AMD Opteron 6348 vs Intel Xeon D-1531 Comparison

The Intel Xeon D-1531 and AMD Opteron 6348 are both server-class processors, but they come from different eras and design philosophies. The Xeon D-1531 is a 14nm Broadwell part with six cores and twelve threads, while the Opteron 6348 is a 32nm Piledriver part with twelve physical cores. In the recorded Cinebench tests, the Opteron wins every round, but by a narrow margin of 2.1% to 2.4%. The Xeon counters with a much lower TDP, a smaller socket, and active production status.

The Verdict

If you need the fastest Cinebench scores, the AMD Opteron 6348 is the clear winner: it takes all six head-to-head tests. However, the margins are small, ranging from 2.1% to 2.4%. The Intel Xeon D-1531, despite having half the cores, nearly matches the AMD in multi-threaded workloads, and its single-core scores are also within 2.1% to 2.3%. The Intel's advantage lies in power efficiency: 35W TDP versus 115W, and a compact BGA 1667 socket versus the large G34. The Intel is also still in production, while the AMD is end-of-life. For new builds, the Intel's active status and lower power draw make it a more practical choice, but the data shows the AMD is the faster part in every recorded benchmark.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this: the AMD sits at 1930, the Intel at 1885, a difference of about 2.4%. Both processors land at the 43rd percentile among all CPUs, placing them in the same performance tier. The AMD's nearest rival is the Intel Core i7-1180G7 with an identical average score of 1930, while the Intel's closest competitor is the Intel Core i7-4940MX at 1886, a 0.1% gap. These comparisons show that the Opteron edges out the Xeon by a consistent, but not overwhelming, amount.

Architecture Differences

The two chips are built on very different processes. Intel uses a 14nm node, while AMD uses 32nm. Intel's die is 246 mm² with 3,200 million transistors; AMD's is two dies of 315 mm² each, totaling 630 mm², but with only 2,400 million transistors. This reflects the older Piledriver design. The Xeon D-1531 is based on Broadwell, a microarchitecture that emphasizes per-core efficiency. The Opteron 6348 uses Piledriver, which relies on higher clock speeds and more physical cores. The Intel part has 6 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD has 12 cores and 12 threads, meaning the Intel uses hyper-threading to reach 12 threads, while the AMD has no SMT.

Cache layouts differ significantly. Intel provides 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, plus 1.5 MB of L3 per core. AMD provides 576 KB of L1 total, 2 MB of L2 per module, and 8 MB of L3 per die. Memory support: Intel supports both DDR3 and DDR4 over a dual-channel bus; AMD only supports DDR3 but over a quad-channel bus with a listed bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s. PCIe: Intel has Gen3 with 24 lanes, AMD has Gen2 (no lane count given). The sockets are incompatible: Intel BGA 1667 versus AMD Socket G34. The Intel part is soldered, while the AMD is socketed, but the data only lists the socket types.

The release dates also differ: the Intel launched on 2015-10-31, the AMD on 2012-11-04. The Intel is still marked as Active, while the AMD is End-of-life. The Intel's foundry is Intel, the AMD's is GlobalFoundries. These architectural differences explain why the Intel, with fewer cores and lower clocks, can stay close in performance: its newer process and per-core design compensate for the raw core count and clock speed advantages of the AMD.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are consistent across all six Cinebench tests. The AMD Opteron 6348 wins every round, with margins from 2.1% to 2.4%. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD scores 672 against the Intel's 656, a 2.4% lead. In R15 single-core, the AMD scores 94 versus 92, a 2.1% lead. The R20 tests show a 2.3% advantage for the AMD in both multi-core (2802 vs 2737) and single-core (395 vs 386). The R23 tests repeat the pattern: multi-core 6672 vs 6517, single-core 942 vs 920, both 2.3% ahead.

This consistency suggests that the AMD's higher core count and higher clock speeds (2.80 GHz base, 3.40 GHz boost versus 2.20/2.70) give it a slight edge across the board. However, the Intel's six cores with hyper-threading produce multi-threaded scores within 2.3% of the AMD's twelve physical cores, which indicates a substantial per-core efficiency advantage for the Intel. In single-core tests, the AMD's higher boost clock (3.40 GHz) overcomes the Intel's architectural advantage, but only by 2.1% to 2.3%. The average benchmark scores tell the same story: the AMD's 1930 is 2.4% higher than the Intel's 1885.

The nearest rival data puts these numbers in context. The AMD's average score of 1930 is exactly matched by the Intel Core i7-1180G7, while the Intel's 1885 is within 0.1% of the Intel Core i7-4940MX and 0.2% of the Xeon E3-1270L v4. This means the Opteron performs like a modern low-power mobile chip, while the Xeon D-1531 sits near a high-end mobile processor from a few years ago. The performance gap is real but modest.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Xeon D-1531 | AMD Opteron 6348 |

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

| Cores | 6 | 12 |

| Threads | 12 | 12 |

| Base Clock | 2.20 GHz | 2.80 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 2.70 GHz | 3.40 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 115 W |

| Socket | Intel BGA 1667 | AMD Socket G34 |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 32 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | GlobalFoundries |

| Transistors | 3,200 million | 2,400 million |

| Die Size | 246 mm² | 2x 315 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 576 KB |

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

| L3 Cache | 1.5 MB (per core) | 8 MB (per die) |

| Memory Support | DDR3, DDR4 | DDR3 |

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

| Memory Bandwidth | Not listed | 59.7 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 24 Lanes | Gen 2 |

| Release Date | 2015-10-31 | 2012-11-04 |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Launch MSRP | $348 | $575 |

| Part Number | SR2DG | OS6348WKTCGHK |

The table highlights the key differences. The AMD has double the cores, higher clocks, and a wider memory bus, but the Intel counters with a much lower TDP, a smaller process, and support for DDR4. The Intel also has a higher transistor count on a smaller die, reflecting its more advanced manufacturing. The launch MSRP of the Intel is $348, while the AMD is $575, but that is the only price information available.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The AMD Opteron 6348 has 12 physical cores, while the Intel Xeon D-1531 has 6 cores with hyper-threading, giving 12 threads.

Q: Which processor supports DDR4 memory?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1531 supports both DDR3 and DDR4, while the AMD Opteron 6348 supports only DDR3.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Opteron 6348 boosts to 3.40 GHz, while the Intel Xeon D-1531 boosts to 2.70 GHz.

Q: Which processor is still in production?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1531 is listed as Active, while the AMD Opteron 6348 is End-of-life.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Opteron 6348 has an average score of 1930, compared to the Intel's 1885, a difference of about 2.4%.

Q: Which processor has a lower TDP?

A: The Intel Xeon D-1531 has a TDP of 35W, while the AMD Opteron 6348 has a TDP of 115W.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the recorded benchmarks, the AMD Opteron 6348 wins every Cinebench test, so it is the faster part for rendering workloads. The AMD's 12 cores and higher clocks give it a consistent 2.1% to 2.4% lead across all six tests. For applications that are heavily multi-threaded and can use many cores, the AMD's physical core count is an advantage, even if the margin is small. The AMD also offers quad-channel memory with a listed bandwidth of 59.7 GB/s, which may benefit memory-intensive tasks, though the benchmark data does not show a large impact.

The Intel Xeon D-1531 wins on power efficiency, with a 35W TDP versus 115W, and on platform flexibility, supporting both DDR3 and DDR4 and PCIe Gen3. The Intel is also still in production, making it a viable choice for new systems. Its compact BGA 1667 socket and low power draw make it suitable for space-constrained or power-constrained deployments. The Intel's per-core efficiency is evident: despite having half the cores, it nearly matches the AMD in multi-threaded scores, and its single-core scores are only 2.1% to 2.3% behind. For workloads that are lightly threaded or where power consumption is a priority, the Intel is the better pick.

In summary, the AMD Opteron 6348 is the performance leader in every recorded test, but the Intel Xeon D-1531 offers a more modern, efficient, and still-supported platform. The choice depends on whether raw Cinebench performance or operational efficiency matters more. The data shows the AMD wins the benchmarks, but the Intel wins on power, process, and production status.