AMD Athlon 240GE vs AMD Opteron 4280 Comparison

The AMD Athlon 240GE and AMD Opteron 4280 represent two very different eras of AMD silicon. The Athlon is a modern 2-core desktop part built on the Zen architecture, while the Opteron is an 8-core server processor from the Bulldozer generation. Despite the Opteron's fourfold core advantage, the recorded Cinebench results show the Athlon winning every single test, often by a narrow but consistent margin. This analysis breaks down the specifications, architecture, and benchmark performance of both chips using only the data in the database.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The Opteron 4280 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the Athlon 240GE has 2 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock?

A: The Athlon 240GE has a base clock of 3.50 GHz, while the Opteron 4280 has a base clock of 2.80 GHz. The Opteron can boost to 3.50 GHz, but the Athlon has no boost clock.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Opteron 4280 supports ECC memory, while the Athlon 240GE does not.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Athlon 240GE includes Radeon Vega 3 integrated graphics, while the Opteron 4280 has no integrated graphics.

Q: Which processor is newer?

A: The Athlon 240GE was released on 2018-12-20, while the Opteron 4280 was released on 2011-11-13.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Athlon 240GE has an average benchmark score of 1121, while the Opteron 4280 has 1107.

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head benchmark data is unambiguous: the Athlon 240GE wins all six recorded Cinebench tests. The largest margin is 1.3% in Cinebench R15 multi-core, R20 single-core, R23 multi-core, and R23 single-core. The R15 single-core test is a tie at 54 points, though the database lists the Athlon as the winner. The Opteron does not win a single test.

That said, the two chips target different market segments. The Athlon is a desktop part with a 35W TDP, integrated Radeon Vega 3 graphics, and a modern AM4 socket. It is well suited for compact or low-power builds where the iGPU removes the need for a discrete graphics card. The Opteron is a server/workstation part with an 8-core design, ECC memory support, and a C32 socket. Its higher 95W TDP and lack of integrated graphics point to a server environment where ECC and multi-threaded throughput are priorities.

Yet the benchmark results show that the Athlon's Zen architecture delivers higher Cinebench scores even in multi-core tests, despite having only 2 cores versus 8. This suggests that the Opteron's Bulldozer design is far less efficient per core, and the Athlon's newer process and architecture overcome the core count disadvantage. For users who need ECC memory or a server platform, the Opteron is the only choice here. For desktop users who want a low-power chip with graphics, the Athlon is the clear winner. The data does not show any scenario where the Opteron outperforms the Athlon in the tested workloads.

Architecture Differences

The Athlon 240GE is built on the Zen architecture (Raven Ridge) using a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 4,950 million transistors on a 209.8 mm² die. The Opteron 4280 uses the Bulldozer architecture (Valencia) on a 32 nm process, also at GlobalFoundries, with 1,200 million transistors on a 315 mm² die. The Athlon's smaller process node and higher transistor count reflect a much more modern design.

Cache layouts differ significantly. The Athlon has 96 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 4 MB shared L3. The Opteron has 384 KB L1 (total, not per core), 8 MB L2, and 8 MB shared L3. The Opteron's larger L2 and L3 are typical of a server chip, but the Athlon's per-core L1 and L2 are more generous for its core count.

Memory support also diverges. The Athlon uses DDR4 with dual-channel and 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, while the Opteron uses DDR3 with dual-channel and 25.6 GB/s. The Athlon also has PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only), while the Opteron has PCIe Gen 2. The Athlon includes Radeon Vega 3 integrated graphics; the Opteron has none. The Athlon does not support ECC, while the Opteron does.

The Athlon is a desktop part with a 35W TDP, while the Opteron is a server/workstation part with a 95W TDP. The Athlon is still active in production, while the Opteron is end-of-life. The Athlon was released in December 2018, the Opteron in November 2011.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the two processors:

• Cores: 2 (Athlon) vs 8 (Opteron)
• Threads: 4 vs 8
• Base clock: 3.50 GHz vs 2.80 GHz
• Boost clock: none vs 3.50 GHz
• TDP: 35W vs 95W
• Socket: AM4 vs C32
• Architecture: Zen vs Bulldozer
• Process node: 14 nm vs 32 nm
• Transistors: 4,950 million vs 1,200 million
• Die size: 209.8 mm² vs 315 mm²
• L1 cache: 96 KB per core vs 384 KB total
• L2 cache: 512 KB per core vs 8 MB total
• L3 cache: 4 MB shared vs 8 MB shared
• Memory support: DDR4 vs DDR3
• Memory bandwidth: 42.7 GB/s vs 25.6 GB/s
• ECC memory: no vs yes
• PCIe: Gen 3, 8 lanes vs Gen 2
• Integrated graphics: Radeon Vega 3 vs none
• Market segment: Desktop vs Server/Workstation
• Production status: Active vs End-of-life
• Release date: 2018-12-20 vs 2011-11-13
• Launch MSRP: $75 vs $255
• Part number: YD240GC6M2OFB vs OS4280WLU8KGU
• Percentile: 32 vs 31
• Average benchmark score: 1121 vs 1107

The Athlon has a higher base clock, but the Opteron has a boost clock that matches the Athlon's base. The Athlon's memory bandwidth is nearly double the Opteron's.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records six Cinebench tests. The Athlon 240GE wins all of them, with deltas ranging from 0% to 1.3%.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Athlon scores 390 against the Opteron's 385, a 1.3% advantage. In R15 single-core, both score 54, a tie, though the database lists the Athlon as the winner. In R20 multi-core, the Athlon scores 1627 versus 1607, a 1.2% lead. In R20 single-core, the Athlon scores 229 versus 226, a 1.3% lead. In R23 multi-core, the Athlon scores 3876 versus 3828, a 1.3% lead. In R23 single-core, the Athlon scores 547 versus 540, a 1.3% lead.

These results are striking because the Opteron has four times the cores and twice the threads. The Athlon's Zen architecture, with its higher base clock and newer process, more than compensates. The single-core tie in R15 shows that the Opteron's per-core performance is not far behind in that specific test, but the Athlon pulls ahead in every other test.

The average benchmark score for the Athlon is 1121, placing it in the 32nd percentile of all CPUs. The Opteron averages 1107, in the 31st percentile. The Athlon's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon D-1518 (1121, 0% delta), Core i7-2860QM (1120, 0.1%), Core i3-4150 (1119, 0.2%), and Core i5-3550S (1118, 0.3%). The Opteron's nearest rivals are the AMD PRO A12-8870 (1107, 0%), Opteron 3280 (1106, 0.1%), Athlon X4 845 (1106, 0.1%), and Core i5-4570T (1108, -0.1%). These rival comparisons show that both chips sit in a similar performance band, but the Athlon edges out the Opteron in every recorded test.

The data indicates that the Athlon 240GE is the faster processor in Cinebench workloads, despite its lower core count. The Opteron's advantages lie in ECC support, server platform features, and a larger L3 cache, but those do not translate into higher benchmark scores in this test suite.