AMD Opteron 6234 vs Intel Core i5-4460T Comparison

The AMD Opteron 6234 and Intel Core i5-4460T are near-perfect statistical twins in aggregate performance, with the Opteron’s average benchmark score of 1191 edging the i5’s 1190 by a mere 0.1%. Yet this numerical tie masks a profound architectural and use-case chasm: the Opteron is a 12-core, 115W server part from AMD’s Bulldozer era, while the i5 is a 4-core, 35W desktop chip from Intel’s Haswell generation. Both sit at the 33rd percentile of all CPUs, but they achieve that ranking through completely opposite design philosophies. The data reveals a fascinating split—one chip dominates every single benchmark in the head-to-head, yet the other offers capabilities the server part simply cannot match.

Where Each One Wins

The head-to-head benchmark results are unambiguous: the AMD Opteron 6234 wins all five recorded comparisons. In Cinebench R15 multicore, it scores 348 against the i5-4460T’s 313, a margin of 11.2%. That lead extends consistently across every other test—R20 multicore shows 1453 versus 1305 (11.3%), R20 singlecore shows 204 versus 183 (11.5%), R23 multicore shows 3461 versus 3109 (11.3%), and R23 singlecore shows 488 versus 438 (11.4%). The Opteron’s advantage is remarkably uniform, hovering just above 11% in every workload.

However, the i5-4460T’s wins are qualitative rather than quantitative. It carries integrated graphics (Intel HD 4600), which the Opteron lacks entirely—a decisive factor for any system that needs display output without a discrete GPU. The i5 also runs on a 35W TDP, a fraction of the Opteron’s 115W, making it viable for compact, low-power desktop builds where the server chip would be impractical. The Opteron’s market segment is Server/Workstation, while the i5 targets Desktop, so the “winner” depends entirely on whether the workload prioritizes raw multi-threaded compute or system-level efficiency and integrated functionality.

Architecture Differences

The two chips represent fundamentally divergent design philosophies. The Opteron 6234 uses AMD’s Bulldozer architecture on a 32nm process from GlobalFoundries, packing 2,400 million transistors across a dual-die layout (2x 315 mm² total). It offers 12 cores and 12 threads on the AMD Socket G34 platform. Its cache hierarchy is module-based: 768 KB L1, 2 MB L2 per module, and 8 MB L3 per die. Memory support is DDR3 over a quad-channel bus, delivering 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth, with ECC support enabled. PCIe is Gen 2.

The Intel Core i5-4460T uses the Haswell architecture on Intel’s 22nm process, with 1,400 million transistors on a single 177 mm² die. It provides 4 cores and 4 threads on Intel Socket 1150. Cache is per-core: 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, plus 6 MB shared L3. Memory is DDR3 over a dual-channel bus, halving bandwidth to 25.6 GB/s, and ECC is not supported. PCIe is Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes. The i5’s base clock is listed at 1900 MHz with a 2.70 GHz boost, though the Opteron’s base clock of 2.40 GHz and boost of 3.00 GHz are notably higher in absolute terms.

The transistor and die-size disparity is staggering—the Opteron uses 71% more transistors across a die more than 3.5 times larger. Yet the i5’s newer, denser 22nm process and simpler 4-core design allow it to approach the Opteron’s multi-threaded scores while consuming 70% less power. This is the core architectural story: Bulldozer’s modular design aimed for throughput, while Haswell focused on per-core efficiency and clock-for-clock performance.

The Verdict

From the benchmark data alone, the AMD Opteron 6234 is the clear performance winner. It defeats the i5-4460T in every recorded Cinebench test, both single-core and multi-core, with margins consistently around 11%. For any application that is purely CPU-bound and multi-threaded—rendering, scientific computing, server workloads—the Opteron’s 12 cores deliver measurably more work per unit time. Its quad-channel memory bandwidth (51.2 GB/s) more than doubles the i5’s 25.6 GB/s, a critical advantage for memory-intensive server tasks.

The Intel Core i5-4460T wins on platform and efficiency grounds. Its 35W TDP versus 115W makes it suitable for always-on or thermally constrained systems. Integrated HD 4600 graphics mean a fully functional desktop can be built without a separate video card. ECC memory support is absent, but for consumer desktop use, that is rarely a requirement. The i5’s PCIe Gen 3 support is also a generation ahead of the Opteron’s Gen 2.

The data suggests a clear split: if the metric is pure compute throughput per socket, choose the Opteron. If the metric is system-level practicality for a desktop, including power draw, graphics output, and platform modernity, choose the i5. The 0.1% aggregate score difference is statistically negligible, but the workload-specific implications are not.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores?

A: The AMD Opteron 6234 has 12 cores and 12 threads, while the Intel Core i5-4460T has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Does either CPU have integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i5-4460T includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics. The AMD Opteron 6234 has no integrated graphics, requiring a discrete GPU for display output.

Q: Which CPU supports ECC memory?

A: The AMD Opteron 6234 supports ECC memory, while the Intel Core i5-4460T does not.

Q: How do their single-core scores compare?

A: The Opteron wins in single-core as well: 204 versus 183 in Cinebench R20 singlecore (11.5% ahead) and 488 versus 438 in R23 singlecore (11.4% ahead).

Q: What are their power consumption figures?

A: The Opteron has a TDP of 115W, while the i5-4460T has a TDP of 35W.

Q: Which CPU has higher memory bandwidth?

A: The Opteron supports quad-channel DDR3 with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the i5 supports dual-channel DDR3 with 25.6 GB/s bandwidth.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Opteron’s sweep of the head-to-head is notable for its consistency. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Opteron scores 348 against the i5’s 313, an 11.2% advantage. Moving to R20 multicore, the gap widens slightly to 11.3% (1453 vs 1305). The R20 singlecore test shows the Opteron’s strongest relative win at 11.5% (204 vs 183), proving its advantage is not merely a function of core count but also of per-thread performance in this benchmark suite. R23 multicore repeats the 11.3% pattern (3461 vs 3109), and R23 singlecore posts 11.4% (488 vs 438).

These deltas are remarkably stable, suggesting the Opteron’s architectural efficiency in Cinebench is uniformly superior across both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads. The i5-4460T’s only additional benchmarks—Geekbench multicore (2170) and singlecore (809)—have no corresponding Opteron scores in the data, so no direct comparison is possible there. But for the five common tests, the Opteron’s smallest win is 11.2% and its largest is 11.5%, a tightly clustered performance edge that leaves little room for workload-dependent variability.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in nearly every specification category. Core count: 12 versus 4. Threads: 12 versus 4. Base clock: 2.40 GHz versus 1900 MHz. Boost clock: 3.00 GHz versus 2.70 GHz. TDP: 115W versus 35W. Socket: AMD Socket G34 versus Intel Socket 1150. Architecture: Bulldozer versus Haswell. Process node: 32nm versus 22nm. Transistors: 2,400 million versus 1,400 million. Die size: 2x 315 mm² versus 177 mm².

Cache designs are entirely different: the Opteron uses 768 KB L1, 2 MB L2 per module, and 8 MB L3 per die, while the i5 uses 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. Memory channels: quad-channel versus dual-channel. Memory bandwidth: 51.2 GB/s versus 25.6 GB/s. ECC support: yes versus no. PCIe generation: Gen 2 versus Gen 3 (16 lanes). Integrated graphics: none versus Intel HD 4600. Market segment: Server/Workstation versus Desktop. Release dates: November 2011 versus February 2014. The Opteron’s launch MSRP was $377; the i5 has no listed launch MSRP.