AMD Opteron 4226 vs Intel Core i7-880 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i7-880 wins every single recorded comparison against the AMD Opteron 4226. Across five Cinebench tests, the Intel part takes a clean sweep, with margins ranging from 1.0% to 1.2%. While these deltas are narrow, they are consistent across both single-core and multi-core workloads.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i7-880 scores 294 against the Opteron's 291, a 1% advantage. The R20 multicore test shows a slightly larger gap: 1227 versus 1213, a 1.2% lead for Intel. The R23 multicore result follows the same pattern, with the i7-880 at 2923 and the Opteron at 2890, a 1.1% difference. Single-core results are equally consistent, with the i7-880 leading by 1.2% in R20 single-core (173 versus 171) and by 1% in R23 single-core (412 versus 408).

The overall average benchmark scores reinforce this picture. The i7-880 records an average score of 1006, while the Opteron 4226 sits at 995. That puts the Intel chip roughly 1.1% ahead on the aggregate metric. Both processors land at the 27th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they occupy the same tier in the broader performance distribution, but the i7-880 does so with a slightly higher absolute score.

The nearest rival comparisons in the database place both chips in similar company. The i7-880 matches the Intel Core i5-10210Y and AMD FX-9830P exactly at 1006, and sits 0.1% ahead of the Intel Core i7-2630QM. The Opteron 4226, meanwhile, matches the Intel Core i7-2635QM and i7-2920XM at 995, sits 0.1% behind the Intel Core i3-8130U, and 0.2% behind the Intel Xeon W3565. The net effect is that both chips cluster around the same performance neighborhood, but the i7-880 consistently edges ahead in the head-to-head tests.

It is worth remembering the Opteron 4226 has two additional physical cores (6 versus 4) yet still trails in multi-core tests. This suggests that the Intel architecture extracts more useful work per core in these Cinebench workloads, despite the Opteron's higher core count. The i7-880 also benefits from Hyper-Threading, presenting 8 threads against the Opteron's 6, which likely contributes to its multi-core edge.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear, if modest, winner: the Intel Core i7-880 outperforms the AMD Opteron 4226 in every recorded benchmark. The margins are small, between 1% and 1.2%, but they are uniform across all five tests. There is no test in the database where the Opteron takes the lead. For anyone choosing strictly on measured performance, the i7-880 is the faster part.

However, the context matters. These are two end-of-life processors from different market segments. The i7-880 is a desktop part, while the Opteron 4226 is a server and workstation chip. Their average benchmark scores differ by only 11 points out of roughly 1000, and both sit at the 27th percentile overall. In practical terms, the performance gap is negligible for most workloads. The Opteron's edge lies in its platform features, not its Cinebench scores.

The Opteron 4226 supports ECC memory, which the i7-880 does not. That is a meaningful distinction for server environments where data integrity is critical. The Opteron also has a higher physical core count (6 versus 4) and a larger L2 cache (6 MB versus 256 KB per core), which may benefit certain multi-threaded server tasks that are not reflected in these Cinebench results. The i7-880 counters with higher clock speeds (3.07 GHz base, 3.73 GHz boost versus 2.70 GHz base, 3.10 GHz boost) and 8 threads versus 6.

The verdict depends on the use case. For general desktop computing and applications that favor higher clock speeds and thread-level parallelism, the i7-880 is the better choice based on the recorded data. For server deployments that require ECC memory and a more robust memory subsystem, the Opteron 4226 is the more appropriate platform, despite its slight deficit in these specific benchmarks.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-880 wins every benchmark in the database, so its advantage is broad rather than workload-specific. The largest margin comes in multi-core tests, where it leads by 1.2% in Cinebench R20 multicore. That is also its biggest single-core lead, with the same 1.2% margin in R20 single-core. The i7-880's higher boost clock of 3.73 GHz (versus 3.10 GHz for the Opteron) likely explains its consistent edge in single-threaded tests, while its 8 threads give it an advantage in multi-threaded rendering workloads despite having fewer physical cores.

The AMD Opteron 4226 does not win any recorded benchmark, but it has structural advantages that the tests do not capture. It offers 6 physical cores versus 4, which could help in workloads that scale with core count but do not benefit from simultaneous multithreading. Its 6 MB L2 cache is substantially larger than the i7-880's 256 KB per core, which may improve performance in cache-sensitive server workloads. The Opteron also supports ECC memory, a critical feature for error-correcting applications in servers and workstations. Its memory bandwidth is rated at 25.6 GB/s, a figure not provided for the i7-880 in the database.

In short, the i7-880 wins where clock speed and thread count matter, which is most consumer-facing benchmarks. The Opteron 4226 wins where platform reliability, memory integrity, and physical core count matter, which is the server domain.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in the database benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-880 wins all five recorded Cinebench tests, with margins between 1% and 1.2% over the AMD Opteron 4226.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The i7-880 has an average benchmark score of 1006, while the Opteron 4226 scores 995, a difference of 11 points. Both sit at the 27th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: Does the Opteron 4226 have more cores?

A: Yes, the Opteron 4226 has 6 physical cores and 6 threads, while the i7-880 has 4 cores and 8 threads. Despite the core deficit, the i7-880 still wins the multi-core benchmarks.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: Only the AMD Opteron 4226 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-880 does not list ECC support in the database.

Q: What are the clock speed differences?

A: The i7-880 has a base clock of 3.07 GHz and a boost clock of 3.73 GHz. The Opteron 4226 has a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 3.10 GHz.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Opteron 4226?

A: The AMD Opteron 4226 had a launch MSRP of $125. No launch MSRP is recorded for the Intel Core i7-880 in the database.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i7-880 uses the Nehalem architecture, specifically the Lynnfield die, built on a 45 nm process at Intel. It contains 774 million transistors on a 296 mm² die. The AMD Opteron 4226 uses the Bulldozer architecture, specifically the Valencia die, built on a 32 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 1,200 million transistors on a 315 mm² die. The smaller process node gives AMD a transistor density advantage, but the Intel chip achieves competitive performance with fewer transistors.

Cache layouts differ significantly. The i7-880 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Opteron 4226 has 288 KB of L1 cache total, 6 MB of L2 cache, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The per-core allocation favors Intel, while the total L2 capacity favors AMD. Both processors share the same 8 MB L3 cache size.

The i7-880 supports 8 threads through Hyper-Threading, while the Opteron 4226 runs 6 threads on 6 cores with no simultaneous multithreading. This explains why the Intel chip can match or beat the AMD part in multi-core tests despite having two fewer physical cores.

Both processors support DDR3 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The Opteron 4226 has a rated memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s; the i7-880's memory bandwidth is not recorded in the database. The Opteron also supports ECC memory, while the i7-880 does not. PCIe support differs as well: the i7-880 uses Gen 2 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Opteron 4226 uses Gen 2 without a lane count specified.

Specification Differences

The recorded specifications show several key differences between the two processors. The i7-880 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Opteron 4226 has 6 cores and 6 threads. Base clocks are 3.07 GHz for Intel and 2.70 GHz for AMD. Boost clocks are 3.73 GHz for Intel and 3.10 GHz for AMD. Both have a TDP of 95 watts.

The i7-880 uses Intel Socket 1156, while the Opteron 4226 uses AMD Socket C32. The Intel part is a desktop processor, while the AMD part targets the server and workstation segment. The i7-880 is built on a 45 nm process; the Opteron 4226 uses a 32 nm process. The Opteron's transistor count is 1,200 million versus 774 million for the i7-880, and its die size is 315 mm² versus 296 mm².

Cache configurations differ as described above. The i7-880 has 64 KB L1 per core and 256 KB L2 per core; the Opteron 4226 has 288 KB L1 total and 6 MB L2 total. Both share 8 MB of L3 cache. The Opteron 4226 supports ECC memory; the i7-880 does not. PCIe support is Gen 2 for both, but the i7-880 specifies 16 lanes from the CPU. The Opteron 4226 has a recorded memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s; no such figure exists for the i7-880 in the database.

The Opteron 4226 has a launch MSRP of $125; no launch MSRP is recorded for the i7-880. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. Both are end-of-life products. The i7-880 was released in 2010, while the Opteron 4226 followed in 2011.