FX-8350 vs Pentium Gold 8500
FX-8350
Pentium Gold 8500
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The FX-8350 is positioned at rank 598 and the Pentium Gold 8500 is on rank 527, so the Pentium Gold 8500 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar FX-8350
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 8500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | FX-8350 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($130) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Vishera (2012−2015) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Legacy / Intel 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | FX-8350 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($130) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of FX-8350 and Pentium Gold 8500
FX-8350
The FX-8350 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 October 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Vishera (2012−2015) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L2 cache: 8192 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: AM3+. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,936 points. Launch price was $199.
Pentium Gold 8500
The Pentium Gold 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Max frequency: 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 29 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR5-5200, LPDDR4x-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 5,949 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The FX-8350 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Pentium Gold 8500 offers 5 cores / 6 threads — the FX-8350 has 3 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the FX-8350 versus 4.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 8500 — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold 8500. The FX-8350 is built on the Vishera (2012−2015) architecture. In PassMark, the FX-8350 scores 5,936 against the Pentium Gold 8500's 5,949 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium Gold 8500.
| Feature | FX-8350 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 8+60% | 5 / 6 |
| Boost Clock | 4.2 GHz | 4.4 GHz+5% |
| Base Clock | 4 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | — | 8 MB Intel® Smart Cache |
| L2 Cache | 8192 kB | — |
| Process | 32 nm | Intel 7 nm-78% |
| Architecture | Vishera (2012−2015) | — |
| PassMark | 5,936 | 5,949 |
Memory & Platform
The FX-8350 uses the AM3+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Gold 8500 uses FCBGA1781 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | FX-8350 | Pentium Gold 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3+ | FCBGA1781 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 4.0+100% |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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