AMD Opteron 6378 vs Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 Comparison

The Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 and AMD Opteron 6378 are two very different server processors from different eras, yet they end up in nearly the same performance bracket. The data shows a 4-core Skylake chip with integrated graphics squaring off against a 16-core Piledriver monster, with the final results being remarkably close. Benchmark results indicate that the Xeon wins every single head-to-head test, but by such a narrow margin that the practical difference is almost negligible. The average benchmark scores tell the same story: the Xeon scores 1456, while the Opteron scores 1447, a gap that puts them within 0.6% of each other.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the data is the consistency of the Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5's victory. Across all six Cinebench tests—R15, R20, and R23, each in both multi-core and single-core variants—the Xeon comes out ahead. However, the margins are razor-thin. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 507 against the Opteron's 504, a delta of just 0.6%. The single-core R15 test is a dead heat, with both chips scoring 71 points and a deltaPct of 0, meaning the winner is declared by a tiebreaker in the data.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the Xeon again takes the multi-core test with a score of 2115 versus the Opteron's 2102, a 0.6% advantage. The single-core R20 result shows the Xeon at 298 and the Opteron at 296, a 0.7% lead for Intel. The pattern holds in the newest test, Cinebench R23. The Xeon posts a multi-core score of 5036, while the Opteron manages 5005, again a 0.6% gap. In R23 single-core, the Xeon scores 711 against 706, a 0.7% edge.

What's noteworthy is that the Xeon wins all six head-to-head matchups, but the largest margin is only 0.7%. This means that in real-world workloads, the two processors would be virtually indistinguishable in raw compute throughput. The Opteron's 16 cores and 16 threads are clearly compensating for its older Piledriver architecture and lower clock speeds. The Xeon, with just 4 cores and 8 threads, relies on its newer Skylake design and higher base clock of 2.80 GHz versus the Opteron's 2.40 GHz to keep pace. The boost clocks differ as well, with the Xeon reaching 3.70 GHz and the Opteron topping out at 3.30 GHz.

The Verdict

From the benchmark data alone, the Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 is the winner. It takes all six head-to-head tests, has a higher average benchmark score (1456 vs 1447), and consistently edges out the Opteron by roughly 0.6-0.7% across the board. The Xeon also achieves this with a TDP of just 45 watts, compared to the Opteron's 115 watts, making it dramatically more power-efficient per unit of performance.

That said, the practical verdict is more nuanced. The performance delta is so small that it would be imperceptible in most server or workstation tasks. If the choice is between these two specific processors based solely on benchmark results, the Xeon is the better pick because it wins every test. However, the Opteron's 16-core configuration means it might handle certain parallel workloads differently, even if the Cinebench scores show parity. The data supports picking the Xeon for its consistent, albeit marginal, lead and significantly lower power draw.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 wins in every benchmark category listed. It takes the multi-core tests in R15, R20, and R23, with scores of 507, 2115, and 5036 respectively. It also wins the single-core tests in R20 and R23, with scores of 298 and 711, and ties in the R15 single-core test at 71. This means the Xeon is the better choice for both heavily threaded workloads and lightly threaded tasks, at least as far as Cinebench measures them.

The AMD Opteron 6378 has no benchmark wins in this comparison. It loses all six head-to-head matchups. Its only redeeming quality from a performance standpoint is that it comes very close, but the data does not show any test where it takes the lead. For use cases that depend on the specific strengths of a 16-core processor—such as running many virtual machines or highly parallel database queries—the Opteron might still be viable, but the Cinebench results do not show an advantage over the Xeon.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 scores 5036, while the AMD Opteron 6378 scores 5005, giving the Xeon a 0.6% lead.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the AMD Opteron 6378 beats the Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5?

A: No. The data shows the Xeon winning all six head-to-head tests, with the Opteron winning zero. The closest result is the R15 single-core test, where both score 71.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 has an average benchmark score of 1456, while the AMD Opteron 6378 has an average of 1447. The Xeon is also listed as having a 0.6% delta over the Opteron in the rivals data.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The AMD Opteron 6378 has 16 cores and 16 threads.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 boosts to 3.70 GHz, while the AMD Opteron 6378 boosts to 3.30 GHz.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: Yes, both the Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 and the AMD Opteron 6378 have ECC memory support listed as true.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Xeon E3-1515M v5 is built on the Skylake architecture, specifically the Skylake-H codename, using a 14 nm process node fabricated by Intel. It packs 2,300 million transistors into a die size of 171 mm². The Opteron 6378, in contrast, uses the Piledriver architecture under the Abu Dhabi codename, built on a 32 nm process from GlobalFoundries. It has 2,400 million transistors spread across two dies, each measuring 315 mm², for a total of 2x 315 mm².

Cache configurations differ significantly. The Xeon has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Opteron has 768 KB of L1 cache total, 2 MB of L2 per module, and 8 MB of L3 per die. This structural difference reflects the module-based design of Piledriver, where two cores share a module and its L2 cache. The Intel chip also includes integrated graphics in the form of Iris Pro Graphics P580, whereas the Opteron has no integrated graphics. The Xeon's transistor count is slightly lower than the Opteron's, but it achieves this on a much smaller die, highlighting the density advantage of the 14 nm process.

Specification Differences

The most obvious difference is core count: the Xeon has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the Opteron has 16 cores and 16 threads. Clock speeds favor Intel, with the Xeon running at 2.80 GHz base and 3.70 GHz boost, versus the Opteron's 2.40 GHz base and 3.30 GHz boost. Thermal design power is a major differentiator, with the Xeon rated at 45 watts and the Opteron at 115 watts.

Memory support also diverges. The Xeon supports both DDR3 and DDR4 in a dual-channel configuration, providing 34.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The Opteron is limited to DDR3 but uses a quad-channel bus, delivering 59.7 GB/s of bandwidth. Both support ECC memory. PCIe connectivity differs as well: the Xeon uses Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Opteron uses Gen 2 without a specified lane count.

The physical sockets are incompatible—the Xeon uses Intel BGA 1440, while the Opteron uses AMD Socket G34. Process nodes are also different, with Intel at 14 nm and AMD at 32 nm. The release dates show a significant gap, with the Opteron launching in November 2012 and the Xeon in January 2016. The production status for both is end-of-life. The launch MSRP for the Xeon is $489, and for the Opteron it is $867.