For just over a year I've had a pc with a quad core 2.6 GHz amd. It was sufficient. I could run it with an msi 6000 gpu and play most modern games in 720-1080p with acceptable frame rates, and watch HD videos without stuttering. But I wanted something more; I needed something that could handle editing and more work. Definitely worth the money. I think I payed less for the new one than the old one. Coupled with a new msi 7770, the FX-6300 has been stellar. The only things it has a hard time doing (which I found reasonable) is working in full HD with Fraps recording, a drag on any system, and playing something like Hitman Absolution on Ultra graphical settings, which would wreck havoc on even an i7 and a better gpu, I'm sure. So far temps have stayed below 40C sometimes idling at 19C, People always say stock fans are junk, I think they just don't build their PCs with proper airflow. I've had no problems, but I'll really get pressing on it once I've updated my BIOS (had to buy a usb flash, derp). Will definitely write an edit in the future about further performance.
*Update _December 2013
After about 4 months of use, I'm very satisfied with my amd fx 6300. Still using a stock fan and a case with great airflow, I never see temperatures above 55C with extensive use (2+ hours)overclocked at 3.9 GHz and 1.275 volts. However, I have never been able to get up to 4.0 GHz without losing stability. I'm not sure if this is a MoBo issue, or simple cpu architecture. Can run most games, programs, etc. without any lag, no crashing issues, no problems at all. Windows 8 is smooth, games from Battlefield 3 down to Minecraft run fast and beautiful, and hours of program, web browsing, and every other pc activity has been fantastic having integrated the fx into my rig. I love this processor.
That said, I'm a bit reserved recommending this to hardcore pc users. It's worked great for me, but even after 4 months of a new rig, I'm still looking forward to more out of progressing technology. I think to 90% of people, the 6300 will be everything they've dreamed of, and at a fantastically low price, especially when compared to the analogous intel processors. However, I think if you're like me, and looking for more, you might want to skip the 6300 and go straight for the fx-8350 8-core. I'll have to wait till I have the cash flow to try it out, but I think the baseline 4.0 Ghz and 8 cores might be worth the extra $70, especially since people have been comparing it ($190) with Intel i7s that cost almost $500, and have a tendency to run hot. I intend to pair it with a GTX 770 graphics card (maybe even double it with crossfire or something), so my next update will probably be late next spring, maybe even next summer, comparing performance with each processor. Until then, stay cool.
*Update _January 2014
Finally tuned it to 4.1 GHz at 1.35 volts. However, the voltage is creeping into the redzone. I'm definitely no pro at overclocking, but I feel safe with this frequency/voltage because A)the 6300 is built for 4.1 and B) AMD Overdrive stability tests run the chip at 100% capacity (actually it's around 98%), stable for 1 hour at 62C without hardware or calculation failures. I won't bother trying 2 hours because I'll never use it at 100% for such an extended period of time. I think I've been successful because it's so cool in my house (About 65F during the winter) and the chip's been idling as low as 6 or 7 Celsius and doesn't get much higher than 30 or 40 C under most situations. Really the only thing holding me back now is my graphics card.
| Processor | 3.5 GHz amd_fx |
|---|---|
| Hard Drive | 1 TB |
| Wireless Type | 802.11a |
