AMD Phenom II X4 965 vs AMD FX-4300
The AMD FX-4300 is the faster chip for gaming by roughly 27%. Here is the full spec-by-spec breakdown.
| Specification | AMD Phenom II X4 965 | AMD FX-4300 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming score | 11/100 | 14/100 |
| Tier | F | F |
| Manufacturer | AMD | AMD |
| Cores | 4 | 4 |
| Threads | 4 | 4 |
| Base clock | 3.4 GHz | 3.8 GHz |
| Boost clock | 3.4 GHz | 4 GHz |
| Power draw (TDP) | 125 W | 95 W |
| Release year | 2009 | 2012 |
Which should you buy?
For gaming specifically, the AMD FX-4300 is the better buy — it holds a 27% lead in our index, which shows up most at 1080p and in CPU-bound titles like strategy and simulation games. The AMD FX-4300 runs 30W cooler, meaning a cheaper cooler and less case heat. Either way, pair it with a graphics card of similar standing — check the bottleneck calculator before you buy.