AMD A6-9400 vs AMD Opteron 3350 HE Comparison

The AMD A6-9400 and AMD Opteron 3350 HE are two very different processors that, according to benchmark data, land in nearly the same performance tier. The A6-9400 is a 2-core, 2-thread desktop part built on the 28 nm Excavator architecture, while the Opteron 3350 HE is a 4-core, 4-thread server/workstation chip from the K10 family on a 32 nm node. Despite the Opteron having twice the core count, the A6-9400 wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests, with margins ranging from 0.4% to 0.9%. The average benchmark score for the A6-9400 is 794, compared to 789 for the Opteron, and both sit at the 21st percentile of all CPUs. The practical takeaway is that architectural efficiency and clock speed matter more than raw core counts in these legacy workloads.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear but narrow picture: the AMD A6-9400 is the faster processor in every measured Cinebench test, but the differences are small enough to be within run-to-run variance. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the A6-9400 scores 232 versus the Opteron’s 231, a 0.4% lead. In R20 multi-core, the margin is 969 to 963 (0.6%), and in R23 multi-core it is 2309 to 2294 (0.7%). Single-core results follow the same pattern: R20 single-core shows 136 versus 135 (0.7%), and R23 single-core shows 326 versus 323 (0.9%). The A6-9400 wins all five head-to-head matchups, yet the largest delta is under 1%.

For a buyer deciding strictly on performance, the A6-9400 is the pick. It achieves these wins despite having half the cores and threads, which speaks to its higher base clock (3.40 GHz vs 2.80 GHz) and boost clock (3.70 GHz vs 3.80 GHz), plus a more modern architecture. The Opteron 3350 HE compensates with 4 MB of L2 cache and 8 MB of shared L3 cache, versus the A6-9400’s 1 MB shared L2 and no L3, but that cache advantage does not translate into benchmark victories.

However, the Opteron 3350 HE has its own case. It is an end-of-life server/workstation part with a launch MSRP of $125, and its 45 W TDP is substantially lower than the A6-9400’s 65 W. For a system where power draw is the priority, the Opteron offers 4 physical cores at a lower thermal envelope. The A6-9400, in contrast, is still in active production, uses DDR4 memory, and includes integrated Radeon R5 graphics, whereas the Opteron relies on chipset-based graphics on certain motherboards. If the workload is multi-threaded and the platform supports it, the Opteron’s extra cores might be preferable despite losing these specific tests. For general desktop use, the A6-9400’s combination of active status, newer memory support, and higher benchmark scores makes it the stronger recommendation.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU wins more benchmark tests?

A: The AMD A6-9400 wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests against the AMD Opteron 3350 HE. The wins are in R15 multi-core, R20 multi-core, R20 single-core, R23 multi-core, and R23 single-core.

Q: How large is the performance difference between the two?

A: The biggest delta is 0.9% in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the A6-9400 scores 326 versus the Opteron’s 323. The smallest is 0.4% in R15 multi-core (232 vs 231). All margins are under 1%.

Q: Does the Opteron’s higher core count help in multi-core tests?

A: No. Despite having 4 cores and 4 threads versus the A6-9400’s 2 cores and 2 threads, the Opteron loses every multi-core test. In R23 multi-core, the Opteron scores 2294 versus the A6-9400’s 2309.

Q: What are the power requirements for each CPU?

A: The Opteron 3350 HE has a 45 W TDP, while the A6-9400 has a 65 W TDP. The Opteron is the lower-power part, which is notable for a 4-core server chip.

Q: Which CPU supports newer memory technology?

A: The A6-9400 supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel configuration and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Opteron 3350 HE supports DDR3 with dual-channel configuration and 29.9 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Are both CPUs still in production?

A: No. The A6-9400 has an active production status, while the Opteron 3350 HE is end-of-life. The Opteron was released in December 2012, and the A6-9400 was released in March 2019.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs come from different architectural eras. The A6-9400 uses AMD’s Excavator architecture, on the Bristol Ridge codename, fabricated on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die. The Opteron 3350 HE uses the older K10 architecture, codenamed Delhi, on a 32 nm process, also from GlobalFoundries, with 1,200 million transistors on a larger 315 mm² die. The A6-9400 achieves higher transistor density and better efficiency per core.

The core and cache layouts diverge sharply. The A6-9400 has 2 cores and 2 threads, with 160 KB of L1 cache and 1 MB of shared L2 cache, but no L3 cache. The Opteron 3350 HE has 4 cores and 4 threads, with 192 KB of L1 cache, 4 MB of L2 cache, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Opteron’s larger cache hierarchy is designed for server workloads that benefit from more data locality, yet it does not overcome the A6-9400’s architectural advantage in these tests.

Memory and platform features also differ. The A6-9400 supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the Opteron supports DDR3 with dual-channel and 29.9 GB/s. The A6-9400 uses PCIe Gen 3 with 8 CPU lanes, while the Opteron uses PCIe Gen 2. The A6-9400 includes integrated Radeon R5 graphics, whereas the Opteron has no integrated graphics, relying on chipset features on certain motherboards. The A6-9400 fits AMD Socket AM4, while the Opteron uses AMD Socket AM3+.

The production status and market positioning reflect their intended uses. The A6-9400 is a Desktop segment part with active production. The Opteron 3350 HE is a Server/Workstation segment part that is end-of-life. The Opteron’s series is listed as Opteron 3000 series, and its generation is Opteron (Delhi), while the A6-9400’s generation is A6 (Bristol Ridge). Neither CPU has an unlocked multiplier.

Specification Differences

The table below highlights only the fields where the two CPUs differ, based on the data pack.

| Specification | AMD A6-9400 | AMD Opteron 3350 HE |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 2 | 4 |

| Threads | 2 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.40 GHz | 2.80 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.70 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 45 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | AMD Socket AM3+ |

| Architecture | Excavator | K10 |

| Codename | Bristol Ridge | Delhi |

| Generation | A6 (Bristol Ridge) | Opteron (Delhi) |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 32 nm |

| Transistors | 3,100 million | 1,200 million |

| Die Size | 250 mm² | 315 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 160 KB | 192 KB |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (shared) | 4 MB |

| L3 Cache | None | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | 29.9 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 2 |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon R5 | On certain motherboards (Chipset feature) |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Server/Workstation |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2019-03-15 | 2012-12-03 |

| Launch MSRP | None listed | $125 |

| Part Number | AD9400AGABBOX | OS3350HOW4KHK |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are remarkably consistent: the A6-9400 wins every test, but the margins are tiny. Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the A6-9400 scores 232 against the Opteron’s 231, a 0.4% advantage. This is the closest result of the five. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the A6-9400 extends its lead slightly to 969 versus 963, a 0.6% delta. The R23 multi-core test shows 2309 versus 2294, again a 0.7% advantage for the A6-9400.

Single-core results follow the same trend with larger relative gaps. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the A6-9400 scores 136 versus 135, a 0.7% win. The largest margin comes in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the A6-9400 scores 326 and the Opteron scores 323, a 0.9% difference. Across all tests, the A6-9400 accumulates 5 wins and 0 losses.

The nearestRivals data contextualizes these scores. The A6-9400’s average benchmark score of 794 puts it within 0.1% of the AMD A10-5800B (794) and 0.3% behind the AMD A10-7850K (796). It is also 0.3% behind the AMD Ryzen Embedded R1606G (797) and 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 (790). The Opteron 3350 HE’s average score of 789 places it 0.1% behind the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 (789) and the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 (790), while being 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i5-4210U (788) and 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i5-3610ME (788).

Interpreting these deltas, both CPUs are clustered in a tight performance band around the 790-800 average score range. The A6-9400’s victories over the Opteron are consistent but not dramatic; in absolute terms, a user upgrading from the Opteron to the A6-9400 would see negligible gains in Cinebench scores. However, the A6-9400 achieves parity or better performance with half the cores, which indicates superior per-core efficiency. The Opteron’s 4 cores and larger L3 cache (8 MB shared) do not compensate for its lower base clock and older K10 architecture in these workloads. The data suggests that for single-threaded and lightly-threaded tasks, the A6-9400 is the better choice, while the Opteron’s only advantage lies in its lower TDP and higher core count, which do not materialize into benchmark wins here.