AMD FX-8350 vs Intel Core i3-1125G4

AMD FX-8350

The AMD FX-8350 is a fast desktop octa-core processor (4 modules) of the "Vishera" FX series.  In contrast to APUs like the A10-5800K, the FX models doesn't have a GPU. However, the FX-8350 integrates a DDR3-1866 memory controller and an unlocked multiplicator for easy overclocking.

The design of the chip is based on the Bulldozer architecture (Piledriver cores), which consists of so-called modules. Each of the four modules integrates 2 integer units, but only one FPU. Vishera supports nearly all current techniques such as AVX (including FMA), AES or Turbo Core.

In terms of performance, the FX-8350 can not quite keep up with the fastest competing models from Intel. On average, the performance is about on par with a Core i5 processor of the Ivy Bridge generation, but there can be significant differences depending on the application: In well parallelized software the FX-8350 reaches the more expensive Core i7-3770K, while less optimized tasks will run significantly slower.

The power consumption of the entire chip is rated at 125 watts (TDP).

Intel Core i3-1125G4

The Intel Core i3-1125G4 is a 28 W quad-core SoC for laptops and Ultrabooks of the Tiger Lake family (UP3) that was introduced in September 2020. It integrates four Willow Cove processor cores (8 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading). Each core can clock from 2 GHz (guaranteed base speed @ 28 W) to 3.7 GHz (single-core boost). All cores at once can clock at up to 3.3 GHz. The faster Core i7 models offer more Level 3 cache (12 versus 8 MB in the i5) and higher clocked cores.

Another novelty is the integrated Xe GPU based on the completely new Gen 12 architecture. In the i3-1125G4 Intel names the GPU UHD Graphics and offers only 48 of the 96 EUs clocked at 400 - 1250 MHz. The GPU and CPU can together use the 8 MB of L3 cache.

Furthermore, Tiger Lake SoCs add PCIe 4 support (four lanes), AI hardware acceleration, and the partial integration of Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 and Wi-Fi 6 in the chip.

Performance

While we have not tested a single laptop built around the 1125G4 as of October 2023, we expect the chip's multi-thread performance to be 10% to 20% lower than that of the Core i5-1135G7 (4 cores, 8 threads, somewhat higher clock speeds).

Your mileage may vary depending on how high the CPU power limits are and how competent the cooling solution of your system is.

Power consumption

This Core i3 series chip has a default TDP of 12 W to 28 W, the expectation being that laptop makers will go for a higher value in exchange for higher performance. Either way, that's a little too high to allow for passively cooled designs.

The i3-1125G4 is manufactured on Intel's third-gen 10 nm process marketed as SuperFin for average, as of early 2023, energy efficiency.