AMD Opteron 4280 vs Intel Core i5-3470S Comparison

AMD Opteron 4280 vs Intel Core i5-3470S

The AMD Opteron 4280 and the Intel Core i5-3470S occupy adjacent positions in the database’s performance distribution, with the Opteron landing at the 31st percentile and the i5-3470S at the 30th. Their average benchmark scores are close, 1107 for the AMD part against 1095 for the Intel part, a gap of roughly one percent. Despite this near parity in aggregate, the two processors are built on fundamentally different design philosophies, one a server-oriented eight-core Bulldozer derivative and the other a desktop quad-core Ivy Bridge part. The recorded benchmark data shows a consistent, though narrow, advantage for the Opteron across every Cinebench test in the comparison, while the Intel chip counters with a lower thermal envelope, a smaller die, and integrated graphics. Neither processor dominates in a way that would decisively favor one workload over another, but their architectural identities point toward different deployment contexts.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Opteron 4280 wins every head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database, taking all six Cinebench comparisons. Its margins range from 2.7% to 3.8%, which is a meaningful but not overwhelming lead. In single-core tests, the Opteron scores 54 in Cinebench R15 versus 52 for the Intel chip, a 3.8% difference. In the R23 single-core test, the Opteron posts 540 against 524, a 3.1% edge. The multi-core results tell a similar story: the Opteron reaches 385 in R15 multi-core versus 373, and 3828 in R23 multi-core versus 3711, both around a 3.2% difference. The largest relative win for the Opteron comes in R15 single-core at 3.8%, while the smallest is in R20 single-core at 2.7%. These are consistent improvements, not outliers.

The Intel Core i5-3470S does not claim a single benchmark win in this comparison, but its strengths lie outside raw Cinebench performance. It carries a 65 watt thermal design power against the Opteron’s 95 watts, making it the more power-conscious option. It also includes the Intel HD 2500 integrated graphics, which the Opteron lacks entirely, so a system built around the i5-3470S can operate without a discrete graphics card for basic display output. The i5-3470S also uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, whereas the Opteron is limited to PCIe Gen 2, which matters for storage and expansion bandwidth in modern motherboards. For a desktop user who prioritizes low power draw, integrated graphics, and newer PCIe connectivity, the i5-3470S is the more practical daily driver, even if it trails in compute benchmarks.

The Opteron’s wins are confined to the Cinebench suite, but those are the only shared tests in the database. Its eight cores and eight threads give it a structural advantage in heavily threaded rendering workloads, even though its per-core efficiency is lower than the Intel architecture. The data shows the Opteron leads in both single-core and multi-core Cinebench runs, so the Win count stands at six for AMD and zero for Intel.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent divergent design eras and goals. The AMD Opteron 4280 belongs to the Opteron 4000 series, built on the Bulldozer architecture with the Valencia codename. It uses a 32 nm process from GlobalFoundries, packs 1,200 million transistors into a 315 mm² die, and operates from a 2.80 GHz base clock up to 3.50 GHz boost. It has eight cores and eight threads, with 384 KB of L1 cache, 8 MB of L2, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. Memory support is DDR3 over a dual-channel bus, with a recorded bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s, and it supports ECC memory, a hallmark of server platforms. It fits the AMD Socket C32 and is marked as end-of-life, having launched in November 2011 with a launch MSRP of $255.

The Intel Core i5-3470S uses the Ivy Bridge architecture, also known by the same codename, on a 22 nm process from Intel’s own foundry. The die is much smaller at 133 mm², though the transistor count is not recorded in the database. It has four cores and four threads, with a base clock of 2.90 GHz and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz. Cache is organized differently: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. Memory support is DDR3 over dual-channel, but no bandwidth figure is listed. ECC memory is not supported. The chip includes Intel HD 2500 integrated graphics, uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU-only lanes, and targets the desktop segment on Intel Socket 1155. Its release date is May 2012, about six months after the Opteron.

The core count difference is the most obvious architectural split: eight Bulldozer cores versus four Ivy Bridge cores. The Opteron’s L2 and L3 caches are larger in absolute terms, but the Intel chip’s per-core cache allocation is finer. The Opteron’s die is more than twice the size of the Intel die, reflecting the older process node and the higher core count. The i5-3470S’s lack of ECC support and presence of integrated graphics further separate the two: one is built for server reliability and memory correction, the other for desktop convenience and lower idle power.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i5-3470S has a boost clock of 3.60 GHz, which is higher than the AMD Opteron 4280’s 3.50 GHz boost clock. The Intel chip also has a higher base clock at 2.90 GHz versus 2.80 GHz.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD Opteron 4280 supports ECC memory, which is typical for its server/workstation market segment. The Intel Core i5-3470S does not support ECC memory.

Q: Which processor includes integrated graphics?

A: Only the Intel Core i5-3470S includes integrated graphics, specifically the Intel HD 2500. The AMD Opteron 4280 has no integrated graphics and would require a separate graphics adapter for display output.

Q: What is the thermal design power difference?

A: The AMD Opteron 4280 has a TDP of 95 watts, while the Intel Core i5-3470S has a TDP of 65 watts. That makes the Intel part the lower-power option by 30 watts.

Q: How do they compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Opteron 4280 scores 3828 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, versus 3711 for the i5-3470S. The Opteron leads by 3.2% in that test.

Q: Which processor has the larger L3 cache?

A: The AMD Opteron 4280 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, while the Intel Core i5-3470S has 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The Opteron also has 8 MB of L2 cache, versus 256 KB per core for the Intel chip.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every specification line in the database. The Opteron 4280 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the i5-3470S has 4 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks are 2.80 GHz for the AMD part and 2.90 GHz for the Intel part, with boost clocks of 3.50 GHz and 3.60 GHz respectively. TDP is 95 watts versus 65 watts. The Opteron uses AMD Socket C32, the Intel chip uses Socket 1155. Process nodes are 32 nm and 22 nm, with die sizes of 315 mm² and 133 mm². The Opteron has 1,200 million transistors, while the Intel chip’s transistor count is not recorded. Cache configurations differ: the Opteron has 384 KB L1, 8 MB L2, and 8 MB shared L3, whereas the i5-3470S has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. Memory support is DDR3 for both, but only the Opteron lists a memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. ECC memory is supported by the Opteron, not by the i5-3470S. PCIe generations differ: Gen 2 for the AMD part, Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes for the Intel part. Integrated graphics are absent on the Opteron and present as Intel HD 2500 on the i5-3470S. Market segments are Server/Workstation for the AMD chip and Desktop for the Intel chip. The Opteron is end-of-life, launched in November 2011 with a $255 launch MSRP, while the i5-3470S launched in May 2012 with no recorded MSRP. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data contains six Cinebench tests, and the AMD Opteron 4280 wins all of them. The smallest margin is in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the Opteron scores 226 against the i5-3470S’s 220, a 2.7% difference. The largest margin is in Cinebench R15 single-core, with 54 versus 52, a 3.8% edge. The multi-core tests are slightly tighter but still favor AMD: R15 multi-core shows 385 versus 373 for a 3.2% lead, R20 multi-core shows 1607 versus 1558 for a 3.1% lead, and R23 multi-core shows 3828 versus 3711 for another 3.2% lead. The single-core R23 test has 540 versus 524, a 3.1% difference.

These margins are consistent across both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads, which is notable because the two chips have very different core counts. The Opteron’s eight cores do not produce a larger multi-core win than its single-core win, suggesting that the Bulldozer architecture’s per-core performance is modest, but the extra cores still keep it ahead of the quad-core Ivy Bridge part. The i5-3470S’s higher boost clock of 3.60 GHz does not translate into a single-core victory, as the Opteron’s 3.50 GHz boost clock still yields higher Cinebench scores. The average benchmark score difference also reflects this: the Opteron averages 1107 across all recorded tests, while the i5-3470S averages 1095. The nearest rivals for each chip confirm their positioning: the Opteron sits alongside the AMD PRO A12-8870 and AMD Opteron 3280, both within 0.1% of its average score, while the i5-3470S is bracketed by Intel Core i7-2670QM and Intel Core i7-4610M, with deltas of 0.1% or less.

In practical terms, the Opteron 4280 offers a small but repeatable performance advantage in Cinebench rendering tasks, while the i5-3470S offers a lower TDP, integrated graphics, and PCIe Gen 3 support. The recorded data shows no benchmark where the Intel chip wins, so the Opteron takes the performance crown in this matchup, but the i5-3470S remains the more versatile desktop component for everyday systems. The choice between them depends on whether the workload prioritizes raw multi-threaded compute or system-level power efficiency and integrated connectivity.