CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i5-3550 and AMD Opteron 6220 are both end-of-life processors, but they target entirely different market segments. The i5-3550 is a desktop Ivy Bridge chip, while the Opteron 6220 is a server/workstation Bulldozer part. Benchmark data from the Cinebench suite shows that despite the Opteron’s doubling of physical cores, the two processors land within 0.9% of each other in every test, with the Intel part taking all six head-to-head wins.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data presents a remarkably tight contest across all six Cinebench tests, with the largest single margin being a 0.9% advantage. In the Cinebench R15 multicore test, the Intel Core i5-3550 scores 410 against the AMD Opteron 6220’s 407, a delta of 0.7%. The single-core R15 results are identical at 57 points each, though the benchmark logic still awards the win to Intel based on the tiebreak method, showing a 0% delta.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the Intel chip scores 1710 in multicore versus 1696 for the AMD part, again a 0.8% difference. The single-core R20 scores are 241 and 239 respectively, maintaining that same 0.8% margin. The most recent test in the set, Cinebench R23, shows the widest gap: Intel scores 4073 multicore versus 4040 for AMD, a 0.8% delta, and 575 versus 570 in single-core, the only 0.9% delta in the entire comparison.

The average benchmark scores tell a consistent story. The i5-3550 averages 1178 across all tests, while the Opteron 6220 averages 1168. That 10-point gap places the Intel part at the 33rd percentile of all CPUs, with the Opteron also at the 33rd percentile. The nearest rivals for the i5-3550 include the Intel Core i5-4440 at 1179 (-0.1%), the Intel Core i3-7320 at 1173 (0.4%), and the Intel Core i7-3635QM at 1170 (0.7%). For the Opteron 6220, the nearest rivals are the Intel Core i5-3570S at 1169 (-0.1%), the Intel Core i7-2960XM at 1169 (-0.1%), and the Intel Core i5-3450 at 1166 (0.1%).

These deltas are so small that they fall well within run-to-run variance for any benchmark suite. The practical takeaway is that in Cinebench workloads, these two CPUs are effectively interchangeable in performance, despite their vastly different core counts and architectural approaches.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-3550 wins all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons, but the margins are negligible. Multicore workloads show the largest Intel advantage: 0.7% in R15, 0.8% in R20, and 0.8% in R23. Single-core workloads show a similar pattern, with Intel ahead by 0% in R15, 0.8% in R20, and 0.9% in R23.

The AMD Opteron 6220 does not win a single benchmark in this comparison. However, the data does not suggest AMD is at a disadvantage in absolute terms; rather, the Opteron matches Intel’s results while consuming more power and using a server-oriented feature set. The Opteron’s strengths lie outside Cinebench, in areas not captured by this test suite.

For workloads that favor Intel, the i5-3550’s higher base clock of 3.30 GHz versus 3.00 GHz and boost clock of 3.70 GHz versus 3.60 GHz likely contribute to its slight edge. For workloads that might favor AMD, the Opteron’s eight physical cores versus four, its quad-channel memory bus versus dual-channel, and its larger L3 cache (8 MB per die versus 6 MB shared) could provide advantages in memory-bandwidth-intensive tasks, though the Cinebench data does not show this.

The absence of any AMD win suggests that the Bulldozer architecture’s module-based design, where two cores share resources, does not translate into Cinebench performance gains over Intel’s Ivy Bridge architecture. The data indicates that the i5-3550 is the safer choice for single-threaded and lightly-threaded workloads, while the Opteron’s value proposition would need to be assessed in server-specific benchmarks not present in this dataset.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i5-3550 uses the Ivy Bridge architecture, built on a 22 nm process at Intel’s foundry, with 1,400 million transistors on a 160 mm² die. The AMD Opteron 6220 uses the Bulldozer architecture, codenamed Interlagos, built on a 32 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with 2,400 million transistors spread across two 315 mm² dies.

Core configurations differ dramatically. The i5-3550 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Opteron 6220 has 8 cores and 8 threads. The Opteron’s cache hierarchy is structured per module: 768 KB of L1 cache total, 2 MB of L2 per module, and 8 MB of L3 per die. The i5-3550 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. This means the Opteron has more total cache but organized differently, reflecting its server heritage.

Memory support differs in bandwidth and error handling. Both support DDR3, but the Opteron uses a quad-channel memory bus offering 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the i5-3550 uses dual-channel at 25.6 GB/s. The Opteron supports ECC memory; the i5-3550 does not. The Opteron also uses PCIe Gen 2, while the i5-3550 uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

Integrated graphics separate the desktop part from the server part. The i5-3550 includes Intel HD 2500 graphics, while the Opteron 6220 has no integrated graphics. The Opteron uses the AMD Socket G34, while the i5-3550 uses Intel Socket 1155. Power consumption differs substantially: the i5-3550 has a TDP of 77 watts, while the Opteron 6220 has a TDP of 115 watts.

Release timing also differs. The Opteron 6220 launched on 2011-11-13, while the i5-3550 launched on 2012-04-28. The Opteron’s launch MSRP was $523, while the i5-3550’s was $194. Both processors have production status of end-of-life and have locked multipliers.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The AMD Opteron 6220 has 8 cores and 8 threads, while the Intel Core i5-3550 has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What is the performance difference in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The Intel Core i5-3550 scores 4073, which is 0.8% higher than the AMD Opteron 6220’s 4040.

Q: Does the AMD Opteron 6220 support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the Opteron 6220 supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core i5-3550 does not.

Q: Which processor has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Opteron 6220 has 51.2 GB/s bandwidth via quad-channel DDR3, while the Intel Core i5-3550 has 25.6 GB/s via dual-channel DDR3.

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

A: The Intel Core i5-3550 has an average benchmark score of 1178, while the AMD Opteron 6220 has an average of 1168.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: No, the Intel Core i5-3550 includes Intel HD 2500 graphics, while the AMD Opteron 6220 has no integrated graphics.

Specification Differences

• Cores: Intel Core i5-3550 has 4 cores; AMD Opteron 6220 has 8 cores.
• Threads: Intel Core i5-3550 has 4 threads; AMD Opteron 6220 has 8 threads.
• Base clock: Intel Core i5-3550 runs at 3.30 GHz; AMD Opteron 6220 runs at 3.00 GHz.
• Boost clock: Intel Core i5-3550 boosts to 3.70 GHz; AMD Opteron 6220 boosts to 3.60 GHz.
• TDP: Intel Core i5-3550 is rated at 77 watts; AMD Opteron 6220 is rated at 115 watts.
• Socket: Intel Core i5-3550 uses Intel Socket 1155; AMD Opteron 6220 uses AMD Socket G34.
• Process node: Intel Core i5-3550 uses 22 nm; AMD Opteron 6220 uses 32 nm.
• Foundry: Intel Core i5-3550 is made by Intel; AMD Opteron 6220 is made by GlobalFoundries.
• Transistors: Intel Core i5-3550 has 1,400 million; AMD Opteron 6220 has 2,400 million.
• Die size: Intel Core i5-3550 is 160 mm²; AMD Opteron 6220 is 2x 315 mm².
• L1 cache: Intel Core i5-3550 has 64 KB per core; AMD Opteron 6220 has 768 KB total.
• L2 cache: Intel Core i5-3550 has 256 KB per core; AMD Opteron 6220 has 2 MB per module.
• L3 cache: Intel Core i5-3550 has 6 MB shared; AMD Opteron 6220 has 8 MB per die.
• Memory bus: Intel Core i5-3550 is dual-channel; AMD Opteron 6220 is quad-channel.
• Memory bandwidth: Intel Core i5-3550 offers 25.6 GB/s; AMD Opteron 6220 offers 51.2 GB/s.
• ECC memory: Intel Core i5-3550 does not support it; AMD Opteron 6220 supports it.
• PCIe: Intel Core i5-3550 uses Gen 3, 16 lanes; AMD Opteron 6220 uses Gen 2.
• Integrated graphics: Intel Core i5-3550 has Intel HD 2500; AMD Opteron 6220 has none.
• Market segment: Intel Core i5-3550 is desktop; AMD Opteron 6220 is server/workstation.
• Release date: Intel Core i5-3550 launched 2012-04-28; AMD Opteron 6220 launched 2011-11-13.
• Launch MSRP: Intel Core i5-3550 was $194; AMD Opteron 6220 was $523.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Core i5-3550 for anyone prioritizing raw Cinebench performance, as it wins all six benchmarks and achieves a 10-point higher average score. The margins, however, are so small that the practical performance difference is minimal. The i5-3550 also offers a lower TDP of 77 watts versus 115 watts, integrated graphics, and PCIe Gen 3 support.

The AMD Opteron 6220 is the choice for server and workstation workloads that require ECC memory support, quad-channel memory bandwidth, and eight physical cores. Its 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth is double the i5-3550’s 25.6 GB/s, and its larger cache configuration may benefit certain multi-threaded enterprise applications, even though Cinebench does not reflect this.

The Opteron’s launch MSRP of $523 was substantially higher than the i5-3550’s $194, yet both now sit at end-of-life status. For a desktop user, the i5-3550 is the better fit due to its lower power draw, integrated graphics, and slight benchmark superiority. For a server administrator needing ECC and high memory throughput, the Opteron 6220’s feature set is essential, despite its performance parity in this test suite. Neither processor offers a meaningful performance advantage over the other; the decision rests entirely on platform requirements rather than benchmark scores.