FWIW as nothing really new here. I'm posting since, being an AMD fan, I post a lot about AMD stuff:

The AMD Bulldozer line of CPUs was released a long time ago. Great top-level design -- should have been a "winner" -- but, a few design mistakes in the execution. Bulldozer performed about like a Phenom II X6 -- not bad -- but not at all what was promised. So, AMD fans who already owned a Phenom II were very disappointed. This YouTube video (previously linked) says it all:

An AMD Fan On the Day Bulldozer Was Released

In response to Ivy Bridge, the price dropped substantially. So, I bought one on sale. This purchase was strictly for the fun of it as the reports made it clear my Phenom II X6 was equivalent.

FX8150 has to be overclocked about 12 percent above Phenom II X6 to tie with it (as AMD said would be true) -- and about 20 percent over to beat it all the time in every benchmark (according to my rough calculations). I got a 12.5 percent overclock relative to my 4.0GHz Phenom II X6 -- got a stable 4.5GHz. AMD claims one can hit 4.9GHz on all 8 cores using maximum volts and heat. I kept mine to a low up voltage and max temperature at 55C -- which is said to be safe and stable for the long term. 4.6GHz rumored to be the max perfectly stable OC at safe operating parameters. FWIW, rumor has it AMD says absolute max volts 1.55, max day in day out temperature 61C (another rumor said 70C).

Certainly not a FAIL as it plays all the games and runs applications well. But, you all knew that

Windows 7 update now automatically updates Windows 7 to properly use the Bulldozer type cores -- previously, this was a separate download. Windows detects the FX8150 and does the job automatically. I confirmed it works by watching how the cores were allocated during applications (using AMD System Monitor). Makes games and applications that do not use all the cores a few percent faster -- not spectacular, but in the right direction.

It is rumored that the FX8350 (due in late Summer or Fall?) fixes some of the design mistakes. AMD is claiming it will be 10 to 15 percent faster. And, Windows 8 is to have a better algorithm for using the cores than updated Windows 7 -- add another 5 percent. We'll have to wait and see how it "really" turns out. Right now, I don't expect it to be better than Ivy bridge (except in a few benchmarks) -- but, it may OC better and should be cost effective and continue to play all the games at max settings.

Probably, the FX8350 is what should have been released in the first place. Rumor is, the folks at AMD who made the decisions to release FX8150 prematurely (against the wishes of the Engineers) have been fired -- including highly placed folks.

If they got FX8350 right, I'll be replacing the FX8150 with an FX8350 (and moving the FX8150 to another computer in the house).

Again, FWIW.

Thx for the info

"Rumor is, the folks at AMD who made the decisions to release FX8150 prematurely (against the wishes of the Engineers) have been fired -- including highly placed folks."

Good. I'm sorry those people lost their jobs, but why would you push to release a CPU that's *slower* than your current high-end CPU in some areas? That doesn't even make good business sense.

i was told August will be AMD's month,

Notebook and Desktop APUs, DisplayPort1.2 Hubs (3rd Parties Finally Deliver them), Pile Driver.


I was told that Cat. 12.4 introduced "Turbo" on my HD7950 Similar to the GTX680s,
while I cant prove that, as my 7950 is poof, and on its way to the bumbvile baja california factory.

Just to be clear, will Pile Driver still use AM3 sockets? I just want to be sure so I don't get my hopes up for an upgrade and then find out my mobo doesn't support it hehe

yes, AM3+

Get another OS for a 5% possible increase? I wouldn't deviate from my "skip on generation" plan for that.

overclock a lil bit and that 5% is nothing.

I afraid that is becoming a business practice to make money on the hype and fix problems later, that why I wait some time to know if other people got burned before buying expensive products, i let the rich spoiled kids (in Italy we use the "bimbominchia" definition but i don't know how to translate it) to have the latest toys until the are proven to be trustworthy.

Piledrivers in the APUs didnt fare too well vs Sandy Bridge Mobile/Laptop Cores in Tom's Benchmarks,