AMD Opteron 4334 vs Intel Core i5-2550K Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark record splits cleanly between these two processors, and the split is almost entirely one-sided. Across the five head-to-head Cinebench tests recorded in the database, the Intel Core i5-2550K wins every single matchup. The AMD Opteron 4334 does not register a single win in the shared test suite. That is a 0 to 5 result in favor of the Intel part.

That does not mean the AMD chip is without a use case, but its strengths are not visible in the Cinebench results. The Opteron 4334 is a server and workstation part, built for the AMD Socket C32 platform. Its market segment is listed as Server/Workstation, whereas the Intel Core i5-2550K is a desktop processor. The Opteron offers six physical cores and six threads, which is a higher core count than the Intel chip's four cores and four threads. In workloads that scale with core count, the AMD part has a theoretical advantage, but the recorded Cinebench multicore scores do not reflect that advantage. The Intel part wins multicore tests by roughly 7.5 percent in every recorded generation of the Cinebench suite.

The Intel Core i5-2550K also holds the single-core advantage. It wins the Cinebench R20 single-core test with a score of 215 against 198 for the Opteron, a 7.9 percent gap. The same pattern appears in Cinebench R23 single-core, where Intel scores 512 against 473 for AMD, a 7.6 percent gap. There is no recorded single-core Cinebench R15 score for the Opteron, but the Intel part scores 51 in that test. The data shows a consistent Intel lead in both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering workloads.

The Opteron's place in the database is defined by its average benchmark score of 1155, which puts it in the 33rd percentile of all CPUs. That is a modest standing, but it sits nearly level with its nearest rivals. The AMD Ryzen Embedded R2312 scores 1156, a delta of negative 0.1 percent. The Intel Core i3-8145UE scores 1154, a delta of positive 0.1 percent. The Intel Core i5-4430 scores 1149, a delta of positive 0.5 percent. The AMD Opteron 6212 scores 1162, a delta of negative 0.6 percent. In other words, the Opteron 4334 is effectively tied with a cluster of low-end embedded and older desktop parts.

The Intel Core i5-2550K has an average benchmark score of 1136, which places it in the 32nd percentile. Its nearest rivals are equally tightly grouped. The Intel Core i5-3570T matches it at 1136 with a delta of 0 percent. The Intel Xeon E5640 scores 1137, a delta of negative 0.1 percent. The Intel Core i3-N300 scores 1135, a delta of positive 0.1 percent. The AMD Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE scores 1138, a delta of negative 0.2 percent. Despite winning every head-to-head test against the Opteron, the Intel part's overall database standing is essentially the same, which suggests that the two chips occupy a similar performance tier in the broader CPU landscape.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural lineages and different market segments. The AMD Opteron 4334 is built on the Piledriver architecture, with the codename Seoul. It belongs to the Opteron 4000 series and is part of the Opteron (Seoul) generation. The Intel Core i5-2550K is built on the Sandy Bridge architecture, with the same codename Sandy Bridge, and belongs to the Core i5 (Sandy Bridge) generation.

Both chips are manufactured on a 32 nm process node, but the similarity ends there. The AMD part uses a process from an unspecified foundry, while the Intel part is explicitly listed as being made by Intel. The transistor counts are close: 1,200 million for the AMD chip and 1,160 million for the Intel chip. The die sizes differ substantially. The AMD Opteron has a die size of 315 mm², while the Intel Core i5-2550K has a die size of 216 mm². That means the AMD chip packs slightly more transistors into a much larger die, which is typical of a server-oriented part with additional platform logic.

The core and thread configurations differ. The Opteron has six cores and six threads, with no hyperthreading equivalent. The Intel part has four cores and four threads. The Opteron's base clock is 3.10 GHz with a boost clock of 3.50 GHz. The Intel part runs at a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. Both chips have a TDP of 95 watts, despite the Opteron having two more cores. The higher clocks on the Intel part help explain its consistent benchmark wins, as the Cinebench suite tends to reward clock speed and per-core efficiency.

Cache layouts are markedly different. The Opteron 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 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip's cache is per-core, which is typical for desktop processors of that era, while the AMD chip's L2 is a single 6 MB block. The shared L3 on the Opteron is larger at 8 MB versus 6 MB, but that does not translate into a benchmark win.

Memory support is identical in type: both support DDR3. The Intel part has a dual-channel memory bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. The Opteron's memory bus width and bandwidth are not recorded in the database. Neither chip supports ECC memory. The Intel part has PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Opteron's PCIe configuration is not recorded.

The sockets are different, which matters for platform selection. The Opteron uses AMD Socket C32, while the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1155. The Intel chip has an unlocked multiplier, meaning it can be overclocked, while the Opteron does not. The Intel part also carries a launch MSRP of $235, while the Opteron has no recorded launch MSRP. The Intel part is marked as end-of-life, while the Opteron's production status is not recorded.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are consistent across every recorded test. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Intel Core i5-2550K scores 365 against 338 for the Opteron, a delta of negative 7.4 percent from the AMD chip's perspective. In Cinebench R20 multicore, Intel scores 1523 against 1409, a delta of negative 7.5 percent. In Cinebench R23 multicore, Intel scores 3628 against 3356, a delta of negative 7.5 percent.

The single-core results follow the same pattern. In Cinebench R20 single-core, Intel scores 215 against 198, a delta of negative 7.9 percent. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel scores 512 against 473, a delta of negative 7.6 percent. The consistency is striking: every delta falls between negative 7.4 and negative 7.9 percent. The Intel part is not just winning; it is winning by nearly the same margin in every test, regardless of whether the workload is single-threaded or multi-threaded.

The Opteron has no recorded wins in the head-to-head suite. Its only other benchmark results are the Cinebench R15 multicore score of 338, the R20 multicore score of 1409, the R20 single-core score of 198, and the R23 scores of 3356 and 473. The Intel part adds a Cinebench R15 single-core score of 51, a Geekbench multicore score of 2096, and a Geekbench single-core score of 697. The Geekbench results are not part of the head-to-head comparison, but they reinforce the overall picture: the Intel chip posts higher raw scores in both single-core and multicore workloads.

The average benchmark scores tell a slightly different story. The Opteron averages 1155, which is actually higher than the Intel part's 1136. That is because the average includes different test suites and different weightings. The head-to-head Cinebench results are the more direct comparison, and they favor Intel without exception. The Opteron's higher average score comes from its position relative to its own nearest rivals, not from beating the Intel chip.

The percentile standings are close. The Opteron sits in the 33rd percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel part sits in the 32nd percentile. Both chips are below the median, and both are surrounded by a dense cluster of similarly performing parts. The Opteron's nearest rival, the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2312, is a full 0.1 percent behind on average score. The Intel part's nearest rival, the Intel Core i5-3570T, is exactly tied at 1136.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the most head-to-head benchmark tests?

A: The Intel Core i5-2550K wins all five recorded head-to-head tests against the AMD Opteron 4334. The tests include Cinebench R15 multicore, R20 multicore, R20 single-core, R23 multicore, and R23 single-core.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The largest gap is in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the Intel Core i5-2550K scores 215 against 198 for the Opteron, a delta of negative 7.9 percent. The other gaps range from negative 7.4 to negative 7.6 percent.

Q: Does the Opteron 4334 have more cores than the Core i5-2550K?

A: Yes. The AMD Opteron 4334 has six cores and six threads, while the Intel Core i5-2550K has four cores and four threads. Despite the core advantage, the Opteron loses every recorded multicore benchmark to the Intel part.

Q: What are the clock speeds of each processor?

A: The AMD Opteron 4334 has a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz. The Intel Core i5-2550K has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. Both have a TDP of 95 watts.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The AMD Opteron 4334 has an average benchmark score of 1155, placing it in the 33rd percentile. The Intel Core i5-2550K has an average benchmark score of 1136, placing it in the 32nd percentile.

Q: Are these processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: The Intel Core i5-2550K has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD Opteron 4334 does not have an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner for anyone comparing these two specific chips on raw performance. The Intel Core i5-2550K wins every head-to-head benchmark in the database, and it does so by a consistent margin of roughly 7.5 percent. In single-core workloads, the Intel part scores 512 against 473 in Cinebench R23, a 7.6 percent advantage. In multi-core workloads, the same pattern holds: 3628 against 3356 in Cinebench R23, a 7.5 percent advantage. The Intel chip is faster in every measured dimension, despite having fewer cores.

The AMD Opteron 4334 does offer six cores, which is two more than the Intel part, and it has a larger shared L3 cache at 8 MB versus 6 MB. Its TDP is identical at 95 watts, and both chips use DDR3 memory. But none of those features translate into a benchmark win. The Opteron's higher core count does not overcome the Intel part's higher clocks and per-core efficiency.

For a desktop user, the choice is straightforward. The Intel Core i5-2550K is faster in rendering workloads, has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking, and comes with a recorded launch MSRP of $235. It is also marked as end-of-life, but it remains the stronger performer in this comparison.

For a server or workstation deployment, the Opteron 4334 has its own logic. It is a server-class part on the AMD Socket C32 platform, and its six cores may be more suitable for certain multi-threaded server workloads that do not appear in the Cinebench suite. The database does not record any benchmark where the Opteron wins, however. The head-to-head record is 0 wins for AMD and 5 wins for Intel.

The broader database context tempers the verdict. Both chips sit near the bottom of the performance distribution, with the Opteron in the 33rd percentile and the Intel part in the 32nd percentile. Their nearest rivals are all within 0.6 percent on average score. Neither chip is a high-performance part by modern standards. But within this pairing, the Intel Core i5-2550K is the faster processor, and the data supports that conclusion without exception.