Intel Core i5-2500K vs AMD FX-8350
The Intel Core i5-2500K and AMD FX-8350 sit within a few percent of each other on our index. Treat them as equivalent in raw performance and decide on price, power draw and — for graphics cards — video memory instead.
| Specification | Intel Core i5-2500K | AMD FX-8350 |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Intel | AMD |
| Generation | 2nd Gen (Sandy Bridge) | Piledriver |
| Multi-thread index | 30 | 31 (better) |
| Single-thread index | 57 (better) | 46 |
| Cores | 4 | 8 (better) |
| Threads | 4 | 8 (better) |
| Base clock | 3.3 GHz | 4.0 GHz (better) |
| Boost clock | 3.7 GHz | 4.2 GHz (better) |
| Socket | LGA1155 | AM3+ |
| TDP | 95 W (better) | 125 W |
| Release year | 2011 | 2012 (better) |
| Integrated graphics | Yes | No |
Green marks the stronger figure for that row only — for power draw and PSU requirement, lower is treated as better. Performance indexes are CanMyPcPlay estimates; read how they are derived.
Which should you pick?
- Games follow single-thread. For gaming, the single-thread index matters more than core count.
- Creative work follows multi-thread. Rendering, compiling and encoding scale with cores.
- Sockets differ. Moving between platforms usually means a new motherboard and often new memory.