FX-4300 CPU Review

Intro

The FX-4300 is an AMD processor that is on the market for a while but can be found nowadays as an inexpensive option to the most powerful models, like the FX-6350 and the FX-8350. Let’s check if is it a good option for a budget computer.
Recently, we tested the FX-6350, which was re-launched by AMD with a new cooler, called Wraith (click here to read our review of this cooler.) We concluded that the FX-6350 is a CPU with a good cost/benefit ratio for average computers. But how about the FX-4300? This question was still in our minds.
The FX-6350 is a quad-core CPU, based on “Vishera” core, manufactured under 32 nm technology, with TDP of 95 W, socket AM3+, base clock of 3.8 GHz and a turbo clock of 4.0 GHz. Its main difference from the FX-6350 is, of course, two cores less, and the slightly lower clock.
Using price as a guide, the direct competitor of the FX-4300 is the Intel Pentium G4400. However, as we want to check if the FX-4300 is a good low-cost option to the FX-6350, we compared its performance against the FX-6350, and also the FX-8350 (to have a comparison between the three families). We also included the A10-7870K, and the Core i3-6100. It is important to keep in mind, however, that all those processors are more expensive than the analyzed model.
As the FX-6350 (and every socket AM3+ processor) has no integrated video, we ran the tests using an independent video card. As it is a mainstream processor, it would make no sense using a high-end video card; so we used a GeForce GTX 950 from Gigabyte (read this video card review here.) On the other CPUs, we disabled the integrated video and used the same video card.
Figure 1 unveils the box of the FX-4300 we used in our tests.

Figure 1: box of the FX-4300

Figure 2 shows the box contents: a manual, the CPU itself, a case sticker and a simple full-aluminum cooler.

Figure 2: box contents

Figure 3 unveils the FX-4300 CPU.

Figure 3: the FX-4300 CPU

Figure 4 shows the bottom of the CPU.

Figure 4: underside of the FX-4300

Let’s compare the main specs of the reviewed CPUs in the next page.