AMD Opteron 4334 vs Intel Core i3-7320 Comparison

The Intel Core i3-7320 and AMD Opteron 4334 occupy different corners of the processor market: the i3 is a dual-core desktop chip built on Kaby Lake, while the Opteron is a six-core server/workstation part from the Piledriver generation. Despite the Opteron's higher core count, the recorded benchmark data shows the Intel part winning every head-to-head test, with margins consistently around 21%. Both processors land in the 33rd percentile of all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are close: 1173 for the Intel and 1155 for the AMD.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database includes five Cinebench tests, and the Intel Core i3-7320 wins all of them. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the i3 scores 408 against the Opteron's 338, a 20.7% lead. This is notable because the Opteron has three times the physical cores (6 vs 2) and six threads vs four, yet still loses by a wide margin. The pattern repeats in R20 multicore: 1703 vs 1409, a 20.9% gap. Single-core tests show an even larger relative advantage: R20 single-core gives 240 vs 198, a 21.2% lead. The R23 tests follow the same trend: multicore 4057 vs 3356 (20.9% lead) and single-core 572 vs 473 (20.9% lead).

The consistency of the delta is striking. Every test, whether single-threaded or multi-threaded, lands within a narrow band of 20.7% to 21.2% in favor of the Intel part. This suggests a fundamental per-core performance advantage rather than a workload-specific quirk. The Intel's base clock of 4.10 GHz is higher than the Opteron's 3.10 GHz base and 3.50 GHz boost, and the Intel is built on a 14 nm process versus 32 nm for the AMD. Those factors likely explain the uniform margin, though the data itself does not attribute causality.

The Opteron's larger L3 cache (8 MB shared vs 4 MB shared) and higher core count do not help it in these tests. Even in the multi-core workloads, where the Opteron's six cores should theoretically give it an edge, the Intel's two cores with four threads manage to outpace it by roughly 21%. This is a clear indication that the Intel's architectural efficiency and clock speed outweigh the Opteron's raw core count in the Cinebench suite.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded benchmarks, the Intel Core i3-7320 wins every test. There is no benchmark in the database where the AMD Opteron 4334 comes out ahead. The Opteron's only theoretical advantage is its core count: 6 physical cores vs 2, and 6 threads vs 4. However, the Cinebench suite, which scales with both single-thread and multi-thread performance, shows the Intel part ahead in both categories. The Opteron does have a larger L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB) and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz, but these do not translate to a win in any recorded test.

The Opteron is a server/workstation part, and its design priorities may lie in areas not covered by these benchmarks, such as memory bandwidth for specific server workloads or instruction set extensions. The database does not include such tests, so any potential advantage in those domains remains unmeasured. For the workloads represented by the Cinebench results, the Intel part is the clear winner. The Opteron's strengths, if any, would need to be evaluated in other test suites, but the available data does not support it as a faster option.

The Verdict

Who should pick which? The data is unambiguous: the Intel Core i3-7320 outperforms the AMD Opteron 4334 in every recorded benchmark. The Intel part delivers roughly 21% higher scores across the board, whether the test is single-core or multi-core. The Opteron's higher core count and larger cache do not compensate for its older architecture and lower clock speeds. For anyone choosing between these two based on the available measurements, the Intel i3-7320 is the better performer. The Opteron might still be relevant in server environments that rely on specific instruction sets or memory configurations, but the benchmark data does not support it as a faster option. Both CPUs sit in the same performance percentile (33rd), but the Intel has a higher average score (1173 vs 1155). The Intel also has a more recent release date (January 2017 vs December 2012) and is still marked as Active production, while the Opteron's production status is not listed.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has a higher single-core score?

A: The Intel Core i3-7320. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 572 vs the Opteron's 473, a 20.9% lead. In R20 single-core, it scores 240 vs 198, a 21.2% lead.

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

A: The Intel also wins. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 4057 vs 3356 (20.9% lead). In R20 multicore, 1703 vs 1409 (20.9% lead). In R15 multicore, 408 vs 338 (20.7% lead).

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The Intel has 2 cores and 4 threads. The AMD has 6 cores and 6 threads.

Q: Which has a higher base clock?

A: The Intel has a base clock of 4.10 GHz. The AMD has a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz.

Q: Do they support the same memory?

A: No. The Intel supports DDR4 with dual-channel memory and a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The AMD supports DDR3, with no memory bus or bandwidth listed in the database.

Q: Which has integrated graphics?

A: Only the Intel Core i3-7320 has integrated graphics (Intel HD 630). The AMD Opteron 4334 does not list any integrated graphics.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras. The Intel i3-7320 uses the Kaby Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process by Intel. The AMD Opteron 4334 uses the Piledriver architecture, codenamed Seoul, on a 32 nm process. The Opteron has a transistor count of 1,200 million and a die size of 315 mm², while the Intel part does not list these figures. The cache layouts differ significantly: the Intel has 64 KB L1 per core and 256 KB L2 per core, with a shared 4 MB L3. The AMD has 288 KB L1 total, 6 MB L2, and 8 MB shared L3. Memory support also diverges: the Intel uses DDR4 with dual-channel and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, while the AMD uses DDR3 with no listed bus or bandwidth. The Intel has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD does not list PCIe support. The Intel includes integrated graphics (Intel HD 630), while the AMD has none. The Intel is a desktop part, the AMD is a server/workstation part. The Intel was released in January 2017, the AMD in December 2012. The Intel is still marked as Active production, while the AMD's production status is not listed.

Specification Differences

| Field | Intel Core i3-7320 | AMD Opteron 4334 |

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

| Cores | 2 | 6 |

| Threads | 4 | 6 |

| Base Clock | 4.10 GHz | 3.10 GHz |

| Boost Clock | None | 3.50 GHz |

| TDP | 51 W | 95 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1151 | AMD Socket C32 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 32 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | Not listed |

| Transistors | Not listed | 1,200 million |

| Die Size | Not listed | 315 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 288 KB |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 6 MB |

| L3 Cache | 4 MB (shared) | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Not listed |

| Memory Bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | Not listed |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Not listed |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 630 | None |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Server/Workstation |

| Production Status | Active | Not listed |

| Release Date | 2017-01-02 | 2012-12-03 |

| Part Number | SR358 | OS4334WLU6KHK |

| Series | Not listed | Opteron 4000 series |

| Generation | Core i3 (Kaby Lake) | Opteron (Seoul) |