AMD FX-9370

The AMD FX-9370 is an 8-core, 8-thread desktop processor from AMD’s FX line, built on the Piledriver architecture with the Vishera codename. It runs at a 4.40 GHz base clock and a 4.70 GHz boost clock, with a TDP of 220. The chip is manufactured by GlobalFoundries on a 32 nm process using 1,200 million transistors across a 315 mm² die. It launched on June 10, 2013, uses the AMD Socket AM3+, and is marked end-of-life. The database record lists no benchmark scores, an average benchmark score of 0, a percentile versus all CPUs of 50, and an empty nearest-rival list, which defines the analytical boundaries of this entry.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The FX-9370 presents a pure 8-thread design: 8 threads match 8 cores, so there are no extra logical threads. For workloads that scale across threads, all available resources are physical cores. The 4.40 GHz base clock is the sustained all-core point, while the 4.70 GHz boost clock is the maximum frequency in the processor’s profile. In lightly threaded situations, the boost clock is the primary lever; a program whose hot path runs on few threads will tend to stay near 4.70 GHz. In multi-threaded workloads, the processor can hold 4.40 GHz across all 8 cores. A high base clock matters because many parallel applications keep every core busy and will not spend most of their time at the boost frequency.

Because the core count and thread count are identical, scheduling is symmetric: the operating system sees 8 logical processors, each backed by its own physical core. This avoids the overhead of extra logical threads, but it also means there are no spare threads available for latency hiding beyond the 8 physical cores. The cache hierarchy helps both access patterns. The 384 KB L1 cache, 8 MB L2 cache, and 8 MB shared L3 cache provide a large amount of local storage. The shared nature of the L3 is especially useful for multi-threaded code that exchanges data between cores: a shared data block can be served from the common L3 rather than going back to system memory.

The 4.70 GHz boost clock is best suited to applications with short, serial sections. The 4.40 GHz base clock is the all-core frequency floor. Multi-threaded workloads that use all 8 cores will therefore have a consistent frequency baseline. Real applications often mix lightly threaded and heavily threaded phases; the FX-9370 responds with boost speed when few threads are active and with 4.40 GHz across the full core count when many threads are active. Because there are exactly 8 threads, an 8-thread scaling test is also an 8-core scaling test, with no virtual threads to inflate utilization numbers.

Power and Thermals

The FX-9370 is documented at a TDP of 220, a high power class for a desktop processor. This rating directly dictates the thermal solution: a modest heatsink would not be enough, and the platform needs a substantial cooler with enough surface area and airflow to remove heat from the 315 mm² die. The 32 nm process from GlobalFoundries and the 1,200 million transistor count determine the thermal density of the chip. A larger die spreads heat over more area, but the total heat generated at a 220 TDP still requires an aggressive cooling approach.

Motherboard selection is tied to power handling because the AM3+ socket must deliver the full 220 envelope to the processor. The unlocked multiplier allows manual frequency adjustment, and any such adjustment increases power draw and heat beyond the stock TDP. The cooling solution should have headroom for that possibility. ECC memory support adds a reliability feature, but it does not change the thermal profile of the CPU. In a small chassis, cooling requirements will likely dominate system design.

The data does not name a specific cooler, but the 220 TDP is itself a clear indicator of the class of cooler needed: a capable air cooler or stronger is appropriate. Sustained all-core load at 4.40 GHz is exactly the condition that stresses the thermal solution. The processor’s frequency profile means the heatsink must handle high clocks across all cores, not just a single-core boost state. The large die area helps spread heat, but the absolute thermal load remains large. Therefore, power delivery and cooling must be considered together when using this processor.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark results for the FX-9370 are absent from the database: the benchmarks array is empty, and the average benchmark score is 0. The only scalar relative value is the percentile versus all CPUs, 50, which indicates a middle placement in the comparison pool. That percentile is not a score; it is a positional measure. It says the FX-9370 sits at the median of the database’s CPU population.

Without benchmark scores, exact percentage comparisons cannot be made. The nearestRivals list is empty, so there are no deltaPct values to quote. Consequently, the performance profile must rely on the listed frequencies and core topology. The 4.40 GHz base clock and 4.70 GHz boost clock are the only direct frequency indicators. The 8-core, 8-thread arrangement suggests scalable multi-threaded behavior, while the high boost clock suggests strong lightly threaded performance. The 8 MB shared L3 cache provides a common pool for all cores, and the 8 MB L2 cache adds further storage. These cache sizes imply that working sets fitting into cache can reduce pressure on the 29.9 GB/s memory interface.

The zero average benchmark score prevents any normalization across workload types. The empty benchmarks array means no per-application results exist in this record. Thus, any statement such as “this processor scores X” would be unsupported. The only hard benchmark-derived figure is the 50th percentile. That figure places the FX-9370 in the middle of the database ranking, neither at the top nor at the lower end. If future benchmark entries and nearest-rival data are added, percentage deltas could be calculated; the current record does not contain enough measured data to support them.

Platform and Compatibility

The FX-9370 uses the AMD Socket AM3+ interface. That socket defines the physical motherboard compatibility for the processor. Memory support is DDR3 on a dual-channel bus, with a listed memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s. ECC memory is supported, which is relevant for systems that require error-correcting memory. The memory interface is dual-channel, so bandwidth is delivered across the dual-channel configuration rather than a wider memory bus.

Integrated graphics are listed as a chipset feature on certain motherboards, not as part of the CPU silicon. This means display output and graphics capability depend on the motherboard model and chipset implementation. The processor itself is documented as a desktop part, and the release date is June 10, 2013. Production status is end-of-life, meaning the chip is no longer on an active production roadmap.

The manufacturing details are a 32 nm GlobalFoundries process, 1,200 million transistors, and a 315 mm² die. The part number for this SKU is FD9370FHHKWOFFD9370FHW8KHK. The multiplier is unlocked, so frequency tuning is possible on compatible motherboards. The fact pack does not contain a PCIe specification, so lane count and PCIe revision cannot be described from this dataset. Upgrade options are constrained to the AM3+ socket: any replacement processor would need to use the same socket. End-of-life status limits new platform availability, so the FX-9370 is best treated as a processor for existing AM3+ boards.

The dual-channel DDR3 memory controller is tied to the 29.9 GB/s bandwidth figure. That bandwidth is shared across all 8 cores, so memory-bound multi-threaded workloads have a common bandwidth ceiling. ECC support can be beneficial in memory-stability-sensitive environments, but it is a platform feature of the memory controller rather than a compute feature. The unlocked multiplier provides manual adjustability, and the integrated graphics situation means board-level chipset features determine display connectivity.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals field is empty, so there are no named competing processors, no score deltas, and no deltaPct values for this entry. Because no rival is specified, per-rival comparison is impossible. The only comparative number is the 50th percentile against all CPUs. That percentile is a median placement in the database. A middle placement means the FX-9370 is neither at the head of the distribution nor at the tail.

The 8 cores, 8 threads, 4.40 GHz base clock, and 4.70 GHz boost clock are the features that would shape head-to-head comparisons if rival data existed. However, without rival entries, any statement such as “ahead of” or “behind” a specific competitor is unsupported by the data. The empty benchmarks array and the average benchmark score of 0 reinforce the absence of measured comparative data. The processor can be described by its position in the whole-CPU ranking, but not by its percentage distance from specific rivals.

Future records could populate nearestRivals with scores and deltaPct values, allowing exact comparison. Until then, the FX-9370’s database profile is defined by the 50th-percentile rank, the empty benchmark array, and the lack of named rivals. The high TDP, high-frequency design, and 8-core layout are all documented, but they cannot be converted into exact performance percentages without the missing rival benchmark data.