AMD FX-8350 vs Intel Core i5-6500

The AMD FX-8350, introduced by AMD in 2012, is based on the Vishera (Bulldozer) architecture and is manufactured using a 32 nm process.

It targeted the mid-range desktop market and features 8 cores based on four modules, without SMT. With 8 MB of Level 3 Cache and a maximum memory bandwidth of 30 GB/s, it delivered solid multi-core performance for its time. Its single-core performance, however, was moderate. The TDP is 125W, which means higher power consumption and heat generation.

The Intel Core i5-6500, introduced by Intel in 2015, uses the more advanced 14 nm Skylake S architecture for the mainstream desktop segment.

It offers 4 physical cores and 4 threads, 6 MB of Level 3 Cache, and a maximum memory bandwidth of 34 GB/s with PCIe 3.0 support. Integrated Intel HD Graphics 530 is present. The Intel Core i5-6500 significantly surpasses the FX-8350 in single-core performance and is also superior in multi-core performance.

With a TDP of 65W, it is significantly more energy-efficient and cooler in operation. For gaming scenarios, the Intel Core i5-6500 is the better choice due to its significantly stronger single-core performance. Applications that benefit from high core performance per thread run more efficiently on it.

The AMD FX-8350 might still be relevant for very specific, well-parallelized older workloads, but the Intel Core i5-6500 is the generally more powerful and energy-efficient CPU.