Everyone knows a computer is only as good as its processor. You can outfit it with as many bells and whistles as you want, but that won’t account for much if the processor can’t put them to work. This is especially true when it comes to processors for hardcore gamers. While there are many on the market to choose from, it’s tough to imagine a better version than the AMD FX 8320 in terms of what it brings to the table and how affordable it does so.

Before we begin the overview, check out our segment on the best AMD processors for gaming here for more similar processors. Now, let’s get to it.

The FX 8320 CPU by AMD – Our Product Review:

8-Core Processors

Let’s start this AMD FX 8320 review off by looking at one of this processor’s more remarkable traits: its 8-core processors. This is currently an industry first and the 8320 is still the only model to feature a 32 nanometer version. As a result, this processor has an architecture designed for unrivaled multitasking, something just about every serious gamer demands from their machines.

If, for whatever reason, you don’t care for that many processors, the AMD FX 8320 also comes in four and six-core variants you can choose from. However, understand that if you do decide to go with the eight core model, you won’t be raising power requirements in the least, due to this processor’s extreme energy efficiency.

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Piledriver Microarchitecture

Speaking of the architecture with this processor, the FX-8320 utilizes the second generation of Piledriver Microarchitecture, making for an option that can operate at much higher frequencies despite there being no changes in the way it was manufactured.

Piledriver has received wide acclaim for the precision of its branch predictor as well as the increased size of its instruction window that comes with ISA extensions, F16C and FMA3.

Furthermore, the microarchitecture’s execution units picked up and enhanced scheduler this time around and can now process specific instructions on an individual level faster than others. Floating point and integer division are just two impressive examples.

All this comes at a high level of efficiency that rivals even what Bulldozer architecture could bring to the FX 8320.

Super-Charged Instruction Capabilities

As we already mentioned in this AMD FX-8320 review, one of the main advantages of using this processor is how well the Bulldozer architecture handles instructions of all kinds. Let’s focus on this a bit more, because instruction capabilities are hugely important to gamers, especially in today’s environment when practically every major title features 3D gameplay and dense floating point calculations. Many gamers may even notice the difference right away when they begin using the AMD FX-8320 while playing their favorite game. The “Floating Point Vector Multiply-Accumulating” feature improves performance throughout and the same can be said about many of the CPU’s other vector functions.

AMD OverDrive and Catalyst Control Center

No FX 8320 gaming review would be complete without mentioning that you also get the OverDrive and Catalyst Control Center software suites. In plain English, these two features make it possible for you to push your microprocessor speed far past what it was ever designed to do. This will give you a number of advantages when it comes to competitive gaming.

HyperTransport Technology

The HyperTransport Technology (HTT or HT) you get with the AMD FX 8320  will be a welcomed addition as well, when you consider that this high-speed, yet low latency, point to point link system will greatly reduce the number of buses. As a result, less bottlenecks occur, making it possible for faster microprocessors that are so common today to utilize system memory in a far more efficient way, especially where high-end multiprocessor systems like this one are concerned.

AMD FX-8320 Vishera

The Vishera you get with your FX-8320 will leave little to be desired as well, like the rest of the features your gaming will benefit from. It has a low-latency memory controller that comes fully integrated and works with high-bandwidth. It also supports low voltage memories that will work much faster than that of most competitors. Direct communications to all eight dual-core modules (each of which has an APIC register) also makes for Pre-Fetcher improvements and better overall operations.

In terms of price, you won’t find a better processor for gaming than this one. During our FX 8320 benchmarks, it showed it’s toughness and performed fairly well. Calculated with the gaming benchmark scores and with price as a factor, it ranked as a very valuable CPU.

Hopefully, this review of the FX-8320 unit has helped point out what a welcomed addition it would be to just about any gamer’s computer.

Be sure to check out official customer reviews as well. This CPU is rated 4.7 out of 5 stars by 395 customers by 395 customers at Amazon.com!

We recommend you buy the AMD FX 8320 Black Edition now or for a small upgrade, get the FX 8320E also from Amazon (main difference is the power wattage: 125W for the 8320 vs. 95W for the 8320E).

Check out some great processor comparisons here as Tech YES City does a gaming and streaming benchmark for the FX-8320 processor vs the i5. If you’re looking for something slightly above the FX-8320, consider getting the 8350 for a bit more. Likewise, if you’re looking for a CPU that still uses the Vishera technology but is slightly cheaper, the FX-8300 is more in line with your needs. In any case, definitely read our in-depth comparison between the two processors here: AMD FX-8300 vs. AMD FX-8350.