AMD Opteron 6281 vs Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmark tests in this comparison?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 wins all six recorded head-to-head tests. It takes the Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore and singlecore runs, while the AMD Opteron 6281 does not win a single test.

Q: How large is the performance gap in multicore workloads?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 leads by 1.6% in Cinebench R15 multicore (633 vs 623), R20 multicore (2639 vs 2598), and R23 multicore (6284 vs 6187). That is a consistent but narrow margin across all three multicore tests.

Q: What about single-core performance differences?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 leads by 2.3% in Cinebench R15 singlecore (89 vs 87) and by 1.6% in both R20 singlecore (372 vs 366) and R23 singlecore (887 vs 873). The largest single-core advantage for Intel appears in the R15 test.

Q: Do both processors have the same average benchmark score?

A: No. The Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 has an average benchmark score of 1817, while the AMD Opteron 6281 scores 1789. That puts Intel roughly 1.6% higher on average, matching the typical delta seen in the individual head-to-head tests.

Q: How do these two compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 sits within 0.5% of the Intel Core i5-6600K (1816), Intel Xeon E5-1630 v3 (1823), AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650U (1810), and Intel Core i3-9320 (1808). The AMD Opteron 6281 sits within 0.7% of the AMD Ryzen 3 3200GE (1787), AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 1300 (1778), Intel Xeon E5-4610 v3 (1777), and Intel Xeon E5-1620 v4 (1802).

Q: Do both chips support ECC memory?

A: Yes. Both the Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 and the AMD Opteron 6281 support ECC memory, which is expected for server and workstation parts.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 is built on the Skylake-H architecture using a 14 nm process at Intel's foundry. It packs 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The die is 122 mm² and contains 2,300 million transistors. Cache is organized per core: 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2, plus an 8 MB shared L3. Memory support includes DDR3 and DDR4 over a dual-channel bus, delivering 34.1 GB/s of bandwidth. It also includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics P530) and PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU.

The AMD Opteron 6281 uses the Bulldozer architecture, specifically the Interlagos codename, on a 32 nm process from GlobalFoundries. It has 16 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock of 2.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.20 GHz. The chip is built from two dies, each 315 mm², totaling 2,400 million transistors. Cache is distributed differently: 768 KB L1 total, 2 MB L2 per module, and 8 MB L3 per die. Memory support is DDR3 only, but over a quad-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth. There is no integrated graphics, and PCIe is Gen 2.

The fundamental architectural split is clear: Intel uses a smaller process node (14 nm vs 32 nm), a monolithic die (122 mm² vs 2x 315 mm²), and a higher boost clock (3.70 GHz vs 3.20 GHz). AMD counters with four times the cores (16 vs 4) and more memory bandwidth (51.2 GB/s vs 34.1 GB/s). The Intel chip is also newer, released in late 2015 versus early 2012 for AMD. Both are end-of-life products, but they represent very different design philosophies: Intel favors high-frequency, low-core-count efficiency, while AMD bets on raw core count and memory throughput.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows the Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 winning every head-to-head test, but the margins are small. In Cinebench R15 multicore, Intel scores 633 against AMD's 623, a 1.6% lead. The singlecore R15 test gives Intel 89 versus 87, a 2.3% advantage, which is the largest single delta in the entire comparison.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the pattern repeats. Intel leads multicore 2639 to 2598, again by 1.6%. In singlecore, Intel scores 372 against 366, also a 1.6% difference. The Intel chip maintains the same relative edge across both multicore and singlecore workloads, suggesting the advantage comes from higher clock speeds and more efficient architecture rather than core count scaling.

Cinebench R23 confirms the trend. Intel wins multicore with 6284 against 6187, a 1.6% margin. In singlecore, Intel scores 887 versus 873, again 1.6% ahead. Notably, the AMD Opteron 6281 has 16 cores versus Intel's 4, yet it trails in multicore tests. The data indicates that the Opteron's extra cores do not translate into a throughput advantage; the Intel chip's higher per-core performance and higher boost clock compensate for the core count deficit.

The average benchmark scores reflect this: Intel averages 1817, AMD averages 1789, a difference of about 1.6%. Both chips land at the 42nd percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they occupy similar overall performance tiers despite their architectural differences.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 | AMD Opteron 6281 |

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

| Cores | 4 | 16 |

| Threads | 8 | 16 |

| Base Clock | 2.80 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.70 GHz | 3.20 GHz |

| TDP | 45 W | 130 W |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 32 nm |

| Die Size | 122 mm² | 2x 315 mm² |

| Transistors | 2,300 million | 2,400 million |

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

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

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

| Memory Support | DDR3, DDR4 | DDR3 |

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

| Memory Bandwidth | 34.1 GB/s | 51.2 GB/s |

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

| Integrated Graphics | HD Graphics P530 | None |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1440 | AMD Socket G34 |

| Release Date | 2015-10-26 | 2012-04-30 |

| Launch MSRP | $434 | $988 |

| Part Number | SR2FM | OS6278WKTGGGU |

The most striking differences are core count (16 vs 4), TDP (130 W vs 45 W), memory bandwidth (51.2 GB/s vs 34.1 GB/s), and process node (32 nm vs 14 nm). The AMD chip uses twice the power budget and still loses every benchmark. The Intel chip also has integrated graphics, which the AMD part lacks entirely.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 as the faster processor in every recorded test. It wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, and the average benchmark score is 1817 versus 1789 for AMD. The Intel chip achieves this with a 45 W TDP, 4 cores, and 8 threads, while the AMD Opteron 6281 uses 130 W, 16 cores, and 16 threads. The performance per watt is heavily in Intel's favor.

For a workstation or server workload where single-threaded performance matters, the Intel chip is the clear choice. It also wins multicore tests despite having one-quarter the cores, which means the efficiency of the Skylake architecture outweighs the raw core count of Bulldozer. The AMD part has higher memory bandwidth (51.2 GB/s vs 34.1 GB/s) and supports quad-channel DDR3, but that does not show up as a benchmark advantage in the recorded Cinebench results.

The Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 also carries a lower launch MSRP ($434 vs $988), although pricing considerations are not the focus of this analysis. The data simply shows that the Intel part delivers higher scores across the board with lower power consumption and a smaller process node.

Where Each One Wins

Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 wins in:

• All six Cinebench tests (R15, R20, R23, both multicore and singlecore)
• Single-core performance: leads by 1.6% to 2.3% depending on the test
• Multicore performance: leads by exactly 1.6% in every multicore test
• Power efficiency: 45 W TDP versus 130 W, with higher benchmark scores
• Integrated graphics availability (HD Graphics P530)
• Newer process node (14 nm vs 32 nm)
• Higher boost clock (3.70 GHz vs 3.20 GHz)

AMD Opteron 6281 wins in:

• Core count: 16 cores versus 4, which may matter for certain parallel workloads
• Memory bandwidth: 51.2 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s, and quad-channel versus dual-channel
• Thread count: 16 threads versus 8, though it lacks SMT
• L2 cache per module (2 MB) and L1 cache total (768 KB)
• Dual-die design with 8 MB L3 per die

The benchmark data does not show any test where the Opteron's advantages produce a win. However, the database records only Cinebench results. The Opteron's higher memory bandwidth and larger core count could potentially benefit workloads that are memory-bound or scale linearly with cores, but no such benchmark appears in the recorded head-to-head tests. For the measured data, the Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 is the superior processor.