AMD Opteron 3280 vs AMD PRO A10-8850B Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a consistent, though narrow, victory for the AMD Opteron 3280 across every Cinebench test in the head-to-head comparison. Out of five benchmarks, the Opteron 3280 wins all five, with the AMD PRO A10-8850B trailing by less than one percentage point in each case. The largest margin is in Cinebench R15 multicore, where the Opteron 3280 scores 324 against the PRO A10-8850B’s 321, a 0.9% advantage. The smallest margin is in Cinebench R20 singlecore, where the Opteron 3280 posts 190 versus 189, a 0.5% difference.

In Cinebench R20 multicore, the Opteron 3280 reaches 1350, while the PRO A10-8850B scores 1339, a 0.8% lead. The multicore results in Cinebench R23 follow the same pattern: 3215 for the Opteron 3280, 3189 for the PRO A10-8850B, again a 0.8% edge. Singlecore performance in Cinebench R23 shows the Opteron 3280 ahead at 453 versus 450, a 0.7% margin. These deltas are small enough that in real-world use they would be imperceptible, but the benchmark data is unambiguous: the Opteron 3280 edges out the PRO A10-8850B in every measured workload.

The average benchmark score reinforces this picture. The Opteron 3280 carries an average score of 1106, while the PRO A10-8850B sits at 1098. That 8-point gap, roughly 0.7%, aligns with the per-test margins. Both processors land at the 31st percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they occupy the same performance tier overall. The nearest rivals for the Opteron 3280 include the AMD Athlon X4 845 with an identical average score of 1106 (0% delta), the AMD Opteron 4280 at 1107 (-0.1% delta), and the AMD PRO A12-8870 also at 1107 (-0.1% delta). For the PRO A10-8850B, the nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon E5-1603 v3 at 1098 (0% delta), the Intel Pentium 6805 at 1099 (-0.1% delta), and the Intel Core i5-3450S at 1099 (-0.1% delta). This placement shows both chips competing with a similar set of older mid-range parts, with no significant separation between them.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural generations despite sharing the same manufacturer. The Opteron 3280 uses the K10 architecture under the codename Zurich, built on a 32 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It integrates 1,200 million transistors on a 315 mm² die. The PRO A10-8850B, by contrast, uses the Steamroller architecture under the codename Godaveri, fabricated on a 28 nm process, also at GlobalFoundries, with 2,411 million transistors on a 245 mm² die. The PRO A10-8850B packs more than double the transistor count into a smaller die, reflecting a denser, more modern design.

Core and thread counts differ substantially. The Opteron 3280 offers 8 cores and 8 threads, while the PRO A10-8850B provides 4 cores and 4 threads. The Opteron 3280 doubles the parallel execution resources. Clock speeds tell the opposite story: the Opteron 3280 has a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz, while the PRO A10-8850B runs at a base clock of 3.90 GHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. The PRO A10-8850B enjoys a 1.4 GHz higher base clock and a 0.6 GHz higher boost clock, which explains why the four-core part nearly matches the eight-core part in the Cinebench results.

Cache layouts are also distinct. The Opteron 3280 has 384 KB of L1 cache, 8 MB of L2 cache, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The PRO A10-8850B has 256 KB of L1 and 4 MB of L2, with no L3 cache at all. The Opteron 3280 therefore offers double the L2 capacity and a full L3 tier that the PRO A10-8850B lacks entirely. Memory bandwidth favors the PRO A10-8850B, which reaches 34.1 GB/s on dual-channel DDR3, versus 29.9 GB/s for the Opteron 3280. Both support DDR3 memory and neither supports ECC.

Socket and platform compatibility differ completely. The Opteron 3280 uses AMD Socket AM3+, while the PRO A10-8850B uses AMD Socket FM2+. PCIe generation also differs: the Opteron 3280 supports PCIe Gen 2, while the PRO A10-8850B supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes on the CPU. Integrated graphics present a major divergence. The PRO A10-8850B includes a Radeon R7 GPU, while the Opteron 3280 relies on a chipset feature that only provides graphics on certain motherboards. The Opteron 3280 carries a launch MSRP of $229, while no launch MSRP is recorded for the PRO A10-8850B.

Where Each One Wins

The Opteron 3280 wins in raw multicore throughput, but the margins are narrow. Its 8 cores and 8 threads give it a theoretical advantage in heavily threaded workloads, and the benchmark data confirms that advantage, however slight. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 324 against 321 for the PRO A10-8850B. In Cinebench R20 multicore, it scores 1350 against 1339. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 3215 against 3189. These results suggest that the Opteron 3280 is the better choice for applications that can utilize all cores, such as video rendering or batch processing, even if the performance gap is small.

The PRO A10-8850B, despite losing every head-to-head benchmark, wins in scenarios where its higher clock speeds and integrated graphics matter. Its base clock of 3.90 GHz and boost clock of 4.10 GHz are significantly higher than the Opteron 3280’s 2.50 GHz and 3.50 GHz, which helps it keep pace in single-threaded and lightly threaded tasks. The singlecore Cinebench scores are nearly identical: 190 versus 189 in R20, and 453 versus 450 in R23. The PRO A10-8850B also brings a Radeon R7 integrated GPU, making it suitable for systems that need graphics output without a discrete card, whereas the Opteron 3280 has no comparable integrated graphics. The PRO A10-8850B also offers higher memory bandwidth at 34.1 GB/s, which can benefit memory-intensive workloads.

For users prioritizing a drop-in processor with more cores, the Opteron 3280 is the data-backed pick. For users who need a compact build with integrated graphics and higher clock speeds, the PRO A10-8850B presents a compelling alternative, despite the slight benchmark deficit. The PRO A10-8850B also uses a newer 28 nm process and PCIe Gen 3, which may offer platform-level advantages, though the benchmark data does not capture those directly.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The AMD Opteron 3280 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD PRO A10-8850B has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What is the singlecore performance difference?

A: In Cinebench R20 singlecore, the Opteron 3280 scores 190 against 189 for the PRO A10-8850B, a 0.5% advantage. In Cinebench R23 singlecore, the Opteron 3280 scores 453 against 450, a 0.7% advantage.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: No, neither the AMD Opteron 3280 nor the AMD PRO A10-8850B supports ECC memory, according to the database.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8850B includes a Radeon R7 integrated GPU. The AMD Opteron 3280 does not have integrated graphics, only a chipset feature that may provide graphics on certain motherboards.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Opteron 3280 has an average benchmark score of 1106, while the PRO A10-8850B has an average score of 1098. Both sit at the 31st percentile among all CPUs.

Q: What are the socket requirements?

A: The Opteron 3280 fits AMD Socket AM3+, while the PRO A10-8850B fits AMD Socket FM2+. They are not interchangeable.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear, if narrow, winner in the AMD Opteron 3280. It wins all five head-to-head Cinebench benchmarks, with margins ranging from 0.5% to 0.9%. Its 8-core, 8-thread configuration provides more parallel processing capability, and its larger cache hierarchy (8 MB L2 and 8 MB L3) supports that advantage. The average benchmark score of 1106 versus 1098 confirms the edge. Anyone choosing between these two purely on CPU performance should select the Opteron 3280.

However, the PRO A10-8850B is not without merit. Its higher base and boost clocks (3.90 GHz and 4.10 GHz versus 2.50 GHz and 3.50 GHz) keep it competitive, and its integrated Radeon R7 graphics eliminate the need for a separate GPU. It also offers PCIe Gen 3 support and a newer 28 nm process node. For a system where integrated graphics are essential, or where the motherboard platform dictates FM2+, the PRO A10-8850B is the practical choice, despite the slight performance deficit. The benchmark results indicate that the PRO A10-8850B trails by less than 1% in every test, so the performance penalty is minimal.

The verdict from the database is straightforward: the Opteron 3280 wins on raw compute benchmarks, while the PRO A10-8850B wins on platform versatility and integrated graphics. The choice depends on the user’s priorities. For maximum multicore throughput, the Opteron 3280 is the data-supported option. For a self-contained build with on-chip graphics, the PRO A10-8850B is the better match, accepting a negligible performance gap.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Opteron 3280 | AMD PRO A10-8850B |

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

| Architecture | K10 | Steamroller |

| Codename | Zurich | Godaveri |

| Process Node | 32 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 1,200 million | 2,411 million |

| Die Size | 315 mm² | 245 mm² |

| Cores | 8 | 4 |

| Threads | 8 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 2.50 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.50 GHz | 4.10 GHz |

| L1 Cache | 384 KB | 256 KB |

| L2 Cache | 8 MB | 4 MB |

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

| Memory Bandwidth | 29.9 GB/s | 34.1 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 2 | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | On certain motherboards (Chipset feature) | Radeon R7 |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM3+ | AMD Socket FM2+ |

| Launch MSRP | $229 | No data |

The two processors differ in almost every major architectural specification, from core count and clock speed to cache size and process node. The Opteron 3280 leads in cores, threads, and cache, while the PRO A10-8850B leads in clock speed, memory bandwidth, PCIe generation, and integrated graphics. Both share the same manufacturer, DDR3 memory support, dual-channel memory bus, lack of ECC support, and end-of-life production status.