AMD Opteron 6272 vs Intel Core i5-4570R Comparison

# Intel Core i5-4570R vs AMD Opteron 6272: A Data-Driven Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4570R and the AMD Opteron 6272 occupy very different corners of the processor market. The data indicates a clear split: the AMD part wins every multi-threaded benchmark in the database, while the Intel chip counters with a decisive advantage in every single-threaded test. The average benchmark score for the Intel chip is 1318, placing it in the 35th percentile of all CPUs, while the Opteron averages 1288, also at the 35th percentile. Their nearest rivals are telling: the i5-4570R sits 0.3% above the Intel Core i7-3770T and 0.5% above the AMD Athlon Gold 7220U, while the Opteron 6272 is essentially tied with the Intel Core i7-3630QM (0.1% difference) and the Intel Core i5-4670R (0.1% difference). These are close contests, but the broader picture shows a clear performance split.

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark results create a clean separation of duties. The AMD Opteron 6272 wins all six Cinebench multi-core tests: the R15 multi-core test (448 vs 390, a 12.9% lead), the R20 multi-core test (1870 vs 1629, again 12.9%), and the R23 multi-core test (4454 vs 3879, also 12.9%). This consistent 12.9% margin across all three Cinebench versions indicates a stable architectural advantage in heavily threaded workloads.

The Intel Core i5-4570R wins all six single-core tests, but the margins are consistent and modest. In Cinebench R15 single-core, it scores 63 versus the Opteron's 54, a 14.3% advantage. The R20 single-core test shows 263 versus 229, again 12.9%, and the R23 single-core test shows 628 versus 547, also 12.9%. While the core i5 scores lower in absolute terms, its per-core throughput is meaningfully higher, and that translates directly to the 12.9% lead in every single-threaded test.

In short, the Opteron wins 6-0 on multi-core workloads. The Core i5 wins 6-0 on single-core workloads. Neither chip is a generalist.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural philosophies. The Intel Core i5-14700R is a 22 nm, desktop-oriented Haswell chip, specifically the Crystal Well variant. It has 4 cores and 4 threads, a base clock of 2.70 GHz, a boost of 3.20 GHz, and a 65W TDP. Cache is plentiful: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 4 MB shared L3. The memory controller is dual-channel DDR3, with 25.6 GB/s of bandwidth. It also features the Iris Pro 5200 integrated graphics and 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes. Production status is end-of-life, released June 1, 2013.

The AMD Opteron 6272 is a different beast. It is a 32 nm server chip from GlobalFoundries, codenamed Interlagos, part of the Opteron 6000 series. It has 16 cores and 16 threads, a 2.10 GHz base and 3.00 GHz boost, and a 115W TDP. The cache hierarchy is large: 768 KB L1, 2 MB L2 per module, and 8 MB L3 per die. It supports quad-channel DDR3 with ECC, 51.2 GB/s memory bandwidth, and PCIe Gen 2. The die is reported as 2x 315 mm² with 2,400 million transistors.

The core counts tell the story. The Opteron has 4x the cores, and its benchmark results show a consistent 12.9% advantage in multi-threaded tasks. But the Intel chip has a huge per-core clock speed and a more modern microarchitecture, which is why it gets 12.9% more done per single thread. The database classifies this as a very different design: Intel's 4 cores at high frequency in a desktop segment, versus AMD's 16 cores at a lower frequency in a server segment.

The Verdict

Based on the recorded data, the choice is straightforward. For users running multi-threaded workloads, especially those that can use 16 cores, the AMD Opteron 6272 is the better pick: it wins every multi-core test by about 13%. It also has higher memory bandwidth (51.2 GB/s versus 25.6 GB/s), more PCIe lanes, and server-specific features like ECC and quad-channel memory.

For users who run mostly single-threaded workloads, the Intel Core i5-4570R is the better option. It has a large single-core performance advantage (winning all six single-core tests by 14.3%), and includes integrated graphics, which the Opteron lacks. It also consumes less power (65 W versus 115 W).

The dataset does not indicate that either chip is a bad buy. But the workloads are clear. If you are heavily parallel, the Opteron's 16 cores will show up in the numbers. If you are latency-sensitive, the Core i5's higher frequency and newer core design will win every time.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The AMD Opteron 6272 wins all six multi-core Cinebench tests, with a consistent 12.9% lead over the Intel Core i5-4570R.

Q: Which CPU wins in single-core tests?

A: The Intel Core i5-4570R wins all six single-core Cinebench tests, also by 12.9% (14.3% in Cinebench R15 single-core).

Q: What are the main differences in core configuration?

A: The Opteron has 16 cores and 16 threads, while the Core i5 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Opteron has a TDP of 115W, the Core i5 65W.

Q: Do they support the same memory?

A: Both support DDR3, but the Opteron has a quad-channel memory bus (51.2 GB/s bandwidth) while the Core i5 is dual-channel (25.6 GB/s). The Opteron also supports ECC memory; the Core i5 does not.

Q: Which one is made for servers?

A: The AMD Opteron 6272, with a server/workstation market segment, ECC memory, and a G34 socket, is clearly a server chip. The Intel Core i5-4570R is a desktop chip.

Q: Which has better integrated graphics?

A: The Intel Core i5-4570R has the Intel Iris Pro 5200 integrated graphics. The AMD Opteron 6272 has no integrated graphics.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest win for the AMD Opteron 6272 is in Cinebench R15 multi-core: 440 versus 390, a 12.8% advantage. The same test family shows the Opteron at 4454 versus 3879 in R23 multi-core, again a 12.9% gap. On the Intel side, the single-core R15 score is 63 versus 54, a 14.3% advantage, which carries through to R20 (263 vs 229) and R23 (628 vs 547).

The score is 6-0 for the Opteron in multi-core, and 6-0 for the Core i5 in single-core. The average benchmark score is 1288 for the Opteron versus 1318 for the Core i5, a 2.3% overall edge for the Intel chip, but this is an average of a mixed workload.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-4570R | AMD Opteron 6272 |

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

| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 16 / 16 |

| Base / Boost Clock | 2.70 / 3.20 GHz | 2.10 / 3.00 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 115 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1364 | AMD Socket G34 |

| Architecture / Process | Haswell, 22 nm | Bulldozer, 32 nm |

| Cache | 64KB L1, 256KB L2, 4MB L3 | 768 KB L1, 2MB L2, 8MB L3 |

| Memory | DDR3, dual-channel | DDR3, quad-channel |

| ECC | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 CPU lanes | Gen 2 |

| Integrated graphics | Intel Iris Pro Graphics 5200 | None |

| Market | Desktop | Server |