The donanimhaber.com crew has run an engineering sample of AMD’s new FX-8130P through its paces and the results are very positive.

Although the chip fails to keep up with Intel cores in the SuperPI test, as we have already seen, it pulls ahead in other tests. For example, in x264 encoding tests, Bulldozer scores 136fps in the first pass and 45fps in the second pass, whereas the Core i7 2600K manages 100fps and 36fps respectively.

Bulldozer manages to stay ahead in 3Dmark 11 tests as well. It scores P6250, while the 2600K hovers around the 6000 mark. In Cinebench R10 AMD’s new flagship pulls off a score of 24434 and outpaces the 2600K, but it ends up somewhat slower than the Core i7 990X.

Compared to the Thuban-based Phenom II X6 1100T, Bulldozer ends up about 50 percent faster in most tests, which is equally impressive.

It’s still too early to render a verdict, but at this point Bulldozer looks like a winner, especially if AMD manages to keep the price around the rumoured $320 mark. With Brazos and Llano doing fine, Bulldozer could be the last piece of the puzzle that turns things around for AMD in the high end. For the first time in years, AMD will truly have a competitive line up across its product range.

More here.