AMD Opteron 6234 vs Intel Xeon D-1527 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data shows a consistent and decisive pattern: the Intel Xeon D-1527 wins all five benchmark comparisons against the AMD Opteron 6234. The margin is remarkably uniform across every test, hovering near 20% regardless of workload type.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Xeon D-1527 scores 420 against the Opteron's 348, a 20.7% advantage. The R20 multicore test shows nearly the same gap: 1753 versus 1453, a 20.6% lead. The R23 multicore result follows suit, with 4176 against 3461, again a 20.7% delta. The single-core tests tell the same story. In R20 single-core, the Intel part scores 247 versus 204, a 21.1% edge. In R23 single-core, the numbers are 589 and 488, a 20.7% lead.

The consistency of these deltas is notable. The spread between the smallest and largest margins is only 0.5 percentage points (20.6% to 21.1%). This suggests the performance difference is not workload-dependent but rather reflects a fundamental throughput gap between the two designs. The Xeon D-1527 delivers a roughly one-fifth advantage across the board, whether the workload exercises one core or all available cores.

The average benchmark scores in the database reinforce this picture. The Xeon D-1527 carries an average score of 1207, while the Opteron 6234 sits at 1191. That is a difference of 16 points, or about 1.3%. Interestingly, this aggregated metric shows a much smaller gap than the Cinebench tests. The reason becomes clear when examining the nearest rivals for each part. The Xeon D-1527's nearest competitors include the Intel Xeon D-1520 (avg score 1209, delta -0.1%), the Intel Core i3-8121U (avg score 1209, delta -0.2%), and the Intel Xeon E5645 (avg score 1211, delta -0.3%). The Opteron 6234's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-4460T (avg score 1190, delta 0.1%), the Intel Core i7-8665UE (avg score 1193, delta -0.1%), and the Intel Core i3-4170 (avg score 1193, delta -0.2%). Both processors occupy essentially the same neighborhood in the overall database, with percentile rankings of 34 for the Intel part and 33 for the AMD part.

The head-to-head Cinebench results, however, are more discriminating. They show that the Xeon D-1527 consistently outperforms the Opteron 6234 by a clear margin. The database records five wins for the Intel processor and zero wins for the AMD processor in direct comparisons.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon D-1527 wins every benchmark category recorded in the database. This includes both multicore and single-core tests across three generations of Cinebench (R15, R20, R23). The multicore wins are particularly significant because the AMD Opteron 6234 has three times as many physical cores (12 versus 4). Despite that core count disadvantage, the Intel part still manages a 20.7% lead in R15 multicore, a 20.6% lead in R20 multicore, and a 20.7% lead in R23 multicore.

The single-core wins are equally lopsided. The Xeon D-1527 leads by 21.1% in R20 single-core and 20.7% in R23 single-core. This indicates that the Intel architecture has a substantial per-thread performance advantage, which is expected given the differences in design philosophy and process technology.

For the AMD Opteron 6234, there are no benchmark categories where it records a win. The database shows zero wins for this processor in head-to-head comparisons. The only area where the Opteron shows a relative advantage is in aggregate average score, where it trails by just 1.3% (1191 versus 1207). This suggests that when considering a broader range of workloads beyond Cinebench, the two processors are closer in overall capability. However, within the specific Cinebench suite, the Intel part is uniformly superior.

The use-case split is therefore straightforward. For workloads that resemble Cinebench rendering tasks, the Xeon D-1527 is the stronger choice. The Opteron 6234 does not offer any measured performance advantage in the recorded data. Its higher core count (12 versus 4) does not translate into a win in any multicore test, indicating that the Intel cores are substantially more efficient.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core performance?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1527 wins both single-core tests. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 247 versus the Opteron's 204, a 21.1% advantage. In R23 single-core, it scores 589 versus 488, a 20.7% lead.

Q: How does the core count difference affect multicore results?

A: The AMD Opteron 6234 has 12 cores while the Intel Xeon D-1527 has only 4 cores. Despite this 3x core advantage for AMD, the Intel part wins all three multicore tests. In R15 multicore, Intel leads 420 to 348 (20.7%). In R20 multicore, Intel leads 1753 to 1453 (20.6%). In R23 multicore, Intel leads 4176 to 3461 (20.7%).

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each processor?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1527 has an average benchmark score of 1207, placing it in the 34th percentile of all CPUs. The AMD Opteron 6234 has an average score of 1191, placing it in the 33rd percentile. The difference is 16 points, or approximately 1.3%.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Opteron 6234 has a boost clock of 3.00 GHz, while the Intel Xeon D-1527 has a boost clock of 2.70 GHz. Despite the higher boost clock on the AMD part, the Intel processor still wins all benchmark comparisons.

Q: How does the Intel Xeon D-1527 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1527's nearest rival is the Intel Xeon D-1520, which has an average score of 1209, a delta of -0.1%. The Core i3-8121U also scores 1209 (delta -0.2%). The Xeon E5645 scores 1211 (delta -0.3%). The Intel part is essentially tied with these processors in average score.

Q: How does the AMD Opteron 6234 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The AMD Opteron 6234's nearest rival is the Intel Core i5-4460T, with an average score of 1190 and a delta of 0.1%. The Core i7-8665UE scores 1193 (delta -0.1%). The Core i3-4170 also scores 1193 (delta -0.2%). The Opteron is essentially tied with these processors as well.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category. The Intel Xeon D-1527 has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD Opteron 6234 has 12 cores and 12 threads. The Intel part supports simultaneous multithreading, doubling its thread count, while the AMD part has no such feature.

Base clocks are close: 2.20 GHz for Intel versus 2.40 GHz for AMD. Boost clocks show a larger gap: 2.70 GHz for Intel versus 3.00 GHz for AMD. The AMD processor has a higher clock speed in both modes.

Thermal design power differs substantially. The Intel Xeon D-1527 has a TDP of 35 watts, while the AMD Opteron 6234 has a TDP of 115 watts. This means the AMD part consumes more than three times the power budget.

Sockets are incompatible. The Intel part uses Intel BGA 1667, while the AMD part uses AMD Socket G34. Memory support also differs: the Intel processor supports both DDR3 and DDR4 with a dual-channel memory bus, while the AMD processor supports only DDR3 with a quad-channel bus. The AMD part has a specified memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s; no such figure is recorded for the Intel part.

PCIe support differs as well. The Intel processor supports PCIe Gen 3 with 24 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD processor supports PCIe Gen 2. The Intel part was released on 2015-10-31, while the AMD part was released on 2011-11-13. Production status also differs: the Intel part is listed as Active, while the AMD part is End-of-life.

The launch MSRP for the Intel Xeon D-1527 is $213. The launch MSRP for the AMD Opteron 6234 is $377.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Xeon D-1527 is built on the Broadwell architecture, specifically the Broadwell-DE generation, using a 14 nm process node from Intel's foundry. It contains 3,200 million transistors on a die size of 246 mm². The cache layout is per-core: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 1.5 MB of L3 per core. With 4 cores, this yields a total of 6 MB of L3 cache, though the database records the per-core figure rather than a total.

The AMD Opteron 6234 uses the Bulldozer architecture, specifically the Interlagos codename within the Opteron 6000 series. It is built on a 32 nm process node from GlobalFoundries, containing 2,400 million transistors across two dies, each measuring 315 mm². The cache layout is different: 768 KB of L1 total, 2 MB of L2 per module, and 8 MB of L3 per die. With two dies, this yields a total of 16 MB of L3 cache.

The process node difference is significant: 14 nm versus 32 nm. This explains much of the transistor density difference. The Intel part packs 3,200 million transistors into 246 mm², while the AMD part spreads 2,400 million transistors across 630 mm² of combined die area. The Intel part achieves higher transistor density on a smaller total die area.

The memory architectures differ as well. The Intel processor uses a dual-channel memory bus supporting both DDR3 and DDR4, while the AMD processor uses a quad-channel DDR3 bus with a recorded bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The AMD part's wider memory bus is typical for its era's server platforms, though the Intel part's support for DDR4 gives it a more modern memory path.

PCIe generation also separates the two. The Intel part offers PCIe Gen 3 with 24 lanes, while the AMD part is limited to PCIe Gen 2. This affects potential I/O bandwidth for expansion devices.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion for Cinebench workloads: the Intel Xeon D-1527 is the better performer. It wins all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons with a consistent margin of approximately 20.7%. This holds true whether the workload is single-core or multicore, and across all three Cinebench versions recorded.

The Intel part achieves this despite having only 4 cores versus the AMD part's 12 cores. It also does so with a lower base clock (2.20 GHz versus 2.40 GHz) and lower boost clock (2.70 GHz versus 3.00 GHz). The performance advantage comes from architectural efficiency and the newer 14 nm process node versus AMD's 32 nm node.

The power efficiency story is equally one-sided. The Intel part's TDP of 35 watts is less than one-third of the AMD part's 115 watts. For server or workstation deployments where power density matters, this is a substantial operational difference.

The AMD Opteron 6234 does have a higher core count (12 versus 4) and a wider quad-channel memory bus with a recorded bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. It also has a higher boost clock (3.00 GHz). However, the recorded benchmarks show that none of these advantages translate into a single performance win in the Cinebench suite.

The average benchmark scores are close (1207 versus 1191), and both processors sit within the 33rd to 34th percentile of all CPUs. This suggests that in a broader benchmark mix, the two might be more evenly matched. But within the recorded head-to-head data, the Intel Xeon D-1527 is the clear winner.

Buyers should choose the Intel Xeon D-1527 for Cinebench-style rendering workloads where its 20% performance advantage matters. It also offers the benefits of lower power consumption, DDR4 memory support, PCIe Gen 3, and active production status. The AMD Opteron 6234, with its end-of-life status and higher power draw, does not offer any measured performance advantage in the recorded data. Its only potential appeal would be to systems already invested in the G34 socket platform, but the benchmark data provides no performance justification for choosing it over the Intel part.