has not pleased us with the release of processors for desktop configurations for a long time. No, there were, of course, AMD Richland, AMD Kaveri and AMD Kabini APUs, but we don't take them into account, since these are solutions of a slightly different level, and they are intended mainly for non-gaming systems. You can also recall the announcement of models with the AMD FX-9xxx index. But again, there is nothing fundamentally new in them - the same AMD FX-8350, only with varying degrees of parameter optimization.

It would seem that such a situation should be deplorable for AMD's processor division. At least, this is the opinion of many skeptics, who predict its closure from month to month. But what do we see in practice? Despite the fact that almost two years have passed since the announcement of models from the AMD Vishera series, they still feel great in the market, surrounded by competitors from the new families of Intel Haswell, Intel Haswell Refresh and Intel Devil's Canyon. And here it is not only an attractive cost, but also the potential that was laid by the manufacturer back in the AMD Bulldozer architecture. We mean the concept of dual-core modules. Recently, developers, primarily games, have finally begun to put into practice the advantages of parallel computing There is no need to go far for examples, because such well-known projects as Crysis 3 and BattleField 4 have made good friends with multithreading, and this is just the beginning ...

Thus, AMD Vishera solutions, already "oldies" by the standards of the computer industry, continue to confidently hold their positions in the processor market, and, apparently, they do not even think of disappearing from store shelves in the near future.

Therefore, we gladly responded to the proposal to test the 4-core model AMDFx-4300 , which many in Internet circles call it nothing more than a "people's" processor.

Specification:

Packaging, delivery set and appearance

The AMD FX-4300 processor is shipped in a small cardboard box, decorated in the red and white colors typical of AMD products. The centerpiece of the bezel is the AMD FX series logo. Under it you can find the inscription "Black Edition", which, according to the company's policy, indicates the presence of an unlocked multiplier in this model. Also, from the information on the package, you can find out the main characteristics of the processor: nominal clock speed (3800 MHz), number of cores (4) and total cache memory (8 MB).

The box contains:

• a processor packed in a plastic blister for extra protection;
• cooler;
• user's manual;
• AMD FX series logo sticker.

The AMD FX-4300 model belongs to the AMD Vishera family, so outwardly it does not differ in any way from its older counterparts that have previously been in our test laboratory: AMD FX-6350, AMD FX-8350 and AMD FX-9370. The heatsink cover contains the series name and model designation. The countries where the crystal was grown (Germany) and where the final assembly of the processor took place (Malaysia) are also indicated. The arrangement of contacts on the rear side corresponds to the Socket AM3 + processor socket.

Standard cooling system

The cooler that ships with the AMD FX-4300 processor has a fairly simple configuration: a square-base aluminum heatsink to which four fins are attached, and a low-profile fan. Considering the claimed 95W TDP, it's a bit odd to see any copper elements missing here, let alone heatpipes.

Although, in comparison with the standard cooling system for 65-watt AMD processors, this cooler (in the photo on the right) looks much more "solid".

To blow the radiator fins, a rather efficient (with a power of 8.4 W) 70 mm AVC DESC0715B2U fan, based on a rolling bearing, is used. There is a 4-pin connector for connecting to the motherboard. The fan speed is controlled using the PWM method.

Analysis of technical characteristics

In normal operation, the AMD FX-4300 speed is 3800 MHz with a reference frequency of 200 MHz and a multiplier of "x19". At the time of taking the readings, the voltage across the core was 1.248 V.

In the dynamic overclocking mode using AMD's proprietary Turbo Core 3.0 technology, the multiplier is increased by 1 point to a value of "x20". At the same time, the processor clock speed increases to 4000 MHz, and the voltage - up to 1.332 V. For 6-core models, this value, as a rule, already exceeds 1.4 V.

Note that AMD Turbo Core 3.0 technology is quite efficient and has several stages in which the processor frequency and voltage change depending on the load. In particular, in the case of AMD FX-4300, there is another intermediate state between 3800 MHz and 4000 MHz - 3900 MHz (voltage - 1.344 V, multiplier - "x19.5").

This graph shows the behavior of the processor under maximum load. As you can see, its frequency is not kept constantly at 4000 MHz, but "floats" within 3400 - 4000 MHz. At the same time, the supply voltage also changes - from 1.212 V to 1.356 V.

In idle mode, the multiplier is reduced to a value of "x7", thereby the frequency drops to 1400 MHz, and the voltage - to 0.888 V.

AMD FX-4300 cache memory is allocated as follows:

• cache memory of the first level L1: 16 KB for data with 4 associativity channels are allocated for each of 4 cores and 64 KB for instructions with 2 associativity channels for each 2-core module;
• L2 cache memory: 2 MB for each 2-core module with 16 associativity channels;
• L3 cache memory: 4 MB for all cores with 32 associativity channels.

The DDR3 RAM controller operates in 2-channel mode and is guaranteed to support modules with frequencies up to 1866 MHz.

Testing

During testing we used Processor Test Bench # 2

We first examined the impact of AMD Turbo Core 3.0 technology on computer performance. Disabling it leads to a drop in system performance by an average of 1%. Such a difference will definitely not be noticeable when working in everyday applications. On the other hand, disabling this option will have virtually no effect on power consumption and, accordingly, on CPU heating. Therefore, whether or not AMD Turbo Core 3.0 technology is used is up to you.

With an average cost of $ 105, the AMD FX-4300 falls into the $ 80-130 price segment, where its closest competitors on the blue side are Intel Pentium G3258 and Intel Core i3-4130, and on the “red” side - AMD Athlon II X4 750K and AMD FX-6350. These solutions are distinguished by a fairly good combination of price and features, therefore they often appear in assemblies of mid-level systems.

Let's start the analysis of the obtained test results, perhaps, with a comparison with representatives of the competitors' camp. Intel Pentium G3258 lagged behind AMD FX-4300 processor by an average of 13%, while Intel Core The i3-4130 outpaced it by 18%. In this case, the first will cost you $ 20 cheaper than the hero of the review, and the second, on the contrary, is as much more expensive. Thus, when calculating the price / opportunity ratio in all cases, we get approximately the same value.

As for the comparison of AMD FX-4300 with models AMD Athlon II X4 750K and AMD FX-6350, a similar picture is observed here. The AMD Athlon II X4 750K loses to the tested solution by about 10%, but at the same time it costs 25 USD cheaper. AMD FX-6350 confidently leaves behind AMD FX-4300 (by about 33%), but its price tag is already almost 130 dollars.

As a result, the following conclusions can be drawn. First, the AMD FX-4300 has a pretty good price / performance ratio. Secondly, it is located exactly in the middle of the $ 80-130 segment, where neither processor manufacturers actually offer any other solutions. In other words, if you agree to spend $ 105 and not a cent more on the purchase of a CPU, then in this case the AMD FX-4300 model simply has no competitors on the market.

Overclocking

As we already wrote at the beginning of the review, this processor has an unlocked multiplier, which greatly simplifies its overclocking, and also allows you to achieve better results during this procedure.

By raising the multiplier to "x24" we increased the AMD FX-4300 speed to 4800 MHz (+ 20% compared to the turbo frequency), while the base frequency was fixed at 200 MHz, and the voltage had to be increased to 1.512 V. In mode, the processor passed the stress test without errors in the LinX 0.6.4 program. During the experiment, the maximum recorded temperature was 65 ° C (when using a bench cooler). In principle, this model has obeyed the mark of 5000 MHz. Running at this speed, it even passed several benchmarks. However, to ensure the stability of the operation of the entire system, it was nevertheless necessary to raise the supply voltage even higher, which led to the heating of the processor above 70 ° C. And according to information found on the Internet, this value is the maximum permissible operating temperature for the AMD FX-4300 model. Therefore, we decided not to continue the experiment further. The benchmark results presented below correspond to overclocking the processor to 4800 MHz.

The average performance gain was just over 19%. Such an increase in speed will definitely be noticed by the user during work, especially in gaming applications, so it makes sense to optimize the parameters of this processor. However, it should be borne in mind that the cooler will be subject to an additional load, so you will have to get a good cooling system. The standard version will no longer work for these purposes.

By the way, with an indicator of 4800 MHz, we could get into the top ten results of the official overclocking rating of the AMD FX-4300 model and even take 9th place there. And in the presence of a more serious cooling system, one could try to surpass the achievements of the Indonesian overclocker under the nickname X-BAY.

If we talk about the maximum result of overclocking, then at the time of writing this review it is the mark of 7284.9 MHz, which was achieved by cooling the processor with liquid nitrogen. Please note that the voltage on it at the time of the experiment was 1.968 V. Thus, buying an AMD FX-4300, you, among other things, also get excellent overclocking potential - something that is so lacking Intel processors from the middle price range.

conclusions

Despite the fact that AMD Vishera processors have been present in the market of computer components for a long time, they still do not lose their relevance. We made this conclusion in a recent test of the 6-core AMD FX-6350 model. It is also true for a 4-core.

At just over $ 100, this processor has pretty good performance, which is good enough for entry-level or mid-range gaming configurations. It confidently bypasses competitors from the "blue" camp in the face of solutions from the Intel Pentium series, however, it still cannot compete on equal terms with Intel Core i3. However, the average lag of 18% can be easily made up with parameter optimization. Without exaggeration, excellent overclocking potential can be called almost the main advantage of the AMD FX-4300 model. It is unlikely that there are still inexpensive processors on the market that can surpass the 5000 MHz mark, and with the use of conventional air cooling. Although, for the sake of fairness, it should be noted that with such an overclocking, you have to greatly increase the voltage, as a result of which an additional load is placed on the power subsystem and the cooler. However, it is not necessary to "squeeze all the juice" out of the AMD FX-4300, since even the frequency of 4800 MHz is quite enough to compete on equal terms with the Intel Core i3-4130.

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