AMD Opteron 6238 vs Intel Core i5-8365UE Comparison

The Verdict

The recorded data presents an unusual pairing: a 12-core server/workstation processor from 2011 facing a 4-core mobile processor from 2019. Across all six Cinebench benchmarks in the database, the AMD Opteron 6238 wins every single test, but by extremely narrow margins. The largest victory is 1.5% in five of the six tests, with the remaining test showing a 1.4% advantage. This means the Opteron 6238 is the faster part in raw rendering performance, but the practical difference is almost negligible for most workloads.

The Intel Core i5-8365UE, despite having only one-third the core count and one-eighth the TDP, comes within 1.5% of the Opteron in every benchmark. This makes the Intel part the logical choice for anyone prioritizing power efficiency, mobility, or modern platform features. The Opteron 6238 only makes sense for legacy server environments where the existing G34 socket infrastructure is already in place and absolute peak multi-threaded score matters, even if only by a hair.

The average benchmark scores tell the same story: the Opteron sits at 1383, while the Core i5-8365UE sits at 1362, a difference of roughly 1.5%. Both processors land at the 36th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they occupy the same performance tier despite their vastly different origins. The nearest rivals confirm this positioning, with the Opteron trading places with the Intel Core i7-3615QE, Intel Core i3-9100TE, AMD Opteron 6366 HE, and AMD Opteron 6274, all within 0.3% of its average score. The Core i5-8365UE similarly sits among the Intel Core i5-6500T, Intel Core i7-3820QM, Intel Xeon D-1521, and Intel Xeon E3-1226 v3, all within 0.4%.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Opteron 6238 wins on raw benchmark scores across the board. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 481 versus 474 for the Intel part, a 1.5% advantage. In single-core R15, it scores 67 versus 66, again 1.5% ahead. The pattern repeats in R20 multi-core (2008 versus 1978), R20 single-core (283 versus 279), R23 multi-core (4781 versus 4710), and R23 single-core (675 versus 665). The deltas are consistent, ranging from 1.4% to 1.5%, which suggests the Opteron holds a small but uniform edge across all rendering workloads.

The Intel Core i5-8365UE wins on platform efficiency and integration. Its 15 W TDP is dramatically lower than the Opteron's 115 W, making it suitable for fanless or low-power mobile designs. It includes integrated UHD Graphics 620, while the Opteron has no integrated graphics at all. The Intel part supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus, whereas the Opteron uses DDR3 with a quad-channel bus. The Intel part also features PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, compared to the Opteron's PCIe Gen 2. For embedded or mobile deployments, the Core i5-8365UE is the clear winner despite losing every benchmark.

For multi-threaded rendering specifically, the Opteron's 12 physical cores should theoretically dominate the Core i5's 4 cores with 8 threads. Yet the benchmark data shows only a 1.5% gap. This indicates that the Opteron's older Bulldozer architecture, with its shared module resources, does not scale efficiently compared to the Whiskey Lake architecture's per-core efficiency. The Intel part's higher boost clock of 4.10 GHz, versus the Opteron's 3.20 GHz, compensates significantly for the core count disadvantage.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Opteron 6238 uses the Bulldozer architecture, codenamed Interlagos, built on a 32 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 2,400 million transistors across a dual-die design with each die measuring 315 mm². The cache hierarchy consists of 768 KB of L1, 2 MB of L2 per module, and 8 MB of L3 per die. It supports DDR3 memory with a quad-channel bus and a theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. The socket is AMD G34, and the chip carries the part number OS6238WKTCGGU. It was released on November 13, 2011, with a launch MSRP of $455, and is now end-of-life.

The Intel Core i5-8365UE uses the Whiskey Lake architecture, specifically Whiskey Lake-U, built on a 14 nm process at Intel. It features 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 1600 MHz and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz. The cache layout is 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. It supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a theoretical bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The socket is Intel BGA 1528, and the part number is SRFDU. It was released on April 15, 2019, with a launch MSRP of $297, and remains in active production.

The architectural gap spans eight years of process development. The 14 nm Intel process delivers significantly better transistor efficiency than the 32 nm AMD process, which explains how a 15 W mobile chip can match a 115 W server chip in rendering scores. The Opteron's quad-channel memory bus provides higher theoretical bandwidth (51.2 GB/s versus 38.4 GB/s), but the Core i5's DDR4 support offers better per-channel efficiency. The Opteron supports ECC memory, a critical feature for server workloads, while the Core i5 does not. The Core i5 includes integrated graphics, which the Opteron lacks entirely.

Another key difference lies in the cache design. The Opteron's L2 is shared per module, meaning two cores within a module compete for the same 2 MB of L2. The Core i5 gives each core a dedicated 256 KB of L2. The Opteron's L3 is split per die at 8 MB each, while the Core i5 has a unified 6 MB shared L3. These structural differences contribute to the Opteron's inability to translate its core advantage into a proportional benchmark lead.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The AMD Opteron 6238 wins all three multi-core tests. In Cinebench R15, it scores 481 versus 474. In R20, it scores 2008 versus 1978. In R23, it scores 4781 versus 4710. The margin is 1.5% in each case.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare?

A: The Opteron 6238 also wins single-core tests, but by similarly narrow margins. It scores 67 versus 66 in R15, 283 versus 279 in R20, and 675 versus 665 in R23. The deltas are 1.5%, 1.4%, and 1.5% respectively.

Q: Which processor is more power-efficient?

A: The Intel Core i5-8365UE has a TDP of 15 W, compared to the Opteron 6238's 115 W. This is a significant difference that makes the Intel part suitable for mobile and low-power applications.

Q: Does the Opteron support ECC memory?

A: Yes, the AMD Opteron 6238 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-8365UE does not support ECC memory.

Q: What is the performance percentile for each processor?

A: Both processors are at the 36th percentile among all CPUs in the database. The Opteron 6238 has an average benchmark score of 1383, while the Core i5-8365UE has an average score of 1362.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i5-8365UE includes UHD Graphics 620. The AMD Opteron 6238 has no integrated graphics, requiring a discrete GPU for display output.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data reveals a remarkably consistent pattern. The AMD Opteron 6238 wins all six Cinebench benchmarks, but the margins are so small that they fall within typical run-to-run variance for many systems. Still, the data is clear: the Opteron holds a 1.5% advantage in five tests and a 1.4% advantage in one.

Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Opteron scores 481 against the Core i5's 474. This 7-point difference translates to a 1.5% win for the AMD part. The single-core R15 test shows the Opteron at 67 and the Core i5 at 66, a single point difference and again 1.5%. These are the tightest margins in the entire comparison, yet they favor the older, larger processor.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the multi-core test has the Opteron scoring 2008 versus 1978, a 30-point gap and 1.5% advantage. The single-core R20 test shows 283 versus 279, a 4-point gap and a 1.4% win for the Opteron. This is the only test where the delta differs from 1.5%, and it is actually the smallest relative margin.

In Cinebench R23, the multi-core test records 4781 for the Opteron and 4710 for the Core i5, a 71-point gap and 1.5% advantage. The single-core R23 test shows 675 versus 665, a 10-point gap and 1.5% win. The Opteron's lead holds steady across the newer, more demanding R23 workload, suggesting its 12 cores provide a genuine, if small, advantage even against the Core i5's higher boost clock.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this picture. The Opteron 6238 averages 1383 across all recorded benchmarks, while the Core i5-8365UE averages 1362. This 21-point difference is approximately 1.5%, matching the head-to-head deltas. Both processors sit at the 36th percentile, meaning they outperform roughly 36% of all CPUs in the database and trail the remaining 64%.

The nearest rivals for the Opteron include the Intel Core i7-3615QE with an average score of 1381 and a 0.2% delta, the Intel Core i3-9100TE at 1386 with a -0.2% delta, the AMD Opteron 6366 HE at 1379 with a 0.3% delta, and the AMD Opteron 6274 at 1387 with a -0.3% delta. The Core i5-8365UE's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-6500T at 1362 with a 0% delta, the Intel Core i7-3820QM at 1366 with a -0.3% delta, the Intel Xeon D-1521 at 1367 with a -0.4% delta, and the Intel Xeon E3-1226 v3 at 1357 with a 0.4% delta.

These rival comparisons show that both processors are tightly clustered with their peers. The Opteron 6238 sits in a group of older server and desktop parts, while the Core i5-8365UE sits among a mix of desktop, mobile, and Xeon parts. The fact that these two very different processors land in the same performance neighborhood, with nearly identical average scores, is the most significant finding of this comparison. The Opteron's core count advantage is neutralized by architectural age, while the Core i5's efficiency and clock speed compensate for its smaller core count.