AMD Opteron 4376 HE vs Intel Core i5-4570TE Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data presents a strikingly one-sided picture. The AMD Opteron 4376 HE wins all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons, and it does so by a remarkably consistent margin. Across every Cinebench test, the AMD part leads the Intel Core i5-4570TE by roughly 27%. The narrowest gap is in Cinebench R15 multicore, where the Opteron scores 369 against the Core i5's 270, a difference of 26.8%. The widest margin appears in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the Opteron's 217 beats the Core i5's 158 by 27.2%.

The consistency of these deltas is worth pausing on. Whether the workload is single-threaded or multi-threaded, whether it's the older R15 renderer or the newer R23 test, the Opteron 4376 HE maintains its edge with almost mechanical regularity. In Cinebench R20 multicore, the scores are 1541 versus 1126 (26.9% gap). In R23 multicore, they are 3670 versus 2681 (26.9% gap). Even in R23 single-core, where Intel's architecture typically excels, the Opteron leads 518 to 378, a 27% advantage. This uniformity suggests the difference is not workload-specific but fundamental to the processors' designs.

However, the overall average benchmark scores tell a slightly different story. The Core i5-4570TE averages 1062 across all its benchmarks, while the Opteron 4376 HE averages 1061. The delta between them is a mere 0.1%. In the nearest-rival listings, each processor appears as the other's closest competitor, with essentially identical average scores. This means that while the Opteron wins every Cinebench head-to-head, the Core i5's other benchmark results — including Geekbench scores — pull its overall average to parity. The Core i5-4570TE posts a Geekbench multicore score of 1857 and a single-core score of 966, benchmarks the Opteron does not have results for in this data set.

This divergence between the Cinebench results and the overall averages raises a question: are the Cinebench scores representative of real-world performance, or do they reflect a specific workload bias? The Cinebench suite is heavily threaded and render-focused, which should favor the Opteron's 8 cores. Yet the single-core Cinebench tests also favor the Opteron, which is unusual given that the Core i5 has a 2.70 GHz base clock and 3.30 GHz boost, while the Opteron runs at 2.60 GHz base and 3.60 GHz boost. The Opteron's higher boost clock likely contributes, but the consistency across all tests suggests architectural efficiency differences play a role.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Opteron 4376 HE wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests. The Intel Core i5-4570TE does not win a single comparison in the head-to-head data.

Q: How large is the performance gap in Cinebench R20 multicore?

A: The Opteron 4376 HE scores 1541, while the Core i5-4570TE scores 1126. The delta is 26.9% in favor of the AMD processor.

Q: Do the overall average benchmark scores agree with the head-to-head results?

A: No. The Core i5-4570TE has an average benchmark score of 1062, and the Opteron 4376 HE sits at 1061. The difference is just 0.1%, indicating near-total parity in overall performance despite the Opteron's dominance in Cinebench.

Q: What is the single-core performance difference in Cinebench R23?

A: The Opteron 4376 HE scores 518 in Cinebench R23 single-core, versus 378 for the Core i5-4570TE. That is a 27% advantage for the AMD chip.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Opteron 4376 HE boosts to 3.60 GHz, while the Intel Core i5-4570TE boosts to 3.30 GHz. The Opteron also has a lower base clock at 2.60 GHz versus 2.70 GHz.

Q: Are these processors in the same performance percentile overall?

A: Yes, both are in the 29th percentile when compared against all CPUs in the database. Their average benchmark scores are within 1 point of each other.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear but nuanced conclusion. If your workload consists primarily of Cinebench-style rendering tasks, the AMD Opteron 4376 HE is the superior choice by a significant margin — roughly 27% across every test. The Opteron's 8 cores and 8 threads deliver consistent wins in both multicore and single-core Cinebench scenarios. For users running those specific workloads, the choice is unambiguous.

However, the overall average benchmark scores tell a different story. With averages of 1062 for the Core i5 and 1061 for the Opteron, the two processors are effectively tied in global performance. The Core i5-4570TE compensates for its Cinebench losses with stronger results in other benchmark categories, notably Geekbench, where it scores 1857 multicore and 966 single-core. The Opteron has no Geekbench results in this data, so its average is derived entirely from Cinebench scores.

The verdict depends on workload diversity. For a system dedicated to render workloads, the Opteron 4376 HE is the clear winner. For a general-purpose system where the Cinebench results are just one of many performance indicators, the data suggests the two are functionally equivalent. The Core i5's lower TDP of 35 watts versus the Opteron's 65 watts also matters for power-sensitive deployments, though the benchmark data alone cannot quantify that impact.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The Intel Core i5-4570TE is a dual-core part with 4 threads, while the AMD Opteron 4376 HE is an 8-core processor with 8 threads. Base clocks are close — 2.70 GHz for Intel versus 2.60 GHz for AMD — but the boost clocks diverge: the Opteron reaches 3.60 GHz, while the Core i5 peaks at 3.30 GHz.

The thermal design power differs substantially. The Core i5-4570TE is rated at 35 watts TDP, making it a low-power part. The Opteron 4376 HE is rated at 65 watts, which is higher but still within a moderate range for server processors. The sockets are incompatible: Intel uses Socket 1150, while AMD uses Socket C32.

Cache configurations reflect the different core counts. The Core i5 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Opteron has 384 KB of L1 cache total, 8 MB of L2, and 8 MB of shared L3. Both support DDR3 memory, but the Core i5 specifies dual-channel memory while the Opteron's memory bus is not specified in the data.

The Core i5-4570TE includes integrated graphics (Intel HD 4600) and PCIe Gen 3 support. The Opteron 4376 HE has no integrated graphics and no PCIe specification listed. The Core i5 does not support ECC memory, and neither does the Opteron according to the data. The market segments also differ: the Core i5 is marked as Desktop, while the Opteron is marked as Server/Workstation.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide is generational and structural. The Intel Core i5-4570TE is built on the Haswell architecture, manufactured on a 22 nm process by Intel. It contains 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. The AMD Opteron 4376 HE uses the Piledriver architecture, codenamed Seoul, built on a 32 nm process. It has 1,200 million transistors on a significantly larger 315 mm² die.

The process node difference is meaningful: 22 nm versus 32 nm. Intel's smaller node allows for higher transistor density, which partly explains how the Core i5 fits 1,400 million transistors into roughly half the die area. The Opteron's larger die and older process node contribute to its higher TDP.

The core designs are fundamentally different. The Core i5 features 2 physical cores with Hyper-Threading, yielding 4 threads. The Opteron has 8 physical cores without simultaneous multi-threading, yielding 8 threads. The Opteron's L1 cache is listed as 384 KB, which breaks down to a smaller per-core allocation compared to the Core i5's 64 KB per core. L2 cache is 8 MB total for the Opteron versus 256 KB per core for the Intel part.

The release dates also differ. The Core i5-4570TE was released in June 2013, while the Opteron 4376 HE was released in December 2012. The part numbers are SR172 for Intel and OS4376OFU8KHK for AMD. Neither processor has a launch MSRP listed in the data.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Opteron 4376 HE wins in every Cinebench scenario documented. Its 8 physical cores provide a clear advantage in multi-threaded render workloads, as evidenced by the 26.8% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore and the 26.9% lead in R20 multicore. The single-core Cinebench wins (27.2% in R20, 27% in R23) are more surprising but consistent, likely driven by the Opteron's higher 3.60 GHz boost clock and the Piledriver architecture's single-thread efficiency in these specific tests.

The Intel Core i5-4570TE wins in the Geekbench tests, though the Opteron has no Geekbench results to compare against. The Core i5's Geekbench scores of 1857 multicore and 966 single-core contribute to its overall average benchmark score of 1062, bringing it to parity with the Opteron's 1061 average. The Core i5 also wins on power efficiency, with a 35-watt TDP versus the Opteron's 65 watts — a significant advantage for thermally constrained environments.

The use-case split is therefore clear. For rendering workloads that mirror Cinebench, the Opteron 4376 HE is the superior processor. For general computing where Geekbench-style performance matters, the Core i5-4570TE holds its own. The Core i5 also offers integrated graphics, eliminating the need for a discrete GPU in basic display tasks. The Opteron's server/workstation market segment suggests it was designed for sustained multi-threaded throughput, while the Core i5's desktop segment and low TDP point toward energy-conscious general use.