AMD A10-7870K vs AMD Opteron 4386 Comparison
AMD A10-7870K
Opteron 4386
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS
Analysis: AMD A10-7870K vs AMD Opteron 4386
The Verdict
The AMD A10-7870K is the outright winner in every recorded benchmark comparison, taking all five head-to-head tests with margins ranging from 6.8% to 7.3%. The data is unambiguous: the A10-7870K outperforms the Opteron 4386 across the board, despite having half the physical cores and threads. The Opteron 4386 counters with a larger cache hierarchy and a server-grade feature set, but the benchmark scores favor the desktop part in every workload measured.
For users choosing between these two, the A10-7870K is the correct pick for any task that relies on the recorded Cinebench tests, which stress both multi-core and single-core throughput. The Opteron 4386, however, belongs to the server and workstation segment and brings an 8-core configuration with 8 MB of L2 and 8 MB of shared L3 cache, which the A10-7870K lacks entirely at the L3 level. The A10-7870K also integrates Radeon R7 graphics, making it a complete package for a desktop system without a discrete GPU. The Opteron 4386 has no integrated graphics, so it requires a separate video card. The A10-7870K is the faster part per the database measurements, and the Opteron 4386 is the one with more raw core count and cache capacity, but that does not translate into a performance advantage in the recorded benchmarks.
Architecture Differences
The A10-7870K is built on the Steamroller architecture with the Godaveri codename, while the Opteron 4386 uses the older Piledriver architecture with the Seoul codename. The process nodes differ significantly: the A10-7870K is fabricated on a 28 nm node by GlobalFoundries, whereas the Opteron 4386 uses a 32 nm node. The transistor counts tell a striking story: the A10-7870K packs 2,411 million transistors into a 245 mm² die, while the Opteron 4386 has only 1,200 million transistors spread across a larger 315 mm² die. This means the A10-7870K uses a denser, more modern manufacturing process.
The core configurations are the most obvious architectural split. The A10-7870K has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Opteron 4386 doubles that to 8 cores and 8 threads. Clock speeds favor the A10-7870K, with a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz, compared to the Opteron 4386's 3.10 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost. Cache layouts also differ: the A10-7870K has 256 KB of L1 cache and 4 MB of L2 cache with no L3, while the Opteron 4386 has 384 KB of L1, 8 MB of L2, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The extra L3 cache on the Opteron 4386 is a classic server-oriented design choice, but it does not overcome the clock speed and architecture advantages of the A10-7870K in the benchmark results.
The A10-7870K includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics, a feature completely absent from the Opteron 4386. Memory support is DDR3 for both, but the A10-7870K specifies a dual-channel memory bus with 34.1 GB/s of bandwidth, while the Opteron 4386 does not have recorded memory bus or bandwidth data. The A10-7870K also offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Opteron 4386 has no recorded PCIe data. The A10-7870K has an unlocked multiplier, the Opteron 4386 does not. The A10-7870K targets the desktop market and is marked as end-of-life, while the Opteron 4386 targets the server and workstation segment.
Head-to-Head Benchmarks
The A10-7870K wins all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons, and the margins are consistent. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the A10-7870K scores 299 against the Opteron 4386's 280, a 6.8% advantage. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows a similar gap: 1249 for the A10-7870K versus 1168 for the Opteron 4386, a 6.9% lead. The single-core results are even more decisive. Cinebench R20 single-core gives the A10-7870K 176 points against 164 for the Opteron 4386, a 7.3% margin, the largest of any test. Cinebench R23 multi-core sees the A10-7870K at 2975 versus 2782 for the Opteron 4386, another 6.9% win. Cinebench R23 single-core rounds out the set: 420 for the A10-7870K versus 392 for the Opteron 4386, a 7.1% edge.
The pattern is telling. The Opteron 4386 has double the cores, but the A10-7870K still wins multi-core tests by nearly 7%. This indicates that the A10-7870K's higher clock speeds, newer architecture, and more efficient 28 nm process overcome the core count deficit. The single-core wins are expected given the 3.90 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost clocks versus 3.10 GHz and 3.80 GHz, but the multi-core wins are more surprising. The database also records Geekbench scores for the A10-7870K (1225 multi-core, 478 single-core) and an average benchmark score of 975, while the Opteron 4386 has an average benchmark score of 957. The A10-7870K also has additional benchmark data in Geekbench that the Opteron 4386 lacks, further extending its measured coverage.
Specification Differences
The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The A10-7870K has 4 cores and 4 threads; the Opteron 4386 has 8 cores and 8 threads. Base clocks are 3.90 GHz versus 3.10 GHz, and boost clocks are 4.10 GHz versus 3.80 GHz. The A10-7870K uses a 28 nm process; the Opteron 4386 uses 32 nm. Transistor counts are 2,411 million versus 1,200 million, and die sizes are 245 mm² versus 315 mm². The A10-7870K is built on the Steamroller architecture with the Godaveri codename; the Opteron 4386 uses Piledriver with the Seoul codename.
Cache configurations diverge sharply. The A10-7870K has 256 KB of L1 and 4 MB of L2, with no L3 cache. The Opteron 4386 has 384 KB of L1, 8 MB of L2, and 8 MB of shared L3. The A10-7870K supports dual-channel DDR3 memory with 34.1 GB/s bandwidth; the Opteron 4386 has no recorded memory bus or bandwidth data. The A10-7870K has integrated Radeon R7 graphics; the Opteron 4386 has none. The A10-7870K uses AMD Socket FM2+; the Opteron 4386 uses AMD Socket C32. The A10-7870K has an unlocked multiplier; the Opteron 4386 is locked. The A10-7870K has a PCIe Gen 3, 16-lane CPU interface; the Opteron 4386 has no recorded PCIe data. The A10-7870K is a desktop part marked end-of-life; the Opteron 4386 is a server and workstation part. The A10-7870K was released on 2015-05-27; the Opteron 4386 on 2012-12-03.
FAQ
Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench tests?
A: The AMD A10-7870K wins every multi-core test. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 299 versus 280 for the Opteron 4386 (6.8% ahead). In Cinebench R20 multi-core, it scores 1249 versus 1168 (6.9% ahead). In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 2975 versus 2782 (6.9% ahead).
Q: Does the Opteron 4386 have more cores?
A: Yes, the Opteron 4386 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the A10-7870K has 4 cores and 4 threads. Despite having twice the core count, the Opteron 4386 still loses all recorded multi-core benchmarks.
Q: How do the single-core scores compare?
A: The A10-7870K leads in single-core performance. It scores 176 in Cinebench R20 single-core versus 164 for the Opteron 4386, a 7.3% advantage. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 420 versus 392, a 7.1% lead.
Q: Does either processor have integrated graphics?
A: Only the A10-7870K has integrated graphics, specifically Radeon R7. The Opteron 4386 has no integrated graphics, so it requires a separate graphics card.
Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?
A: The A10-7870K has an average benchmark score of 975, while the Opteron 4386 has an average score of 957. The A10-7870K's nearest rival is the Intel Core i3-4130 with an identical average score of 975, while the Opteron 4386's nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-950 with an identical average score of 957.
Q: Which processor has more cache?
A: The Opteron 4386 has more total cache. It has 384 KB of L1, 8 MB of L2, and 8 MB of shared L3. The A10-7870K has 256 KB of L1 and 4 MB of L2, with no L3 cache.
Where Each One Wins
The A10-7870K wins in every measured performance category. It leads all five head-to-head Cinebench tests, with margins between 6.8% and 7.3%. Its higher clock speeds, newer Steamroller architecture, and 28 nm process give it a decisive edge in both single-core and multi-core workloads. The A10-7870K also provides integrated Radeon R7 graphics, making it a self-contained solution for desktop systems where a discrete GPU is not present. Its unlocked multiplier allows overclocking, and its 34.1 GB/s dual-channel memory bandwidth is a recorded specification that the Opteron 4386 lacks. The A10-7870K is also the only one of the two with Geekbench scores in the database (1225 multi-core, 478 single-core), which raises its average benchmark score to 975 versus 957.
The Opteron 4386 wins on core count and cache capacity. It doubles the A10-7870K's cores and threads, with 8 cores and 8 threads, and provides a much larger cache hierarchy: 384 KB of L1, 8 MB of L2, and 8 MB of shared L3. The A10-7870K has no L3 cache at all. The Opteron 4386 is also a server and workstation part, which may appeal to systems designed around the AMD Socket C32 platform, rather than the desktop-oriented FM2+ socket of the A10-7870K. Its 32 nm process and 315 mm² die are larger and older, but the 8-core design is the clear specification advantage. However, the recorded benchmark data shows no test where the Opteron 4386 comes out ahead. The A10-7870K wins 5 of 5 head-to-head tests, and the Opteron 4386 wins 0. For any workload represented by the Cinebench suite, the A10-7870K is the stronger choice. The Opteron 4386 is the choice only when the server-oriented feature set, larger core count, or L3 cache presence is the deciding factor, not when raw measured performance is the priority.