AMD Opteron 4226 vs Intel Xeon X3470 Comparison

AMD Opteron 4226 vs Intel Xeon X3470 is a contest between two end-of-life server processors from different design philosophies. The recorded data shows a narrow but consistent victory for the AMD part across every benchmark in the database. The AMD Opteron 4226 wins all five head-to-head comparisons, but the margins are slim, ranging from 1.2% to 1.4%. The Intel Xeon X3470, despite having fewer physical cores, is not far behind, which points to significant architectural advantages in its favor that nearly compensate for the core count deficit.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are remarkably uniform. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD Opteron 4226 scores 291 against the Intel Xeon X3470's 287, a 1.4% lead. This is the largest margin in the entire comparison. Moving to Cinebench R20 multicore, the AMD part scores 1213 against 1199, a 1.2% advantage. The single-core results tell the same story: in Cinebench R20 single-core, the Opteron 4226 posts 171 versus 169, again a 1.2% difference. The Cinebench R23 multicore test shows 2890 versus 2857, and the R23 single-core test shows 408 versus 403, both also at a 1.2% delta.

The data indicates that the AMD Opteron 4226 is the outright winner in every workload recorded. However, the magnitude of the win is small enough that it does not represent a generational leap. The Intel Xeon X3470, launching with a higher base clock and boost clock, manages to stay within striking distance despite having two fewer physical cores. The average benchmark score reinforces this: the AMD part averages 995 across all tests, while the Intel part averages 983. This places the Opteron 4226 at the 27th percentile of all CPUs in the database, with the X3470 just one point behind at the 26th percentile.

Notably, the nearest rivals for each processor confirm their similar performance tier. The Opteron 4226 sits at a 0% delta against the Intel Core i7-2635QM and the Intel Core i7-2920XM, both with an average score of 995. The X3470 sits at a 0% delta against the Intel Core i3-4370T at 983. This suggests that both chips operate in a tightly contested performance band where individual benchmark variance can shift rankings. The AMD part edges ahead in every recorded test, but the margins are within the range of normal run-to-run variation for older platforms.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different architectural eras. The AMD Opteron 4226 uses the Bulldozer architecture on the Valencia codename, built on a 32 nm process by GlobalFoundries. It packs 1,200 million transistors on a 315 mm² die. The Intel Xeon X3470 uses the Nehalem architecture on the Lynnfield codename, built on a 45 nm process by Intel, with 774 million transistors on a 296 mm² die. The AMD chip is newer, released on 2011-11-13, while the Intel chip launched earlier on 2009-09-07.

Core and thread counts differ significantly. The Opteron 4226 has 6 cores and 6 threads, meaning it does not use simultaneous multithreading. The Xeon X3470 has 4 cores and 8 threads, using Hyper-Threading to double the thread count. This means the Intel part can present twice as many logical execution contexts as physical cores, while the AMD part presents a one-to-one ratio. Despite this disadvantage in raw thread count, the Intel chip nearly matches the AMD chip in multicore tests, which indicates that its per-thread efficiency is higher.

Clock speeds also favor Intel. The Xeon X3470 has a base clock of 2.93 GHz and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz. The Opteron 4226 has a base clock of 2.70 GHz and a boost clock of 3.10 GHz. The Intel part is faster at both idle and peak frequencies. Cache layouts differ in structure: the AMD part has 288 KB of L1 cache, 6 MB of L2 cache, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel approach gives each core dedicated low-latency cache, while the AMD design shares L2 across modules in the Bulldozer layout.

Memory support shows both support DDR3 with dual-channel memory buses. The AMD Opteron 4226 has a higher theoretical memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, while the Intel Xeon X3470 lists 21.3 GB/s. Both support ECC memory, which is essential for server workloads. PCIe support is Gen 2 for both, though the Intel part specifies 16 lanes on the CPU only, while the AMD part does not specify lane count.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The AMD Opteron 4226 has 6 physical cores, while the Intel Xeon X3470 has 4 physical cores. The Intel part compensates with 8 threads via Hyper-Threading, but the AMD part has a two-core advantage in raw core count.

Q: How do they compare in single-core performance?

A: The AMD Opteron 4226 leads in both recorded single-core tests. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 171 versus 169, a 1.2% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 408 versus 403, also a 1.2% lead. The Intel part has higher clock speeds, but the recorded data shows the AMD part winning these tests.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the AMD Opteron 4226 and the Intel Xeon X3470 support ECC memory. Both also support DDR3 memory over a dual-channel memory bus, though the AMD part has a higher listed memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s versus 21.3 GB/s for the Intel part.

Q: What is the thermal design power for each processor?

A: Both processors have a TDP of 95 watts. This means they are comparable in power envelope, despite the AMD part having more physical cores and the Intel part having higher clock speeds.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: Both have the same amount of shared L3 cache: 8 MB. The difference lies in the L1 and L2 cache organization. The AMD part has 288 KB of L1 and 6 MB of L2, while the Intel part has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core.

Q: What are the production statuses of these chips?

A: Both are listed as end-of-life. The AMD Opteron 4226 was released on 2011-11-13, and the Intel Xeon X3470 was released on 2009-09-07. Both are no longer in active production.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The AMD Opteron 4226 has 6 cores and 6 threads, while the Intel Xeon X3470 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The Intel part has a higher base clock at 2.93 GHz versus 2.70 GHz, and a higher boost clock at 3.60 GHz versus 3.10 GHz. The AMD part uses the AMD Socket C32, while the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1156.

Architecture and fabrication differ: the AMD part uses Bulldozer on a 32 nm process from GlobalFoundries, with 1,200 million transistors and a 315 mm² die. The Intel part uses Nehalem on a 45 nm process from Intel, with 774 million transistors and a 296 mm² die. Cache sizes differ in structure: the AMD part has 288 KB of L1 and 6 MB of L2, while the Intel part has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core. Both share 8 MB of L3.

Memory bandwidth differs, with the AMD part rated at 25.6 GB/s and the Intel part at 21.3 GB/s. The Intel part specifies PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes on the CPU only, while the AMD part simply lists PCIe Gen 2. The release dates differ by over two years, with the AMD part launching on 2011-11-13 and the Intel part on 2009-09-07. The launch MSRP also differs: the AMD Opteron 4226 has a launch MSRP of $125, while the Intel Xeon X3470 has a launch MSRP of $589. The part numbers are OS4226WLU6KGU for AMD and SLBJH for Intel.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is decisive: the AMD Opteron 4226 wins every recorded comparison. It leads in all five Cinebench tests, with margins between 1.2% and 1.4%. Its average benchmark score of 995 is 1.2% higher than the Intel part's 983. The AMD part also holds a higher percentile ranking at 27 versus 26. For workloads represented by these Cinebench tests, the AMD Opteron 4226 is the faster processor.

However, the Intel Xeon X3470 is not far behind. It achieves these results with only 4 physical cores and 8 threads, while the AMD part has 6 physical cores and 6 threads. The Intel part's higher clock speeds, 2.93 GHz base and 3.60 GHz boost, compensate for its core deficit. The architecture differences are stark: the Intel part is older, built on 45 nm with fewer transistors, yet it nearly matches the newer 32 nm AMD design. The data suggests that Intel's per-core efficiency in the Nehalem architecture was significantly higher than AMD's per-core efficiency in Bulldozer.

The choice between these two processors depends on the specific workload. For multi-threaded rendering tasks, the AMD part wins, but by a small margin. The real differentiator in the data is the memory bandwidth, where the AMD part lists 25.6 GB/s versus 21.3 GB/s. The AMD part also has a much lower launch MSRP, but that is only a historical figure. The Intel part offers higher clock speeds, which may be relevant for single-threaded tasks not fully captured by these benchmarks.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Opteron 4226 wins in every benchmark category recorded in the database. It is the faster chip in Cinebench R15 multicore, Cinebench R20 multicore, Cinebench R20 single-core, Cinebench R23 multicore, and Cinebench R23 single-core. The largest win is in Cinebench R15 multicore at 1.4%, and the smallest is a consistent 1.2% across the other four tests. Its higher memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s also gives it a theoretical advantage in memory-intensive server workloads. With 6 physical cores, it is better suited for workloads that scale with physical core count rather than thread count.

The Intel Xeon X3470 has no recorded wins in the head-to-head data. However, it offers advantages that are visible in its specifications. Its higher base clock of 2.93 GHz and boost clock of 3.60 GHz mean it should be faster in lightly threaded tasks that respond to raw clock speed, even though the recorded single-core tests show the AMD part winning. Its 8 threads versus 6 threads may also help in workloads that benefit from simultaneous multithreading, even if the recorded benchmarks do not show that advantage. The Intel part has a smaller die at 296 mm² and fewer transistors, which may imply lower production complexity, but the measured TDP is identical at 95 watts.

For server deployments where memory bandwidth is the bottleneck, the AMD Opteron 4226 holds a clear specification advantage. For workloads that are sensitive to clock speed and thread count, the Intel Xeon X3470 presents a compelling alternative that nearly matches the AMD part in the recorded tests. The data shows a close contest, but the AMD Opteron 4226 is the winner in every measured scenario.