AMD To Release FX-8350 Piledriver-based CPU in Q3

The latest rumours are suggesting that AMD’s current Bulldozer FX CPUs are due to be replaced by the Zambezi range of Piledriver-cored FX CPUs in 2012 Q3, with the FX-8350 being the first chip to feature the new core. Unfortunately for both AMD the customer, AMD has been at a performance standstill since it released its Bulldozer FX CPUs last October (which saw Intel’s Sandy Bridge CPUs easily beat it in performance benchmarks) since they didn’t offer a performance boost over the company’s previews Phenom II X6 over two years ago, so anything to get them out of this rut is better than nothing.

The Piledriver core is still manufactured on a 32nm process, compared to Intel’s latest Ivy Bridge CPUs made on a 22nm process. It will remain socket AM3+ compatible, with the top of the line CPU being the eight-cored FX-8350 having a 4 x 2MB L2 and 8MB L3 cache configuration, having an expected TDP of 125W. Going by AMD’s performance roadmap below, it will perform around 15% better than the current Bulldozer range. Not really very exciting compared to Intel’s Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge-cored processors, is it? The reviews should be interesting or depressing, depending on your point of view.