AMD Opteron 6272 vs Intel Core i5-4460S Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark split here is unusually one-sided. The AMD Opteron 6272 wins all six head-to-head Cinebench comparisons recorded in the database, covering R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multi-core tests. The Intel Core i5-4460S does not win a single recorded head-to-head test. That does not mean it is without merit, but its strengths lie outside the Cinebench suite, specifically in the Geekbench results where the database holds additional data for the Intel part.

For multi-threaded rendering workloads, the Opteron 6272 is the clear pick. Its 16 cores and 16 threads give it a structural advantage that shows in every Cinebench multi-core test, with margins of roughly 12.6% across the board. If your work involves sustained CPU rendering, video encoding, or any task that scales across many threads, the data consistently favors the AMD server part.

For single-threaded workloads, the Opteron 6272 also leads, though by a slightly smaller margin of about 12.4% to 12.5%. This is notable because the Intel chip has a much higher base clock (2.90 GHz vs 2.10 GHz) and boost clock (3.40 GHz vs 3.00 GHz), yet the older AMD architecture still manages to win these tests. The i5-4460S does have a Geekbench single-core score of 1026 in the database, but no comparable Geekbench result exists for the Opteron, so a direct cross-platform comparison is not possible from the recorded data.

The i5-4460S finds its niche in different territory. It is a desktop part with integrated graphics (Intel HD 4600), a 65 W TDP, and support for PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes. The Opteron has no integrated graphics and uses PCIe Gen 2. For a system that needs a GPU-less basic display output or lower idle power, the Intel part has practical advantages that no benchmark score captures. However, the raw compute comparison in the database is entirely in AMD's favor.

Architecture Differences

The Opteron 6272 is built on AMD's Bulldozer architecture, codenamed Interlagos, and belongs to the Opteron 6000 series. It uses a 32 nm process from GlobalFoundries, packs 2,400 million transistors across a dual-die design (2x 315 mm²), and fits into the AMD Socket G34. It has 16 cores with 16 threads, a base clock of 2.10 GHz, and a boost clock of 3.00 GHz. Its cache layout is unusual: 768 KB of L1, 2 MB of L2 per module, and 8 MB of L3 per die. Memory support is DDR3 over a quad-channel bus, yielding 51.2 GB/s of memory bandwidth, and it supports ECC memory.

The Intel Core i5-4460S uses the Haswell architecture, also codenamed Haswell, on a 22 nm process from Intel's own fabs. It has 4 cores and 4 threads, a base clock of 2.90 GHz, and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz. The transistor count is 1,400 million on a 177 mm² die. Cache is arranged as 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. Memory support is DDR3 over a dual-channel bus, providing 25.6 GB/s of bandwidth, with no ECC support. It includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics and uses PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU-only lanes.

The two CPUs differ in nearly every fundamental design decision. AMD chose many cores with a shared module-based cache arrangement and a high-bandwidth quad-channel memory bus. Intel chose fewer, faster cores with per-core cache, a smaller shared L3, and a lower-power dual-channel memory bus. The TDP difference is substantial: 115 W for the Opteron versus 65 W for the i5-4460S. The Opteron is a server/workstation part aimed at throughput, while the i5-4460S is a desktop part aimed at efficiency and per-core responsiveness.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multi-core test shows the Opteron scoring 448 against the i5-4460S's 398, a 12.6% advantage for AMD. In R15 single-core, the Opteron scores 63 versus 56, a 12.5% lead. These are the smallest absolute differences in the set, but the percentage margins are consistent with the rest of the suite.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the Opteron scores 1870 multi-core and 263 single-core. The i5-4460S scores 1661 multi-core and 234 single-core. The multi-core delta is again 12.6%, and the single-core delta is 12.4%. The pattern holds perfectly: AMD wins by roughly an eighth in every test.

Cinebench R23 shows the same story. The Opteron posts 4454 multi-core and 628 single-core. The i5-4460S manages 3955 multi-core and 558 single-core. The deltas are 12.6% and 12.5%, respectively. Across all six head-to-head tests, the winner is always the AMD Opteron 6272, and the margin never strays far from 12.5%.

The database also records a Geekbench multi-core score of 2750 and a single-core score of 1026 for the i5-4460S. There is no Geekbench result for the Opteron in the pack, so those numbers cannot be directly compared. What they do show is that the i5-4460S has respectable absolute performance in a different benchmark family, though the lack of a matching Opteron result limits the interpretation.

The Verdict

Pick the AMD Opteron 6272 if your workload is multi-threaded rendering or any heavily parallel compute task. The data shows a consistent 12.6% lead over the i5-4460S in Cinebench multi-core tests across three different benchmark versions. It also wins single-core Cinebench tests by about 12.5%, which is unexpected given the Intel chip's higher clocks. The Opteron offers 16 cores, quad-channel memory with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth, and ECC support, making it suited for server or workstation duties where data integrity and memory throughput matter.

Pick the Intel Core i5-4460S if you need a lower-power desktop processor with integrated graphics. Its 65 W TDP is nearly half the Opteron's 115 W. It includes Intel HD 4600, so it can drive a display without a discrete GPU. It also supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, which is newer than the Opteron's PCIe Gen 2. The i5-4460S is end-of-life, as is the Opteron, but its desktop-oriented feature set makes it more practical for a basic office or home system.

The average benchmark score in the database slightly favors the i5-4460S at 1330 versus 1288 for the Opteron, but that average includes Geekbench results for Intel only. The head-to-head Cinebench data, which covers both CPUs equally, is unambiguous: the Opteron wins every test. The percentile ranking against all CPUs is identical at 35th percentile for both, placing them in the same overall performance tier despite their very different designs.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores?

A: The AMD Opteron 6272 has 16 cores and 16 threads. The Intel Core i5-4460S has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Does the Intel Core i5-4460S have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes Intel HD 4600. The AMD Opteron 6272 has no integrated graphics.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Opteron 6272 supports quad-channel DDR3 with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The i5-4460S supports dual-channel DDR3 with 25.6 GB/s.

Q: Which CPU wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD Opteron 6272 scores 4454 versus 3955 for the i5-4460S, a 12.6% advantage.

Q: Do both CPUs support ECC memory?

A: No, only the AMD Opteron 6272 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i5-4460S does not.

Q: What are the TDP values?

A: The Opteron 6272 has a 115 W TDP. The i5-4460S has a 65 W TDP.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Opteron 6272 | Intel Core i5-4460S |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | Bulldozer | Haswell |

| Codename | Interlagos | Haswell |

| Process Node | 32 nm | 22 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Transistors | 2,400 million | 1,400 million |

| Die Size | 2x 315 mm² | 177 mm² |

| Cores | 16 | 4 |

| Threads | 16 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 2.10 GHz | 2.90 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.00 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| L1 Cache | 768 KB | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per module) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 8 MB (per die) | 6 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bus | Quad-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 51.2 GB/s | 25.6 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | Yes | No |

| PCIe | Gen 2 | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | None | Intel HD 4600 |

| Socket | AMD Socket G34 | Intel Socket 1150 |

| TDP | 115 W | 65 W |

| Market Segment | Server/Workstation | Desktop |

| Launch MSRP | $523 | $182 |