CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i3-9100E and the AMD Opteron 6282 SE represent two radically different approaches to computing, separated by nearly seven years of architectural evolution. The data shows a clear, consistent victor across every benchmark in the Cinebench suite, yet the reasons behind that victory reveal profound differences in design philosophy, from core counts and memory channels to the very nature of the silicon itself.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark results, the Intel Core i3-9100E wins every single head-to-head comparison. The data is unambiguous: six wins for the Intel part, zero for the AMD Opteron. This is not a case of one chip edging out the other in specific workloads; rather, the Intel processor demonstrates a systematic advantage across both single-core and multi-core tests.

The Intel chip’s dominance is most pronounced in multi-threaded workloads, where one might expect the Opteron’s 16 physical cores to give it an edge over the i3’s 4 cores. Instead, the i3-9100E posts a 559 score in Cinebench R15 multi-core against the Opteron’s 546, a 2.4% margin. This trend continues in Cinebench R20 and R23, where the i3 leads by 2.2% in each multi-core test. The Opteron’s higher core count does not translate into a performance win, suggesting that the Bulldozer architecture’s module-based design is far less efficient per core than Intel’s Coffee Lake implementation.

In single-core tests, the gap is narrower but still favors Intel. The i3-9100E scores 78 in Cinebench R15 single-core versus 77 for the Opteron, a 1.3% lead. In R20 and R23 single-core tests, the margin is a consistent 2.2%, with the i3 hitting 328 and 783 respectively, compared to the Opteron’s 321 and 766. While the single-core deltas are smaller, they reinforce the same conclusion: the Intel architecture is simply more efficient at executing instructions, regardless of thread count.

The Opteron’s only conceivable win would be in scenarios where raw core count matters more than per-core efficiency, but the benchmark data does not support this. Even in the heavily multi-threaded Cinebench R23 multi-core test, the 16-core Opteron cannot overcome the 4-core Intel chip’s superior IPC. This makes the Opteron a difficult recommendation for any workload represented in this data.

Architecture Differences

The architectural chasm between these two processors is vast, explaining the benchmark outcomes. The Intel Core i3-9100E is built on a 14 nm process at Intel’s foundry, featuring 4 cores and 4 threads. It uses the Coffee Lake architecture, a mature design that emphasizes high instructions-per-clock (IPC) and efficient power usage. Its cache hierarchy is per-core: 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, with a 6 MB shared L3 cache. The die size is a compact 126 mm².

The AMD Opteron 6282 SE, in contrast, is a server-class behemoth from 2011. It uses the Bulldozer architecture (codenamed Interlagos) on a 32 nm process. It packs 16 cores (though organized as 8 modules, each sharing a 2 MB L2 cache), with a total of 768 KB of L1 cache and 8 MB of L3 per die. The chip is physically massive, with a die size of 2x 315 mm² and a transistor count of 2,400 million. This older, wider design was optimized for throughput in server environments, not for per-thread performance.

Memory support further separates the two. The Intel chip uses DDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus, delivering 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Opteron uses older DDR3 memory over a quad-channel bus, achieving a higher theoretical bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. However, that extra bandwidth does not help the Opteron in the Cinebench tests, likely because the workload is more dependent on core efficiency than raw memory throughput. The Intel chip also includes integrated UHD Graphics 630, while the Opteron has none. Both support ECC memory, but the Intel chip does so with a much lower TDP of 65 watts versus the Opteron’s 140 watts.

The sockets and platforms are entirely incompatible: Intel’s Socket 1151 versus AMD’s Socket G34. The Intel chip offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the Opteron is limited to PCIe Gen 2. These differences paint a picture of two very different target markets: a low-power desktop part versus a high-core-count server CPU.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are remarkably consistent, with the Intel i3-9100E winning every test by a margin between 1.3% and 2.4%. The largest victory comes in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the i3 scores 559 against the Opteron’s 546, a 2.4% delta. This is significant because it demonstrates that even in a test designed to scale with cores, the Intel part’s superior architecture overcomes a 4x core disadvantage.

In Cinebench R20, the multi-core test shows the i3 at 2330 versus 2279 for the Opteron, a 2.2% win. The single-core R20 test shows a similar 2.2% margin, with scores of 328 and 321. Cinebench R23 follows the exact same pattern: the i3 wins multi-core with 5549 to 5427, and single-core with 783 to 766, both by 2.2%.

The single-core deltas are telling. In R15, the single-core margin is just 1.3%, the smallest of the entire comparison. This suggests that while the Opteron’s per-core performance is weak, it is not catastrophically so in older, less demanding tests. However, as the Cinebench tests become more modern (R20 and R23), the Intel chip’s single-core advantage stabilizes at 2.2%, indicating that the architectural efficiency gap widens with more complex instruction sets.

The average benchmark scores further contextualize these results. The i3-9100E has an average benchmark score of 1605, placing it at the 39th percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon E3-1240L v5 (1609, -0.2%), the Intel Core i7-10610U (1611, -0.3%), and the Intel Core i7-970 (1613, -0.5%). The Opteron 6282 SE averages 1569, also at the 39th percentile, with rivals like the Intel Core i3-8300 (1564, 0.3%), Intel Core i5-6600T (1563, 0.4%), and AMD Ryzen 3 1300X (1562, 0.5%). This places the Opteron in the same performance tier as modern quad-core desktop chips, despite having four times the core count.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more cores?

A: The AMD Opteron 6282 SE has 16 cores, while the Intel Core i3-9100E has 4 cores. Both have 16 and 4 threads, respectively.

Q: Does the Opteron’s higher core count help it win any benchmarks?

A: No. The Intel Core i3-9100E wins all six head-to-head benchmarks, including the multi-core tests, with margins ranging from 2.2% to 2.4%.

Q: What is the biggest performance difference between the two?

A: The largest delta is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the Intel chip scores 559 versus 546 for the Opteron, a 2.4% advantage.

Q: Which CPU supports faster memory?

A: The Intel Core i3-9100E supports DDR4 memory, while the AMD Opteron 6282 SE supports DDR3. However, the Opteron has a wider quad-channel bus with 51.2 GB/s bandwidth versus 38.4 GB/s for the Intel chip.

Q: Are these CPUs from the same era?

A: No. The AMD Opteron 6282 SE was released in 2011, while the Intel Core i3-9100E was released in 2018.

Q: Which CPU has integrated graphics?

A: Only the Intel Core i3-9100E has integrated graphics, specifically UHD Graphics 630. The AMD Opteron 6282 SE has no integrated graphics.

The Verdict

The data is unequivocal. The Intel Core i3-9100E is the superior processor in every benchmark recorded. It wins all six Cinebench tests, from R15 to R23, in both single-core and multi-core configurations. The Opteron 6282 SE, despite its 16 cores, cannot match the i3’s per-core efficiency, which is the decisive factor in these workloads. The Intel chip’s modern 14 nm architecture, higher clock speeds (3.10 GHz base, 3.70 GHz boost versus 2.60 GHz and 3.30 GHz), and superior IPC render the Opteron’s raw core count irrelevant in this comparison.

For any user choosing between these two based on the benchmark data, the Intel Core i3-9100E is the clear pick. It delivers better performance with a fraction of the power draw (65W TDP versus 140W), supports newer DDR4 memory, and includes integrated graphics. The Opteron’s only advantages are its higher theoretical memory bandwidth and its server-oriented design, but neither translates into a win in the Cinebench suite. The Opteron 6282 SE is a relic of a bygone era of AMD server chips, while the i3-9100E, though also end-of-life, represents a far more balanced and efficient design. The verdict is simple: choose the Intel chip for any workload represented in this data.