Top 7 Best AM3 CPU in 2022

Initially released in 2009 by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), AM3 is a socket architecture aimed for both desktop computers and laptop processors which are found on motherboards.

Using this socket AM3, the processors run on multiple cores and threads and support even 3.5 GHz of speed. With such features and enhanced speed, the machine is preferred by many who want their processing tasks fast but particularly by those who are into gaming, video editing, or 3D modeling.

So for anyone looking for the best AM3 CPU or the best AM3 socket CPU, to be precise, it really depends on what the user prefers and the budget they have. Although this cannot be represented by an all-in-one processor, a list of the best competitors would be a good bowl of choices to pick from.

Here Is The List of The Top 7 Best AM3 CPUs:

To be able to compare all the products listed in a glace, here is a segment that has the key features of each product laid out in the format of a table.

• AMD Ryzen 3 3200G 4-Core Desktop Processor
• AMD FX 8-Core FX-8300 Core Processor
• AMD Ryzen 5 1600 65W AM4 Processor
• AMD FX-8120 8-Core Processor
• AMD FX Black Edition Processor
• AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6-Core Desktop Processor
• AMD CPU HDZ955FBGMBOX Processor

We have given some brief detail here. Now we can start to elaborate on the items even more.

Coming from the company itself that can be considered the “mother of AM3”, this CPU is mainly marketed towards Desktop owners. With its 4 CPU cores, it is priced surprisingly at an affordable rate. Initially, out in July 2019, the AMD Ryzen 3 still remains relevant and loved by many.

With Zen+ microarchitecture and 4 Picasso processor cores, this CPU has an all-core overclock of 4.1 and on its release led many to believe that the era of dedicated GPU was over. With the improvement since it first launched, the RAM frequency base now supports 3600 MHz, with the maximum turbo frequency being 4000 MHz, along with its type DDR4 system memory. The data width comes at 64 bits.

Various games, such as CS: GO, PUBG, GTA: V and Fortnite are reported to perform at a great Frame Rate per Second (fps) while on 1080P, but once switched to 720P, most games will give smooth feedback with at least 60 fps. This means that even within a small budget you can just function on this alone, without a separate graphics card, and it can give you a respectable frame rate on most modern games.

All this at a wattage of 65 watts. That right there is a dream come true for a teenage gamer on a budget who is looking for a decent frame rate.

The extensions and technologies of the AMD Ryzen include MMX, SSE4, Precision Boost, and much more. The boxed product comes with a Wraith Stealth 65W cooler, which seems like a pretty cool deal considering the product itself does not charge you much. The security features of this product include EVP, SMAP, and SMEP.

Key Features:

• Socket AM4
• 4 Picasso cores that are 5th generation based GCN
• Zen+ architecture with 12nm die and more efficiency
• Unlocked for superior overclocking
• MTF of 4000 MHz
• DDR 2933 support
• The low wattage of 65W

Pros:

• The CPU can be overclocked with available resources.
• One of the best CPUs under 250 dollars.
• You don’t need an expensive GPU to run the computer.
• This CPU can handle heavy-sided games.
• The CPU is a good choice for people with a tight budget.

Cons:

• You do need a decent GPU for advanced gaming and games that require a high frame rate.

With its 8 Vishera core processors and AMD64 technology, this beast is a great buy for anyone tasking with intense applications, for example, video editing or even 3D modeling. The product is shipped as a boxed processor with a fan and a heatsink. The maximum turbo frequency of 4200 MHz gives its users just the heavy support they need for their aggressive tasks.

The AMD FX-8300 was introduced in 2014 and at a low price point enjoyed by many, especially the all-black edition, for those who liked to decorate the inside as well as the outside.

As a conclusion of its reviews since launch, while the processor is not a good match for single-threaded and lightly multithreaded tasks, the AMD FX-8300 performs greatly with heavily multi-threaded tasks and seems to become a strong competitor in the market. Thanks to its Bulldozer architecture, it gives the user what is believed to be a pure core performance.

Pairing these features with the processor’s better thermals makes a good solution for those facing issues with overheating.

Supporting DDR3 type memory, this processor has the EVP security feature and multiple extensions and technologies, such as SSE to SSE4a, AES, AMD-V, XOP, Turbo Core 3.0, etcetera.

It has a high clock rate headroom. The processor is designed with a 32-nanometer die shrink which minimizes leaks and boosts efficiency. This also has a comparatively low wattage of 95 watts and without increasing the power requirements, can carry out more cores and deliver higher performance.

Key Features:

• Socket AM3+
• 8 Vishera cores with 32nm SOI
• Bulldozer architecture
• DDR3 memory
• MTF of 4200 MHz
• Medium wattage of 95W

Pros:

• The CPU can be overclocked with available resources.
• This CPU is a really good choice if you are looking for a CPU that can handle heavy rendering like video editing.
• You can run games smoothly with this CPU.

Cons:

• The CPU is might need a better cooler. The cooler that comes with the CPU is not top-notch.

We take this to be the best option for beginners. Low wattage, 3-year warranty, and overclocking abilities, this has it all. The 12 threads, it is aimed to give the user a non-interrupted experience with a great frame rate. Read more below on its extensions and other features.

The AMD Ryzen 5 1600 is a 6 Summit Ridge core, AM4 socket type processor that has a maximum turbo frequency of 3600 MHz and a base clock speed of 3200 MHz.

It was initially launched in October 2019. Designed and targeted towards efficiency and a smooth gaming frame rate, with its 12 threads the processor can maintain a flow of sequenced orders to be passed through one CPU core. This, along with its maximum temperature being 95°C, the processor allows the user to run multiple programs concurrently, without the user-facing any lags or heating of the CPU.

The boxed microprocessor is shipped with a Wraith Spire 95 watts cooler and a heatsink and comes with a 3-year warranty.

Although not mentioned in the title with the product name as the other products in this list, this processor is unlocked. This translates to the ability to be able to overclock it beyond its maximum turbo speed. Reviews mention that if paired with better cooling options rather than stock, a maximum frequency of 3700 MHz can be reached.

However, it does not include integrated graphics so the user should, according to their needs, buy and plant a graphics card.

With its Zen microarchitecture, the extensions and technologies of this processor include SSE to SSE4a, SHA, AMD64, AMD-V, Precision Boost, etcetera. The security features of this include EVP, SMAP, and SMEP and have a wattage of only 65 watts. Many have considered this a “bang for the buck” and it is for the right reasons.

Key Features:

• Socket AM4
• 6 Summit Ridge cores 14nm process
• Zen architecture with 12nm die
• DDR4 memory
• Unlocked for overclocking
• MTF of 3600 MHz
• Comes with a 3-year warranty
• The low wattage of 65W

Pros:

• This CPU can be overclocked with available resources.
• For those who are looking for a budget-friendly CPU, this one is a very good choice.
• This CPU can be compatible with advanced GPUs.
• You can do multi-tasking with this CPU.

Cons:

• You will need a good GPU to play advanced games.

This AM3+ socket processor runs on 8 Zambezi cores and has a Bulldozer microarchitecture. This architecture supports what is said to be a pure core performance and delivers unparalleled multitasking with enhanced core communications.

It also has AMD turbo core technology that provides the user with the utmost speed for their current application or task running. With dynamic core processing boosts, the maximum turbo frequency can reach up to a mind-blowing 4000 MHz, depending on the number of cores running. With more than 4 cores this number becomes limited to 3400 MHz.

Launched in October 2011, its AMD OneDrive software tunes to advance CPU performance to its limits, and further controls, and monitors when overclocking so that the system maintains stability. Alongside, the  32nm die shrink guards a smooth, lag-free, and stable performance, with a wattage of 125 watts. The features together act as a safety net to make sure that the user secures an energy-efficient environment and the most polished frame rates out of it.

The AMD FX-8120 8-Core sports larger caches that support up to 8 MB of both the L2 and L3 caches. This increases average performance and is regulated to get better every day. The extensions and technologies include SSE to SSE4a which speeds up even the newer generations of applications.

The list goes on with XOP, FMA4, AVX, AES, and more. The security feature of this processor consists of EVP. Many reported to love the frame rate this supported and being able to play the games that their old CPU did not support. For the value of this thing, it seems to be the best AM3+ CPU for gaming in the opinion of many.

Key Features:

• Socket AM3+
• 8 Zambezi cores
• Bulldozer architecture with 2 CPU cores per module
• DDR3 memory
• Unlocked for overclocking
• MTF of 4200 MHz
• High wattage of 125 watts

Pros:

• This CPU can make you accomplish an increased amount of work faster and quicker
• This CPU can be overclocked with available resources.
• This CPU does not overheat a lot.
• You can do multi-tasking with this CPU.

Cons:

• Relatively high TDP

This, also an AM3+ socket processor, runs on 8 Zambezi core processors. The FX series are all AM3+ socket processors based on the Bulldozer architecture from AMD and are unlocked for superior overclocking.

The bulldozer architecture, as mentioned before, gets the user to experience unparalleled multitasking with enhanced core communications, otherwise known as pure core performance. With the unlocked overclocking, the user can also see superior performance and speed by merely increasing the frequency.

Launched in 2011, the boxed processor is shipped with an air-cooled heat sink and a 60 ml fan equipped with 4 heat pipes. The AM3+ is said to be fully compatible with AM2, AM2+, AM3, socket 939, and many socket 745 heat sinks, to sum this up as long as the heat sink is compatible and can handle the thermal output of the FX series chip, you can fit it on the AM3+ board and CPU.

With this particular platform of AMD, the company takes gaming earnestly which shows in their processors built with 8 unlocked overclockable cores along with full SLI and crossfire compatibility on their 900 series boards, licensed with these mechanizations by the manufacturer.

Their 900 series boards have an added support of dual-channel DDR3 memory with a channel width of 72 bits.

The extensions and technologies of the AMD FX-8150 8-Core include MMX instructions and its additional extensions, SSE to SSE4a, AES, AVX, FMA4, XOP, AMD64, AMD-V, and Turbo Core 2.0. The security feature of the processor includes EVP. The maximum turbo frequency is 4200 MHz, having the same condition as the previously stated product, with a wattage of 125 watts, along with a maximum operating temperature of 61°C.

Key Features:

• Socket AM3+
• 8 Zambezi cores
• Bulldozer architecture with 2 CPU cores per module
• DDR3 memory
• Unlocked for overclocking
• MTF of 4200 MHz
• High wattage of 125 watts

Pros:

• This CPU can be overclocked with available resources.
• You can do multi-tasking with this CPU.
• This CPU is also very good for video editing. The rendering speed surely will be beneficial for faster exporting.
• The CPU can be used for gaming because the CPU is compatible with newer GPUs.

Cons:

• Might need a better cooler to keep the temperature down.

This 3rd generation Ryzen processor was the talk when it first launched. Only at 65 watts of power, it provides the user with amazing feedback even when aggressively used. With AMD 7 manufacturing process, this lets most games run on 100+ frame rates.

This socket AM4 has 6 Matisse core processors with Zen 2 microarchitecture and runs on up to 64 Gigabytes of DDR4 memory. Launched during December 2019, the boxed processor is shipped with a Wraith Stealth cooler.

Being the first face of the third generation Ryzen, this had people on their toes. With a base clock of 3600 MHz and a maximum turbo frequency of 4200 MHz, this monster is stocked with AMD 7 manufacturing process. This maximizes speed and connectivity along with its additional features of dual NVMe M.2, USB 3.1 Gen2, and gigabit LAN.

It has an unlocked clock multiplier, as mentioned in the title, so the user can overclock the processor with the help of an adequate cooler to keep it from overheating. This is further made easy with 5-way optimization and auto-tuning.

The Fan Xpert 4 makes the job of overclocking easier, especially in the case of beginners, as it matches the overclocking profiles to the user’s customized builds and as a result, this rewards dynamic system cooling and maximum OC performance.

With a wattage of only 65 watts, the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6-Core is compatible with both AMD 2nd and 3rd generations of Ryzen along with the AMD Athlon. The product claimed to be the “world’s most advanced processor” at the time of its release in the desktop gaming sector.

Advertised to provide a great value of 100+ frame rates per second in most modern and popular games, the data width of this comes at 64 bits. The maximum operating temperature sits at 95°C.

The extensions and technologies include SSE to SSE4a, AVX, AVX2, FI6C, FMA3, AMD64, AMD-V, SMT, Precision Boost 2, and much more while the security features include EVP, SMAP, and SMEP.

Key Features:

• Socket AM4
• 6 Matisse cores with 7nm process
• Zen 2 architecture with 7nm MOSFET
• DDR4 memory
• Unlocked for overclocking
• MTF of 4200 MHz
• The low wattage of 65W

Pros:

• This CPU can be overclocked with available resources.
• Supports high-speed memory types.
• This CPU is also known for being energy efficient.
• You can easily run games with this CPU.
• This CPU is also compatible with newer GPUs.

Cons:

• Might react slowly if you’re running multiple heavy software at one time.

After its launch in 2009, it is still both advised to and currently used by many. Seldom compared to Intel i7 with its gaming benchmarks. Said to be a cool and quiet processor. Another socket AM3+ processor in this list consists of 4 Deneb core processors and has a K10 microarchitecture. The data width comes at 64 bits.

Initially available in September of 2004, the boxed processor is shipped along with a fan and a heatsink. The wattage of this processor is 125 watts. Being an old-timer, the product is loved to this date by many and stands strong as a splendid quad-core processing unit for the price it is at.

While it has a frequency of 3200 MHz, it has been experimentally overclocked to 3600 MHz and was reported to be at a stable temperature of 40°C with the help of a stock cooler, even with CPU exhausting games such as Crisis and Arma 2. Hence, it holds unlocked multipliers.

Some even conclude that this beats the i7 in several gaming benchmarks, due to the AMD Phenom II X4 955 being able to cater and prioritize the different processes running. Being extremely cost-efficient, this has an added plus in the cool and quiet field.

For the power it runs on, we find this product provides great performance with an 8 Gigabyte DDR3 RAM. The processor also has a larger L3 cache and keeps the tripping processor cores at bay when trying to search through an equally large and shared, L2 cache.

The extensions and technologies of this product include MMX instructions and its respective extensions, 3DNow! and its respective extensions, SSE to SSE4, AMD64, and AMD-V. The security feature includes EVP.

Key Features:

• Socket AM3+
• 4 Deneb cores 45 nm die
• K10 architecture
• DDR2 and DDR3 memory
• Unlocked for overclocking
• High wattage of 125W

Pros:

• This CPU can be overclocked with available resources.
• This CPU is also known for being energy efficient.
• Runs cool and quiet.
• You can do multi-tasking with this CPU.

Cons:

• Might react slowly if you’re running multiple heavy software at one time.

How To Choose The Best Am3+ CPU for Gaming

Price: You cannot go to a computer market with a fixed price unless you plan everything, IF you saved enough for the things you want to buy that’s good. But what about those people who do not have a fixed budget or haven’t been sure about what they want? Now, the CPU is one of the main components in PC building. You can’t run a PC without a CPU. There are numerous brands and options to choose from.

Each of them comes with the same or different price. Maybe the CPU you want is in your budget but paying a few extra bucks may get you a better CPU. You won’t be changing your CPU in less than 3-4 years if you keep everything protected. Refurbished CPUs are another choice when it comes down to budget-friendly PC building.

Most of the time, you do not get any warranty with refurbished CPUs. IF you get a damaged or a CPU that doesn’t even work, you can get stuck with the CPU and lose all your money. So, beware of fake sellers.

Your needs: What do you need in a PC? Are you building a PC for work? Are you building a PC for video editing or gaming? CPU has to be chosen based on what you are going to use your PC for.

Make sure you know what you need in order to do the things you want on your PC. It also may change the budget and increase or decrease the price. You will not be upgrading a PC after a month, so we suggest you get the good gear and be satisfied with your choices.

Ask a friend: If you are new or have less knowledge about PC building, please make sure to speak to someone who has enough knowledge about PC building. You should not go and buy PC parts without knowledge. It can result in spending more money than you should and wrong parts. Ask your friends or family who has good knowledge about PC parts and generals of PC building. You will get a lot of help, cause’ PC builders are passionate about talking about the gears they like and prefer.

Authenticity: Make sure to buy products from authentic links. The links we have provided in this article are completely safe and checked by us. There are many sellers who try to deceive people and send them bad parts. We have checked the links and talked to the sellers before giving you the links. This applies to each and everything you buy from online stores. Amazon is trusted but there are still some cracks here and there.

FAQs

Do all the AMD processors come with cooling fans?

Some do, some do not. Each product that is shipped with additional cooling fans is mentioned above. If they do not come with it, it is not mentioned.

Can I use an AM3 CPU in an AM2+ motherboard?

Yes, you can. With a possible and simple update on the AM2+ motherboard BIOS, you can get these to work together as the AM3 CPU obtains memory controllers for both DDR2 and DDR3.

Will an AM2 CPU cooler work with an AM3 CPU?

Yes, it will. Apart from the pin layout, the clip design, and the hole spacing is the same so you do not need to worry about having to go out and purchase a different cooler particularly catered to the AM3 CPU.

Final Verdict

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) remained the underdog for quite some years but later rose to break records and create a fan base that is dedicated to its products. With their target sector of gaming, they have room for improvements to work with and features to add as the years progress, new bounds to break, and expectations to live up to.

However, this gives them a common category of people that know what they want. Be it speed, efficiency, or high frame rates, the reviews can do wonders when a company wants to know what they can do to make their customers happy.

With these products, individuals with high expectations were blown away by the processor performance and mainly the “more for less” aspect of AMD. Competing with them now are companies trusted and well-reputed for many years.

Anyone introduced to AMD and their powerhouse of processors has not been dissatisfied. We hope that you find the perfect fit for your best AM3 CPU needs with an equally excellent experience that is worth your budget. Also, read CPUs for RTX.